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Where people in Louisville are looking to buy homes | Around the State – The Messenger

By |2023-02-16T18:25:15-05:00February 16th, 2023|COVID-19|

The Covid-19 pandemic ushered in a period of frantic, domestic migration that saw Americans moving farther away from established urban centers.The number of homes sold every month has slowed as interest rates have risen, cooling some of those pandemic trends. But many Americans are still choosing to move long distances, and the vast majority of U.S. homebuyers—97%—utilize online sites when looking for their next home, according to a 2021 report from the National Association of Realtors.Stacker compiled statistics about where people in Louisville are looking to buy homes using cross-market demand and monthly inventory data from Realtor.com. Data is based on micropolitan and metropolitan areas, which include cities as well as surrounding towns and suburbs. Cross-market demand statistics are as of Q4 2022. Monthly inventory data is as of January 2023.Continue reading to see where people in Louisville are shopping for their next house.

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Peyton Siva on 2013 Louisville basketball reunion and playing for ‘The Ville’ with ex-Cards

By |2023-02-16T17:27:13-05:00February 16th, 2023|COVID-19|

Like an actor taking the stage for opening night on Broadway, Peyton Siva said a "fourth wall" went up when he stepped onto the court in front of more than 74,000 fans packed inside the Georgia Dome for the2013national championship game."You don't see faces," the former Louisville men's basketball guard told The Courier Journal. "You don't see people. It was all a blur in the background."The disorientation intensified, Siva said, when the confetti started to fall on the Cardinals following their 82-76 victory over Michigan to claim the program's third NCAA title. The locker room celebration, the joyous welcome home, the media appearances and the parade — all of those moments blurred together, too.But, if you were among the thousands who turned out to show your appreciation to Siva and his teammates, know that he still feels the love 10 years later."There's no better fans," said Siva, who recently returned to Louisville after a stint playing professionally in Australia. "They hold a special place in my heart." NCAA be damned:Louisville basketball players will still celebrate the 2013 titleThat sentiment was the driving force in Siva's decision to suit up for "The Ville," a team comprised of former U of L players that will compete against 64 others for $1 million in The Basketball Tournament beginning in July. Thus far, the roster also includes: Dillon Avare, Rakeem Buckles, Steven Enoch and Kyle Kuric. Earlier this month, Freedom Hall was named a TBT regional host site, giving Siva and the ex-Cards a chance to return to their roots by playing in front of the fanbase they hold dearest at a venue that means so much to the program's history. Tickets go on sale April 1. With Louisville sitting at 3-23 (1-14 ACC) in Year 1 of the Kenny Payne era, those clinging to memories like Kuric going nuclear in the Freedom Hall finale back on March 6, 2010, will soon be able to watch them come to life. "Hopefully, we can bring some exciting basketball," Siva said. "Being able to compete and try to win $1 million is awesome, but I think the fact that it's gonna be in Louisville, where a lot of (former players) live, in front of their families and in front of the home fans, I think that was a major key for a lot of guys committing early to play."A 'special night':Ten years later, Kyle Kuric reflects on a game to remember in Freedom Hall finaleThis isn’t U of L's first brush with TBT. In 2020, Ryan McMahon came two victories away from the $1 million prize playing alongside primarily ex-Dayton Flyers under strict COVID-19 precautions in Columbus, Ohio. A year later, former walk-on grad transfer Keith Oddo tried to put together a team called 3-Time Champs with the Most Outstanding Player of the 2013 Final Four, Luke Hancock, as an assistant coach. The roster included the likes of Chane Behanan, Wayne Blackshear, Lamarr "Fresh" Kimble, Preston Knowles and Samardo Samuels, but Oddo said TBT turned them down. "The administrator said that the team was talented enough to make the tournament," Oddo wrote in a tweet at the time, "but they wanted the first Louisville team to have more brand-named Cardinal players."Hancock will assume the role of The Ville's general manager. Siva said he was hoping his former teammate would join him on the court and joked that they'll save his sharpshooting in the event an opponent hits them with a 2-3 zone. Rounding out the staff are Collegiate head coach Mark Lieberman and Lexington Catholic assistant Jordan Sucher, both of whom spent time working under Rick Pitino at Louisville. Their challenge will be cultivating chemistry among players who share the same alma mater but in some cases didn’t run the court together back in the day. Rick Pitino:What ex-Louisville coach said about IARP's ruling, vacated championship and Tom Jurich"It’s gonna be tough," Siva said. "We’ve just got to figure out each other’s games again and go from there."Before he turns his attention toward TBT preparations, Siva will be reminded yet again of the admiration Louisville fans have for the 2013 squad when he and 12 of his former teammates are honored at halftime of Saturday night's game between the Cardinals and Clemson. Those who will be in attendance include: Hancock, Blackshear, Mike Baffour, Logan Baumann, Jordan Bond, Gorgui Dieng, Montrezl Harrell, Tim Henderson, Mike Marra, Zach Price, Stephan Van Treese and Kevin Ware."A lot of us have different lives; we're playing in different countries, so our schedules don't always line up to each others', so it'll be good to see everybody again in one spot — hang out, talk to them," Siva said. "And for me, the big thing is for my teammates to see how much they are loved in the city of Louisville. For the guys who do live in different states and different countries, I think it'll be perfect to see the love the fans are going to shower them with."Ten-year anniversary:Banner honoring 2013 Louisville basketball team will go up. It may not say what you thinkThere will be no mention of the championship the group won after it and 123 wins between 2010-14 were vacated in June 2017 due to a scandal involving payments made to strippers and prostitutes to dance for, and have sex with, former players and recruits. A banner will be raised, however, commemorating U of L finishing No. 1 in the final coaches poll of the season — a gesture signifying progress after the program last fall avoided a postseason ban and other major punishments stemming from another NCAA investigation into alleged violations during the head-coaching tenures of Pitino and Chris Mack."I was just happy for the university and happy for the players and the coaches and fans, most importantly,” Siva said of the ruling. “It was tough living with that cloud over your head, living with the unknown of the future. I was happy for them the most just to move on past it all. It was great to see. Hopefully, the university and the program can just move forward and get back to where it used to be, and I'm looking forward to watching that process." When the party's over Saturday, Siva will get back to work. If he and the members of "The Ville" are able to recapture the magic of what the Cardinals used to be when TBT tips off at Freedom Hall, a championship could be in its future.Reach Louisville men's basketball reporter Brooks Holton at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter at @brooksHolton.

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Louisville Zoo, others taking precautions after tiger in New York contracts COVID-19

By |2023-02-16T04:29:06-05:00February 15th, 2023|COVID-19|

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- It’s strangely quiet, but behind the closed gates of the Louisville Zoo, work continues.As the deadly COVID-19 pandemic spreads, zookeepers such as senior staff veterinarian Dr. Zoli Gyimesi have divided into two teams and are subject to daily temperature checks.“We’re taking many common sense precautions here at the zoo," Gyimesi said.But, now they’re taking new precautions after a tiger at the Bronx Zoo, in New York, tested positive for COVID-19 this past weekend.“And that’s the first documented case in the United States where an animal is infected with the novel coronavirus that causes, you know, COVID-19," the veterinarian said. The Louisville Zoo is taking extra precautions to protect its animal collection during the COVID-19 outbreak. (WDRB Photo) Zookeepers were already wearing face masks around gorillas and other animals, but now they’ll do so around the lions, tigers and other zoo cats.“When they have to be within 6 feet of a cat, when they’re training, feeding, shifting a cat, or if they have to enter the cat’s enclosure for cleaning, or if they’re working with the cat’s food or preparing enrichment," Gyimesi said.Ultimately, he said, the precautions are necessary because scientists are still learning about how the virus spreads between humans and animals.“There’s a lot we don’t know," Gyimesi said. A resident chimpanzee at the Primate Rescue Center in Nicholasville, Ky. (Courtesy: Primate Rescue Center) The Primate Rescue Center outside Lexington, which rescues monkeys and apes, is dealing with that same uncertainty with similar precautions.Executive Director Eileen Dunnington said center volunteers are staying home, and just a couple staff members are caring for the rescues. They might be susceptible to COVID-19, she said, because they're genetically similar to humans.“We don’t want to know how this affects chimpanzees and monkeys. We don’t want to find that out," she said.What about domestic pets like dogs and cats?Even though the government has no reports of pets becoming sick with the virus in the U.S., Gyimesi and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that people sick with COVID-19 limit contact with their pets.“You know, not sharing food and letting a pet kiss or lick your face or, you know, that sort of thing," Gyimesi said.The federal government also says there’s no evidence that any animals, including pets, can spread COVID-19 infection to people.Click here for more information from the federal government.Copyright 2020 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.

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How Black people shaped Louisville’s history. Here are 6 stories you should know

By |2023-02-15T05:34:53-05:00February 15th, 2023|Breonna Taylor, David McAtee|

Louisville wouldn't be what it is today without Black people who established some of the city's most historic neighborhoods, fought for equal rights alongside prominent national figures and contributed to the community's deep-rooted culture.Below are six stories of people and moments that shaped Louisville's history.To explore more, visit the University of Louisville Oral History Center, the Filson Historical Society, Roots 101 African-American Museum, the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage and the Muhammad Ali Center.More:Celebrate Black History Month by looking back on Kentucky history makersTwo enslaved Black men present at Louisville's foundingCato Watts, a fiddler, and Caesar, a carpenter, were two enslaved men brought to Louisville by early settlers in the 1770s, according to the Encyclopedia of Louisville.By 1810, enslaved African Americans made up 36% of the city's population, according to University of Louisville research. And by the 1840s, domestic slave trading thrived along the Ohio River, with slave pens located in the old downtown area of the city.After the Civil War, freed Black residents established several communities that remain an important piece of Louisville's fabric today, including Smoketown, Limerick, Petersburg and Berrytown.Read more:More:The traffic signal and corded bed: 8 Black inventors you didn't know were from KentuckyBlack jockey rides first Kentucky Derby winner across finish lineIn 1875, Oliver Lewis, a Black man born into slavery, rode Aristides to victory in what would become known as the Kentucky Derby.Lewis is one of several prominent Black jockeys who participated in the early years of the race. (Of the first 28 winning jockeys in the Derby, 15 were Black.)But by the early 1900s, those same Black equestrians were forced out of racing by Jim Crow laws that enforced segregation. More than 100 years later, Black jockeys remain a rarity in the sport.Read more:Martin Luther King Jr. part of local civil rights fightIn the 1950s and '60s, Martin Luther King Jr. visited Louisville several times to encourage voting and advocate for policies that would end segregation.In 1964, he and Jackie Robinson led a march of 10,000 people to the state Capitol in Frankfort, following the 1963 March on Washington.In 1965, his brother, A.D. Williams King, moved to Louisville as a minister at Zion Baptist Church. And in 1967, the siblings led protests against unfair housing practices that culminated in a boycott of the Kentucky Derby.That same year, King met Louisville native Muhammad Ali publicly for the first and only time. Though both men were influential in fighting human rights battles, they disagreed on some key issues and had a complex relationship.Read more:More:The first time I met Martin Luther King Jr., I knew I could follow him anywhereHigh school students help force integration at Louisville businessesIn 1961, Black students from Central and Male high schools organized months of pickets and sit-ins at downtown businesses that refused to let them eat, try on clothes or watch moves alongside white customers.The teens' actions led nearly 200 businesses to integrate within six months. And in 1963, the city's mayor signed an ordinance granting equal access to all public accommodations — a year before federal protections were put in place."It was pretty exciting, that's the way I remember it," said Beverly Neal Watkins, who participated in the protests. "You felt like you were doing something good."'Black Six' put on trial for 1968 rebellionIn 1968, Louisville officials accused six Black people of orchestrating a racial uprising in the Parkland neighborhood, during which dozens of businesses were burglarized and set aflame.The defendants — known as the Black Six — each were charged with conspiring to destroy private and public property. And for two years, their lives were in limbo as they awaited trial.In summer 1970, a judge threw the case out of court. But by then, it had already left a permanent mark on Louisville's history, a reminder of the ways the city repeatedly fought to quiet Black dissent.Read more:Breonna Taylor protests draw international outrageIn March 2020, Louisville police officers fatally shot Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman, while serving a "no-knock" search warrant at her apartment as part of a narcotics investigation.After audio of a 911 call made by Taylor's boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, on the night of her death was released, thousands took to Louisville's streets in protest, demanding officers involved in the shooting be fired and arrested.Daily marches and demonstrations continued for more than four months, with protesters using Jefferson Square Park downtown as a home base.Protesters globally invoked Taylor's name, along with George Floyd's, while marching in other cities through the summer. And in Louisville, demonstrators added two more names to their chants after restaurant owner David McAtee and photographer Tyler Gerth were killed.Read more:Still want to dive deeper? Here are more stories and videos to bookmark:Hayes Gardner and Savannah Eadens contributed to this report.Reach reporter Bailey Loosemore at [email protected], 502-582-4646 or on Twitter @bloosemore. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: https://www.courier-journal.com/baileyl.

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Denver7 viewers help make rebuilding a reality for Louisville nurse, her family

By |2023-02-14T22:24:50-05:00February 14th, 2023|COVID-19|

LOUISVILLE, Colo. — Neighborhoods in Louisville and Superior are starting a new chapter with many new builds cropping up in empty lots more than a year after the Marshall Fire. The Christensen family is one of the many embarking on the rebuilding process. Denver7 first met Kim Christensen early last year, when her neighborhood was covered in rubble. “The first year, it felt like it was more of a blur, but it does feel like a very long time waiting," Christensen said. “It's like you're waiting for Christmas."Monday afternoon, Christensen and her family broke ground on the construction of their new home on their old lot. Crews break ground on Louisville nurse's new home following Marshall Fire “It'll still be our home, but not exactly the same," Christensen said. “It will look different, but the same people will be here. So we'll be back in the neighborhood again, and we'll have our house going up soon.”From their lot, Christensen can see Centura Avista Adventist Hospital, where she has worked for nearly two decades. She worked on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic before losing her home in the Marshall Fire. Denver7 viewers stepped up to help, and through Denver7 Gives, the Christensen family's mortgage was paid for 10 months, allowing her to focus on the future. “We're able to put money towards something else instead of having to pay this constant mortgage to something that's not here," Christensen said. “Many neighbors are not rebuilding. And so it has been tremendously helpful. Every little bit helps, but that's a huge chunk of help. So thank you.”The home is being built by Ascent Builders, which hopes to have the family in their new home in time for Christmas. “We can only move forward, right?" Christensen said. "Can't go backwards.” Click here to go directly to the Denver7 Gives donation form then choose a campaign Denver7 features the stories of people who need help and now you can help them with a cash donation through Denver7 Gives. One hundred percent of contributions to the fund will be used to help people in our local community.Want more stories of hope and ways to help in your inbox? Sign up to get the weekly Denver7 Gives Email Newsletter 💌

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Frisch’s in St. Matthews is closing its doors – Louisville – WLKY

By |2023-02-14T22:24:50-05:00February 14th, 2023|COVID-19|

YEAR. WHILE A LONG TIME CASUAL, FAMILY FRIENDLY RESTAURANT IN ST MATTHEWS CLOSED ITS DOORS FOR GOOD THIS AFTERNOON. TODAY WAS THE LAST DAY FOR THE FRESHIES BIG BOY ON SHELBYVILLE ROAD ROAD. THE LOCATION NEAR THE MALL HAS BEEN THERE FOR DECADES, EATING THERE SEVERAL TIMES WITH THIS CLOSING THE ONLY LOCAL FRESH RESTAURANTS ARE ON POPLAR LEVEL ROAD IN SHEPHERDSVILLE AND IN NEW ALBANY. THE CINCINNATI BASED CHAIN HAS OTHER LOCATIONS ACROSS KENTUCK

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How this west Louisville florist creates more than floral arrangements alongside his mom

By |2023-02-09T23:22:37-05:00February 9th, 2023|COVID-19|

It's hard to have a bad day when you're surrounded by flowers.No matter what's going on in his life, a shift at the florist shop always helps settle Davin Anderson's mind."I didn't realize how much plants and roses and flowers can change your mindset," he said. "The aroma can make your day a little better. Sometimes I'd come in here sleepy or stressed about getting things done, and by the time I leave, I've forgotten all about it."After his mother's flower shop was forced to leave its previous space at the Gene Snyder Federal Building due to increased rent, Anderson helped her find a new location at 2001 W. Broadway five years ago. Now, he owns and operates DN Surprise Florist in the Russell neighborhood and its decorating and catering offshoots while he continues to learn flower arranging from his mother, Sherrell.And while it's just the two of them operating the business, Anderson has big goals for DN Surprise's future.DN Surprise — named for Davin and his brother Nicholas — sells a little bit of everything, from roses and lilies to hydrangeas and other flowers, in both real and silk flowers. Flowers are available for any type of occasion: birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, funerals and even "because it's Wednesday."You may like:What Louisville restaurants are open on Valentine's Day? 18+ dine-in and to-go optionsAnderson said along with "thank you" and "get well soon," he's seen people get more creative in recent years, sending flowers for all kinds of reasons, including "Hey, I might not make it to dinner tonight, but I'll see you at home.""COVID-19 taught people they have to be creative," he said. "Instead of calling to say I can't make it, someone would send some roses and say 'hey, at least I can put a smile on your face.'"The busiest holidays for Anderson are exactly what you'd expect: Valentine's Day and Mother's Day, followed by Memorial Day and Teacher's Appreciation Day."Valentine's Day is not just one day, it's more like Valentine's week," Anderson said. "It's high-intensity because people wait until the last minute to order. During Valentine's week, we get here at 7 or 8 a.m. to prepare the flowers, clean them, cut them, put them in fresh water, check online orders and phone orders. Then we have to make sure delivery orders have the right zip codes...then we send them out."You may like:An insider's guide to 20+ nice restaurants in Louisville for Valentine's DayAnderson said he does about a quarter of the arrangements and Sherrell does the rest. It's a lot more complex than it seems: there are a hundred kinds of roses alone, plus dozens of kinds of greenery and fillers for arrangements and color theory that works differently than it does with clothes."You really should order flowers for Valentine's Day two or three days in advance so we can have it ready," Anderson said."For Valentine's Day?" His mother chimed in. "It's better to order a week or two in advance. A lot of people forget and call on the same day. If you call same-day, you have about 50 people ahead of you. We try to get everything done as fast as we can."DN Surprise mainly sells roses for Valentine's Day and offers one dozen for $50, two dozen for $90 and a florist's choice for $45. The shop offers arrangements at a variety of prices and colors as well as a "Florist's Choice" arrangement if you don't know what you want.

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Are metal detectors coming to Louisville schools? Most JCPS board members hope so

By |2023-02-08T22:25:46-05:00February 8th, 2023|COVID-19|

Two weeks after a gun ended up on the floor of the cafeteria at Eastern High School, a push for metal detectors at most of the district's schools was an unexpected but widely supported idea brought up during Tuesday's Jefferson County Board of Education meeting.After members of the Moms Demand Action organization gave a planned presentation on how the district can work to educate parents on secure firearm storage, District 6's board member Corrie Shull said JCPS should take a bigger step by creating a plan by the April board meeting to have metal detectors in every middle and high school. Shull also recommended Superintendent Marty Pollio "immediately" create a school safety task force.More:What happens when a student brings a gun to school in JCPS?The purpose, Shull said, is not to criminalize kids who bring guns to school, but to "keep guns out of our schools."Carrying a firearm on a school campus is a Class D felony and district policy is that each student caught doing so is cited, JCPS spokesperson Carolyn Callahan said after the incident at Eastern High. The citation either comes from outside law enforcement such as Louisville Metro Police or from one of the district’s sworn law enforcement officers on their in-house security team, Callahan said.All but one of Shull's fellow board members voted in support of the plan and Pollio briefly explained what aspects of the proposal will be complicated.District 2's Chris Kolb was the sole dissident in supporting metal detectors in the district's schools, saying the detectors are unlikely to increase school safety but would definitely contribute to the criminalization of Black students. Additionally, Kolb questioned whether guns are the most urgent safety issue facing children in schools.More education news:A silent disco shows how kids at a Louisville school advocate for peers with disabilitiesPointing to the number of students who have died in school shootings versus the number of students who have died due to COVID-19, Kolb said, "There are far more threats that are more pressing to kids at school that we've done nothing about."When it comes to conversations about school safety, Kolb said, "I don't want to hear anything from anyone who voted against a mask mandate or opposed a mask mandate in schools."District 5's board member Linda Duncan supported Shull's suggestion, but questioned his claim that the detectors wouldn't lead to the criminalization of students and suggested the district take action now, rather than waiting on metal detectors."To me, bringing a gun on school property is a crime and we have to deal with it like that," she said.When it comes to installing metal detectors, Duncan said, "I don't even want to wait that long. I'm concerned about backpacks. ... I think backpacks need to be in a locker and put away with coats."More:Beshear makes more Kentucky juvenile detention center changes, including worker raises"I think we need to think immediately about what we can do now, as well as long term," she continued.After each board member responded to Shull's recommendation, Pollio expressed frustration that as a board of education, their focus was on guns rather than about learning and teaching.Rather than decreasing the proliferation of guns in schools, Pollio pointed out, there is a legislative bill "to add guns to our schools, not take them away."The discussion, he said, "Reminds me of what we had to do during COVID, which was to be health officials."Installing the metal detectors isn't an issue of cost, he said, but rather personnel. Based on research his team has already started, each high school will need between five to 10 detectors and each middle will need three to five, which will cost about $5 million."We can implement it with the finances that we currently have," he said, but several trained personnel would be needed to monitor the detectors at each school. Plus, trained officers would need to be present to conduct searches when a detector alerts that a weapon is on a student, he said."It will be a major challenge with the staffing crisis we are in right now," Pollio said.With a 6-1 vote, Pollio is set to bring more information to the board about this plan by April 25.

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Louisville Baseball: Projecting the depth chart for the Cardinals – 247 Sports

By |2023-02-08T22:26:03-05:00February 8th, 2023|COVID-19|

The University of Louisville baseball program has been one of the best in the country in recent years.The Cardinals are coming off a 42-21-1 season and have won 45 or more games in eight of the past 10 seasons that didn't end early as the 2020 season did because of Covid-19. And in six of those 10 seasons, the Cardinals won 50 or more games during the season.U of L has made it to the College World Series seven times since head coach Dan McDonnell arrived in 2007. And the Cardinals have won five ACC Atlantic Division titles in the first seven full seasons in the league.Now, it's time for McDonnell's 17th season at the helm.The Cardinals are ranked in multiple national polls among the top 10 teams in the country, checking in as high as No. 5. U of L is the pick to win the ACC Atlantic Division championship - again - and the overall ACC title this season.After missing the NCAA Tournament two years ago in 2021, U of L won the ACC division title, won 42 games, and made an appearance in the College Station Super Regional against Texas A&M last season. The Cardinals return four starting position players - including preseason All-Americans Jack Payton and Christian Knapczyk - and they also return 11 pitchers who saw action in at least 10 innings last season.McDonnell said he was pleased the Cardinals are getting preseason expectations but noted it doesn't mean much."I always say it’s 50 percent the history and you give a lot of credit to the former players and the success that they have had,” McDonnell said. “Combined with the 50 percent of you have a lot of talented players on campus and that’s how you get into the preseason rankings. You have to be professional and take it for what it is.”U of L opens the season on Feb. 18 with a three-game series against Bucknell at Jim Patterson Stadium.Here's a crack at Cardinal Authority projecting the Louisville lineup:

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Louisville hospital systems consider different metrics when deciding whether to mask or not

By |2023-02-03T19:22:20-05:00February 3rd, 2023|COVID-19|

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Three years into the COVID-19 pandemic, hospital systems are still considering whether to mask up or take them off.Starting next week, masking will no longer be required at UofL Health. "It wasn't a 'We're going to do this,' it's been a long process for us," Dr. Jason Smith, with UofL Health, said.Dr. Smith says they consistently monitor state and county COVID numbers, as well as their own. Since Thanksgiving, Smith says their COVID patient numbers have remained low, around 40.Cases within their workface have been in the single digits. The COVID-19 community levels in Kentucky. (Source: CDC) "So with all of those factors that we kind of looked at, we decided that we had met the criteria that we had set forward for being able to get rid of the mask mandates within our healthcare system," Dr. Smith said.Meanwhile, Norton Healthcare is reinstating its masking policy starting Friday. They based the decision on the county's current transmission rate, which the latest CDC Community Transmission map shows is high."Things have changed throughout COVID," Renee Murphy, Norton Healthcare Senior VP of Communications, said. "It's always been a very fluid situation so we'll continue to stay in contact, take a looking at the transmission rates and take it from there."Baptist Health is masking currently, also basing its policy on the high transmission rate throughout the county."We do have patients that don't have an immune system, we do take care of other patients, so it's our responsibility to take acre of them as well," Dr. Karan Shah, with Baptist Health, said.CDC's COVID Community Map shows Jefferson County in the green. It considers number of new COVID cases as well as hospitalizations. But the transmission map, which shows Jefferson County in the red, is based on the number of new cases and positive tests, according to Dr. Shah. A map of community transmission of COVID-19, which shows Jefferson County in the red. (Source: CDC) "I just want the public to know that 'Hey, there is a rhyme and reason for the way these decision are made,'" Dr. Shah said. "And there are two different maps even though they're called very similar things. There's a difference."According to Dr. Smith, community transmission may show an elevated number since at-home negative tests aren't reported."The transmission levels have still been high. They were hovering right around 12 and a half to 12.7% right around Christmas time. But that has dropped consistently every week since Christmas up until now," Dr. Smith said. "I think right now we're sitting at right around like 10.05% or 10.1%, somewhere around those lines. So you've seen almost a 2% drop and community transmission levels." UofL Health will continue to monitor COVID levels in the community."It's a period of time we're going to drop masking but it doesn't mean it may not have to come back again and people need to be prepared for that," Dr. Smith said.Dr. Shah says while there's been an "overall downtrend" in COVID, it's hasn't gone completely away. He encourages people to get vaccinated if they haven't done so and consider masking when in big crowds."You never know who it's going to protect so it is important that (people remember) COVID is not gone," said Dr. Shah.Related StoriesCopyright 2023 by WDRB Media. All rights reserved. 

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