Image 1 of Jefferson reporter (Buechel, Ky.), March 27, 1974

1 T, 'O SINGLE COPY 1$ CIST WEEKLY CTOSKFffl KENTUCKY Scrvmrj Souftcci5fcrn Suburban Louisville and Jefferson County PRESS ASSOCIATION 1985. 1967. 1969. 1970, 1972 U- : WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 1974 20TII YR. NO. 44 ' 1 2 SECTIONS ffikaedhel Moadl WMemihm Work Promised iUFsiiiDiase BY MI MI LORD There's good news for motorists and merchants who for several years have complained of traffic congestion and drainage problems in the Buechel business district Highway State Aldrich told Engineer Robert the Buechel Businessmen's Association (BBA) last week that the Bureau of Highways is planning to widen a section of Old Bardstown Road to three lanes and to improve drainage conditions. It is part of a $100,000 project recently approved State by Highway Commissioner James E. Gray. "We realize that you have a traffic problem and a drainage problem," Aldrich told members of the BBA. "He (Gray) feels that there is enough need to have the work done." Aldrich explained that at Gray's request he had instructed his engineers to make a study of the area's problems and to outline three alternate proposals along with their estimated costs. The most complete proposal, estimated at $875,000, would have included storm sewers and "totally refurbishing the area," said Aldrich. However, funds are not available for a project that extensive, he said. The $100,000 project, which was agreed to be within the means of state highway funds, will consist of widening and surfacing Old Bardstown Road to three lanes for most of the distance between Buechel Bank Road and Bradford Drive, constructing perhaps two catch basins to improve drainage problems, installing a traffic light at either the intersection of Six Mile Lane and Bardstown Road or at Bradford Drive and Old Bardstown Road, and widening the railroad crossing on Old Bardstown Road. "Six Mile Lane has' enough traffic intermittently to warrant a light at the intersection at Old Bardstown Road," said Aldrich. He said a study is also being conducted of the traffic flow at the intersection of Bradford Drive and Old Bardstown Road and that the results may indicate enough traffic at that location for a traffic light also. However, he said the intersections are located too close together to have two traffic signals erected and in the event that both intersections warrant a light, he would "let the community decide" which location it would prefer. When asked how soon the project would begin, Aldrich said, "Hopefully, well try to do it this summer." He Pigeons9 Roost , . y. I if : Photo by Bob Rlngham Snow Track THE SNOW which covered the ground early last Sunday made it difficult for a horse ridden by Karen Nolen (front) and Diana McCammish to find grass. But there was enough and the girls enjoyed a romp through the snow later. BY CHARLES SPRINGER Russell Pridham, a alcoholic who serves as president of Pigeons' Roost, a drop-i- n center for alcoholics in Okolona, gave notice this week that his group is ready for a battle to retain a house located at 19017 Preston Highway as a meeting place. "We're definitely going to fight any effort to have the center moved," Pridham told The Reporter. "We are not going to give it up." Pigeons' Roost, was recently served with a cease and desist order by the Louisville-JeffersCounty Zoning Adjustment Board when a neighbor filed a complaint that a commercial establishment was being operated in a residential neighborhood. The center was given 30 days in which to file an appeal. on Walker Target Of Aug er: Leaders Plea For Reason BY JANE WEHNER Over 200 people, most of them anti-busin- g, anti-merge- r, and Walker, came to the regular meeting of the Jefferson County School Board Monday afternoon, apparently expecting the board to vote on the proposed merger with the city school system. County School Supt. Richard VanHoose told everyone before the meeting that, contrary to rumor, the board was not going to vote on merger at that time. He then recounted the history of the Louisville School Board's merger request and pointed out that, by law, the county must either cooperate in considering the merger or the city can turn to the state Board of Education to resolve the matter. anti-Newm- 'Best Interest' VanHoose said it would be "in the best interest of our board . . . to try to resolve these things at home rather than to leave them to chance by somewhat foreign body" (the state board). Feelings against merger and against Louisville School Supt. Walker ran high, and the audience applauded when VanHoose told them Walker has said he is not interested in ever becoming county superintendent. Many felt that the city's merger proposal was made to hurt the chances of the county board's appeal to the Supreme Court asking the court to f review the 6 th Circuit Court of Appeals' desegregation order to the city, county and Anchorage systems. VanHoose told those' assembled that this was not the case. (The county's appeal was filed Monday with the Supreme Court.) A Main Concern A main concern of the audience was that Walker would become assistant superintendent to VanHoose under a merged system. Several people said they interpreted recent news reports to mean - that such an arrangement had already been agreed as a community center, a term for which Planning the Louisville-Jefferso- n Commission has no clear definition. "If this fails, we will seek a conditional use permit," he said. Such permits are often granted for medical offices in residential neighborhoods. Pridham said the controversy over the location is causing tension for some of the center's members. "We have already had one person get drunk over whether we were going to stay open or not," he said. "This is a second home for some of them. Anytime they are off from work, they are at the center." Pridham said the center has received a lot of criticism from Reverend John E. Carter, president of the Okolona Community Center, for locating in a residential neighborhood. "He told us that he was going to do everything in his power to get us out of there," Pridham said. "He told us once that he had found a house that was suitable for a center. We looked at it and found that it was in a very n condition. It would have been a very depressing environment for an alcoholic. What we have here (at 9017 Preston Highway) is a very nice Riddle, an Okolona businessman, parent, and former state representative, addressed himself to "my board member" Mrs. Roberta (Continued on page IS, Col. 1) building with a LMffi,..!!, i 3!h: Reverend Carter and Father Joe of the Okolona Graffis, nt (Continued on page IS, Col. 2) PAYS Pays! v Photo by (lu CDurton. Everybody's In The Act WARM WEATHER early last week sent youngsters from Filson Elementary and on top of the monkey bars during . StafT Photo Ready For Goodies daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Donald Powers, POWERS, the eagerly anticipates a milk shake at a local restaurant She didn't need any encouragement to consume die entire drink. SHAWN 5th-Cla- BY CHARLES SPRINGER Two of the area's smallest cities -West Buechel and Minor Lane Heights to were reclassified from sixth-clas- s fifth-Clastatus during the closing days of the 1974 General Assembly last week. For West Buechel, with a population estimated at 1,581, it means a chance to explore the possibilities for expansion and to take advantage of the commercial growth in the area, according to Ed Seiller, attorney for the city. For Minor Lane Heights, with over 2,500 residents, it means an opportunity to solve some of the city's problems, according to James Cecil, chairman of the board of trustees. get School scurrying around, underneath recess period. ncv v. r Minor Lane Heights, W. Buechel Are Designated Cities Occupational Taxes? The spokesmen for both cities say they will probably go for a new government consisting of a mayor and a city council. The cities have been limited to a board of trustees heretofore. The new status also means that they will have the ability to levy occupational taxes. "It will be a year before we even '(' i : I . atmosphere." ss . (Continued on page IS, Col. 1) ' home-lik- e - . Tony Ratterman and Martin fcoetters are two Buechel-Fer- n Creek Jaycees who have been primarily responsible for organizing the BBA. Its purpose is to make the Buechel business area "more attractive, accessible and safe for shopping." Previous efforts of the businessmen to acquire road improvements consisted Pridham said his group is asking that the center be rezoned er Th Reporter's "Pay After You Sell (PAYS)" classified ads are getting results. A reader wrote letter to the editor this week to tell how the plan worked for her. See Page A-- two people that are responsible for this are Mr. Ratterman Gray," said and Commissioner Aldrich. He commended the efforts of the BBA, calling it a 'live organization." run-dow- upon by the county board. VanHoose said that, in cases where one school system is considering taking over another, such personnel arrangements are "the normal kind of thing to come up for discussion," but that, as yet, nothing definite has been agreed to or voted on. Midway through the meeting the floor was opened for comments from the audience. Tom BBA: 'Live Organization' "The ? W President Plans Battle For Site said that in the meantime, a "jet-fire- d culvert cleaner" would be rented to clean out the drains in the area. around to think about occupational taxes, said Seiller, who was echoed in his sentiments by Cecil Seiller beamed when Governor Wendell Ford signed the bill making city. 'This is West Buechel a fifth-clas- s a great step forward for our city; it is an historic moment," he said. Gov. Ford replied, I'm just glad to sign something that makes everybody happy." ss The West Buechel ceremony was attended by City Judge Robert H. Taylor, Vice Chairman William T. Dunsmore, Trustee Loy Crawford, City Clerk Mrs. Clara Crawford, Seiller and Mrs. Dunsmore. Each of the observers received pens from the Governor to commemorate the signing. Seiller said they would be framed because of "their historical significance." The Minor Lane Heights signing was witnessed by Rep. Dottie Priddy th district) who had sponsored the bill calling for the city's reclassification. (D-46- Status? Buechel was sponsored by Rep. Tom Burch (30th district) who said he thought the reclassification Fourth-Clas- s West (Continued on page 14, Col. 3) r Ted Collin r n a Search Fails To Turn Up Newburg Church Builder BY MIMI LORD 1 but one insists that the 5 number dialed was Who Ted Collins is, where he is and surely not just a difference of opinion. One tries a different approach to why he has not completed building a Newburg church that was begun last solving the puzzle: "Is Ted Collins employed there?" One is transferred May are questions not easily answered. to the personnel department where an A sign located in front of a church that is about two-thircompleted at employee replies after a few minutes' the corner of Indian Trail and search: "No, we have no listing for a Petersburg Road says: "Home of Star Ted Collins, I'm sorry." Hope Baptist Church, Ted Collins -Still perplexed by the confusing General Contractor, phone number listed on the sign After dialing that number, one outside the unfinished church, one hears a pleasant voice say, "Stewart's, calls South Central Bell to hopefully may I help you?" So one dials again to clear up the matter. After a quick verify the numbers and .receives the transfer to the business office, one is same response. Stewart's says its only told that the line which corresponds to downtown number in operation is (Continued on page 14, Cot. 1) (A Reporter in search of a story) 584-3295- ." 584-326- 584-329- ..