When we started talking about Louisville Metro Animal Services in mid-2007, it was all I could do to muster interest that was more than passing. I didn’t want to accept it, deal with it or understand the inner workings of yet another corrupt local government agency. Especially one dealing with such sensitive areas of life. Especially one seemingly devoid of compassion on any tangible level.
That’s clearly changed. LMAS changed me. It changed everyone else here. It turned my friends and colleagues who couldn’t stand dogs and cats into activists and concerned citizens. It’s driven the community to care about its needy critters. It’s forced government to try to take responsibility – no matter how late in the game.
It’s now personal. It’s infuriating. It’s sickening.
We have high hopes for change at LMAS and we’re going to continue focusing on it – good or bad. So if you don’t like it? You don’t want to hear about it and just want to sit in denial like we tried to do in 2007? Then, by all means, it’s time to stop visiting The ‘Ville Voice. And believe me, I’d love nothing more than to stop talking about LMAS.
-Jake
On the story…
In just under two weeks we have received emails from nine different employees and volunteers at Metro Animal Services. Some of them hate each other and have no clue I’m communicating with more than one of them. But their messages all have a constant theme: fear, corruption, incompetence and a sheer lack of responsibility when it comes to LMAS. Not on their parts – but of management and the Fischer Administration — primarily Sadiqa Reynolds, who allegedly can’t help but cause drama and work to silence employees with concerns rather than work with them. Because that’s what a “community builder” does – builds distrust and unrest in the community, right?
Here are some excerpts from emails we are receiving from highly credible individuals. Some of them were key in breaking many other stories in the past, so I have solid faith in them.
Then there’s the guy with apparent MRSA who walked into Manslick Saturday and said the dog he adopted had given him a staph infection. They took the dog and killed it, no questions asked. Two volunteers were there. One is a nurse, young and new to volunteering; she thought she recognized MRSA (which I think is not a zoonotic disease) and her assessment was that if the dog had given the guy a zoonotic staph infection, there would have been an outbreak at Manslick. But staff didn’t question, and they didn’t test the dog. They just killed it.
SNIP-
Neither the good staff nor the rescues will come forward because they’re afraid they’ll be fired, banned, or refused access. As I see it, they’re choosing to allow systematic cruelty and killing to go on unchallenged in order to help those few they’re allowed to help, but they don’t believe that challenging it would make a difference.
SNIP-
If volunteers, rescuers, and staff go to the media or otherwise go public, the mayor’s staff and LMAS can retaliate, but if the Mayor’s office and LMAS ban or otherwise fuck with volunteers, rescuers, and staff, those people have lots of evidence with which to go public. And if Sadiqa shut down the volunteer program, or if she got the new people to do it, OR if they do it on their own, that would be news and draw criticism. But the volunteers et al. seem to accept their threatened position and not realize their power. I don’t know; maybe my perspective just reflects my naiive idealism.
I’m holding the more serious stories for a while out of courtesy. It’s best to give Justin Scally at least a few weeks to try to clean up shop.
These excerpts are the most tame we could find in all that we have received. So you can expect more.
Several things we’ve written about over the past year – serious issues, some potential legal and ethical issues – are raging on harder than ever. So you can bet those will be what we focus on first, as, well, with anything these folks do, they almost never weed out the corrupt of the bunch. (No, this isn’t even cynicism at this point – it’s proved to be reality time and again.)
Yesterday marked the 92nd day of Republican Party of Kentucky Chairman Steve Robertson questioning Jack Conway over his refusal to discuss his involvement in his brother’s drug scandal: “If Jack Conway has nothing to hide, he needs to come clean and answer the questions we have asked of him,” Robertson said. “There is nothing humorous about his lack of honesty with the voters of Kentucky.” If only Jack had the guts to deal with this, it’d go quickly away. But here we are nearing 100 days. [Press Release]
This Saturday, August 6, the Louisville Science Center will be eligible for one of Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good. So be sure to vote on Saturday. [Facebook]
What’s with this Louisville artist claiming work as his own that clearly is not? Such a shame. [The Kentucky Standard]
Louisville Metro Human Relations Commissioners spoke with several Jefferson County Public Schools board members about how to work together in the future. It’s bad news bears when the human rights folks voice concerns about the upcoming school year. [FOX41]
Did you see this mess yesterday where the Kentucky Democratic Party lied to the mainstream press about complaints against the governor? The KDRP claimed the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance had dismissed a campaign finance fraud case. But, uh, that couldn’t be further from reality. [Page One]
Get a look at 1328 South Fourth Street then and now. Pretty nice to see Louisville looking so good. We should care for all historic properties in Louisville like this. [Broken Sidewalk]
How many chemical spills and disasters will there be in Rubbertown this year? [C-J/AKN]
18 people were named to the board for the new combined hospital system. The organization remains unnamed. [H-L]
A staycation in Louisville is highly recommended. Particularly if you don’t get the opportunity to see what your city has to offer you. But you don’t have to stay at the over-priced 21c to enjoy yourself. [Consuming Louisville]
A teacher at Martha Layne Collins High School in Shelbyville was arrested for sexual contact with two students. Something is definitely in the water. [WHAS11]
Part of a roof on Whiskey Row collapsed on July 22, causing a wall to buckle. Can you imagine how different this story would be if people had actually cared about preserving Louisville’s history years ago? [WAVE3]
Take a look at the latest from animal care advocate Nathan Winograd, wherein he tackles problems at an animal shelter in Memphis and tell me it doesn’t remind you of what’s going down at Metro Animal Services:
Memphis Animal Services is a badly mismanaged house of horrors where roughly eight out of every 10 animals are put to death; where animals have been starved to death; and where animals have been neglected and abused by those who were supposed to protect them from it. In addition, Memphis Mayor AC Wharton promised reforms but the city has instead embarked on an illegal campaign to intimidate and silence critics by threatening them with spurious litigation in violation of their federal civil rights.
-SNIP-
In the last decade and a half, several shelters in numerous communities have comprehensively implemented a bold series of programs and services to reduce birthrates, increase placements, and keep animals with their responsible caretakers. As a result, they are achieving unprecedented results, saving upwards of 95 percent of all impounded animals in open admission animal control facilities. Some of these communities are in urban communities, and others are in rural communities. Some are in very politically liberal communities, and others are in very conservative ones. Some are in municipalities with high per capita incomes, and others are in communities known for high rates of poverty. And some are run by municipal shelters and others by private ones with animal control contracts. These communities share very little demographically. What they do share is leadership at their shelters who have comprehensively implemented a key series of programs and services, collectively referred to as the “No Kill Equation.”
-SNIP-
Memphis officials, however, remain steadfast in their refusal to embrace the No Kill paradigm. Among the various excuses for why it cannot be done are that the shelter* does not have adequate funding to get the job done without killing and such funding is not available in this economic climate, there are simply too many animals for the available homes (“pet overpopulation”), No Kill is not feasible in a municipal sheltering context, and the No Kill philosophy is inconsistent with their public safety obligations. These excuses are just that, excuses.
You catch that? Working against no-kill efforts by making excuses of being unable to afford it, blaming pet overpopulation and protecting public safety.
Sound familiar? It’s because Greg Fischer’s crew – namely new guy Justin Scally – is making all of those same excuses.
You thought this Steve Beshear campaign finance mess with state employees was going away. Yet another employee has come forward alleging pressure. The employee alleges his supervisor was axed for not making a contribution. And he’s being axed soon. [Ronnie Ellis]
The Jefferson County Public Schools board shelved a plan to reduce mandatory busing by 38%. Toni Konz says hundreds of documents were initially redacted by JCPS. [C-J/AKN]
Yesterday marked the 91st day of Republican Party of Kentucky Chairman Steve Robertson questioning Jack Conway:“The 100th day of questioning by the Republican Party of Kentucky is quickly approaching and we have not heard a peep out of Jack Conway regarding the questions surrounding his brother’s compromised investigation,” Robertson said. “What could we expect from someone who spent two of his years as Attorney General campaigning for a different office? Clearly, Jack Conway does not regard his position as Attorney General very highly.” [Press Release]
Lesson learned: be wary of shady d-bags trying to sell you “news” with absolutely no, you know, ability to do so. [WFPL]
Greg Fischer is attending the U.S. Conference on Mayors. Bets on how many things he’ll take credit for? [FOX41]
52-year-old Timmy the gorilla died at the Louisville Zoo from multiple health issues. [H-L]
Metro Council has apparently turned stupid and is wasting our time and money by holding a hearing on the ridiculous Floyds Fork Park naming non-controversy. [More C-J/AKN]
Steve Beshear won’t just fire you if you don’t give him a campaign contribution, he’ll also appoint all of his family to various spots in government and higher education. [Page One]
The teacher transfer plan at low performing Jefferson County schools is still in flux. [WAVE3]
Rick Pitino says the arena downtown is open to Lady Gaga and anybody else who wants to play pat-a-cake, he just cold doesn’t care. Apparently this is worth a story. [H-L]
Every water main, forever, is going to break in Louisville because why not. [WHAS11]
Downtown Louisville doesn’t need any additional parking but everybody is going to bulldoze everything to build parking lots. [Broken Sidewalk]
Lost Louisville: Ash Street Station destroyed by fire. Great for history nerds. [Broken Sidewalk]
Louisville is a gas guzzling city with an average of $179 spent on fuel each month — ranked at number 11. [Mint.com]
New favorite way to pass the time: reading Karen Voyer-Caravona’s biking website. She’s a former Tom Owen staffer who moved to Flagstaff, the best place on earth, and writes all about riding her bike. Go read it. You’ll feel like you’re on vacation. [She Rides A Bike]
Can you imagine if Americans lived like this and thought of bikes and groceries in this manner? [NY Times]
Yesterday marked the 90th (!!) day Republican Party of Kentucky Chairman Steve Robertson questioned Jack Conway over his involvement in his brother’s drug scandal: “Conway is running from the voters of Kentucky who have a right to know answers to the questions surrounding his brother’s compromised investigation,” said Robertson. “We will not stop our Come Clean campaign until the Attorney General either answers our questions or is replaced by Todd P’Pool.” Jack will never answer questions and even his staff are getting frustrated. [Press Release]
Don’t go to Indiana or you’re likely to get killed with a rock. Which is crazier than getting killed by gunshot in Louisville. [WHAS11]
Eleven people died in eleven separate crashes on Kentucky roadways from Monday, July 25 through Sunday, July 31. [KSP Release]
The Princeton Review ranked Bellarmine University among the nation’s best colleges. Check the fact sheet out for details. [External PDF Link]
The new owners are taking over Whiskey Row. This is good, right? Except, of course, the buildings that will be demolished. [WFPL]
Food stamp usage is still on the rise in Kentucky while everyone acts like the statewide economy is puppies and rainbows. [Page One]
A management audit at Metro Sewer District is set to begin next week. Hopes? Predictions? [C-J/AKN]
What? Thefts at Metro Animal Services? Surely not! [FOX41]
