One Size Does
Milburn Bauer’s
PUBLISHER
COREY BOSTON corey@townepost.com (502) 407-0185
CLAY COOK
DERRICK DIXON
MELISSA GIBSON
GAVIN LAPAILLE
RENÉE LARR
HELEN E. MCKINNEY
TOWNE POST NETWORK, INC. FOUNDER, CEO TOM BRITT tom@townepost.com (317) 496-3599
PRESIDENT JEANNE BRITT jeanne@townepost.com (317) 810-0011
PRODUCTION COORDINATOR ERIN TURK
CREATIVE DIRECTORS VAL AUSTIN TONI EADS
DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL SERVICES
DEVON DEAN
COPY EDITOR JON SHOULDERS
TOWNE POST NETWORK, INC. 8800 North Street, Suite 117 Fishers, IN 46038 Phone/Text: (317) 810-0011
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Well-Lived
CELEBRATING ST. MATTHEWS RESIDENT MILBURN BAUER’S IMPRESSIVE 103 YEARS AND COUNTING
Writer / Renée Larr
Milburn Bauer has lived through a lifetime of significant events, including the Great Depression, World War I, World War II, and countless others, not limited to the growth of St. Matthews throughout the years. Bauer was born on September 22, 1921, to Milburn and Woodford. She primarily grew up on the Milwood Dairy Farm in Anchorage, Kentucky, where her parents combined their names to create the farm’s moniker.
“By all accounts, she had a bucolic childhood,” says Susan Bauer, Milburn’s daughter. “Her father’s favorite holiday was July 4, and they would have fireworks and picnics each year. She’s always said she had a wonderful childhood.”
Milburn married Louis H. Bauer Jr. in 1941, right out of high school. Louis’s family was already well-established in
the St. Matthews area. They had started Bauer’s Grocery and Tavern in 1887, one of the founding businesses in St. Matthews. Susan says her father pursued her mother with a no-holds-barred approach, making the long trek in his Model T to visit her frequently.
“When they were first married, they lived in a little house right off of St. Matthews Avenue for about a year and a half,” Susan says. “When his parents were elderly, my mom and dad moved in with them. Then they eventually moved to their forever home on Ormond Road in 1944, where Milburn lived for the next 73 years.”
As a dedicated St. Matthews resident, Milburn actively participated in the Woman’s Club of St. Matthews, where she holds the record for the longest membership. Her daughter recalls
how Milburn would tirelessly canvass Chenoweth Lane for donations for the club’s fundraisers. She was a vibrant part of the club’s activities, from performing in plays to singing, including one play written by Susan herself.
For her 103rd birthday, Milburn was pleasantly surprised with not one, but three different birthday parties. Having lived at The Forum at Brookdale for seven years, and later moving to StoryPoint Prospect, Susan noticed her mother’s longing for her friends from The Forum. To remedy this, she made sure to include everyone from all aspects of her mother’s life in the celebrations.
“She was missing her friends terribly, but many of them couldn’t travel to her, so I thought, ‘Can’t move the mountain, so bring Mohammed to the mountain,’ and I made arrangements for my mom to
think she was getting a flu shot, but we ended up having a luncheon party at the Forum,” Susan says.
Susan brought in help for Milburn’s second surprise birthday party. She enlisted City Council Member Mary Jo Nay. St. Matthews Mayor Richard Tonini even attended the party. Milburn was presented with a key to the city for her long servitude. She says her mom was delighted to receive the commendation from the city she loves so much.
Milburn used to spend her free time as a seamstress. Susan says her grandmother was a phenomenal seamstress, and her mother came by it naturally. Susan says Milburn was the seamstress for debutantes who were making their debut into fashionable society.
“It was very exciting as a kid to see
these gorgeous pieces these girls would be wearing,” Susan says. “I always thought to myself, ‘That could be me one day.’”
Milburn lent her culinary expertise to the students at Waggener High School, where Susan also worked. Susan says the kitchen at the school was large, and it was hard for one teacher to help all the students at once, so Milburn added an extra pair of eyes, providing students with little tips and tricks she learned from her own mother so many years prior. Susan retired, but Milburn stayed on until the culinary arts teacher retired. Then, at age 81, Milburn decided it was time for her to retire from her volunteer position.
Milburn once described St. Matthews as the “garden capital of the world” and a “slice of heaven.” She particularly admired the beauty of Ormond Road and Chenoweth Estates, two neighborhoods she believes everyone should visit for their stunning gardens. Susan recalls how her mother cherished the opportunity to raise her family in this beloved area.
“She’s amazed at how much the area has changed throughout the years,” Susan says. “When mom first moved here, it was mostly farmland and very few houses. She’s amazed at how much it’s changed, but also slightly melancholy about it. I think it’s very common as we age to yearn for a simpler time. However, she still thinks it’s absolutely the best place to live.” Milburn’s ability to adapt to change is truly inspiring.
Susan says it was complicated for Milburn to make the tough choice to sell her beloved home on Ormond Road and move into an assisted-living facility. It was even harder for her when she couldn’t find the perfect place within the St. Matthews city limits. She was very concerned about being too far away, but Susan says she’s adjusting well.
Most people don’t look forward to aging, but Susan says
Milburn is already looking forward to her 104th birthday. What does Milburn credit for her well-lived, long life?
“Mom always says a little bourbon in life is good,” Susan says. “She’s looking forward to seeing her great-greatgrandson being born in January. She’s looking forward to seeing her family throughout the holidays.” Milburn’s anticipation of future events is a testament to her enduring optimism.
Milburn recently injured her ankle, but prior to that, her neighbors at The Forum called her “Meals on Wheels” because she would walk through the facility with her walker, checking on other residents who weren’t feeling well. She would bring them breakfast from the dining room when they weren’t able to get to breakfast.
“She was always taking care of everyone else,” Susan says. “I have four all-time heroes. Mom is obviously at the top of the list, followed closely by Eleanor Roosevelt, Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Mother Theresa. She’s in pretty hallowed company.”
Milburn’s selfless nature is truly admirable and worthy of appreciation.
Mark of Excellence
MEET MAKER’S MARK’S NEW MASTER DISTILLER BLAKE LAYFIELD
Writer / Melissa Gibson
Photographer / Clay Cook
Maker’s Mark has recently announced its new master distiller, Blake Layfield, and he’s bringing a variety of education, experience and passion to the position.
Layfield holds a doctorate in food science from North Carolina State University and a general certificate in distilling from the Institute of Brewing & Distilling. He joined Suntory Global Spirits in 2019, and served as the senior director of innovation, blending and quality for Maker’s Mark for two and a half years.
He is also co-chair on the research committee of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association and serves on the board of the James B. Beam Institute at the University of Kentucky.
It’s not every day that one earns their doctorate in food science. Layfield dove into
the chemistry, microbiology engineering and sensory sciences behind flavor, creation and more in college, but his interest in food science started as far back as he can remember.
“I used to spend a lot of time in the kitchen with my mom growing up,” he said. “I’d watch her make everything from sweet tea to pot roast to lasagna, and she was just a really good cook with all the good things that southern cooks use like butter and sugar. It led me to this fascination around why you enjoy certain foods and beverages, and I’ve always been interested in that question of how flavor is formed, how they come together, and how food and beverages create a memorable experience.”
Today Layfield resides in Louisville with his wife and two children. They enjoy taking walks with their dog at Veterans Memorial
Park, dining at BoomBozz Pizza as a family, and River House Louisville for date nights.
“We really enjoy Louisville,” he said. “My wife is the PTA president at the school and we’ve really just invested in the community. It’s been fabulous.”
Layfield’s new role as master distiller includes everything from enhancing quality to ensuring environmental sustainability and following the rich heritage Maker’s Mark founders have created.
“I think about it as protecting our past history or culture, as well as leveraging and understanding that history to influence our future,” Layfield said.
Maker’s Mark was recently named by Fast Company as one of the top 100 best workplaces for innovators across the
“I think about it as protecting our past history or culture, as well as leveraging and understanding that history to influence our future.”
— BLAKE LAYFIELD
globe, and top five best workplaces for sustainability.
The multigenerational company began with Bill Samuels Sr., the engineer and visionary for what would become Maker’s Mark premium bourbon, in 1953. He wanted to create something warm, approachable and inviting - something customers were proud to share with friends. It was his wife, Margie, who created the famous packaging, from the shape of the bottle to the look of the label and the signature red wax.
The legacy continues with Bill Samuels Jr. and Rob Samuels, and over time the family continued moving forward with innovation, flavors and sustainability on Star Hill Farm’s 1,000-acre property in Loretto, Kentucky.
“For us, everything starts with a taste and vision at Maker’s Mark,” Layfield said. “This
has always been a brand that innovates with purpose, so in 1953 Bill Samuels Sr. created his vision for really defined craft and premium bourbon that married substance and style.”
Samuels landed on the perfect combination of red winter wheat, pure limestone water and the perfect yeast strain, and the rest was history. For decades the Maker’s Mark Classic was their well-known product, but
in 2010 their portfolio began to expand. Layfield said Bill Samuels Jr. wanted to create his own recipe, Maker’s Mark 46, featuring a caramel and spice flavor with higher proof.
More products were developed, and in the past several years, Maker’s Mark has offered a variety of premium options.
From there, fans of the unique bourbon
company saw Maker’s Mark Cask Strength, Maker’s Mark 101, Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series, Cellar Aged, and Private Selection, all benefiting from the company’s tried-and-true ways of creating taste, quality and legacy.
“It really set us off on our innovation path and now you see quite a wide variety from the classic 46 to Private Select,” Layfield said. “They all have one thing in common;
they start with a flavor vision, and how do we showcase the complexity that exists in our core product in different and unique ways? We’re not a brand that puts a bunch of stuff out, but when we do, we want it to be well-executed and stand the test of time.”
Every drop of Maker’s Mark comes from Star Hill Farm. It’s mashed, fermented, distilled in a barrel and rotated by hand, aged, and then bottled on-site. Every bottle is hand dipped, ensuring quality of preparation and taste with every purchase.
One of Layfield’s responsibilities in his new role is to ensure consistency in the quality of the existing portfolio.
“We are the world’s first and largest B Corp certified bourbon, which upholds our commitment to our community and the environment around us,” Layfield said. “We’re certified in regenerative agriculture where 86% of our grains are certified. You might say, ‘How does that influence
innovation?’ Think about bourbon as nature distilled, and it really comprises a few key elements: grain, water and yeast. How you manage those variables creates the huge diversity of products you see on the shelves today.”
The company team cares about its impact on the community, and has committed to creating processes that benefit the environment.
Their environmental work spearheaded by Rob Samuels, Layfield says, sets Maker’s Mark apart.
“We currently have the world’s largest American white oak research repository, and we have a 78-acre natural water sanctuary on the distillery grounds that protects our water soil for generations to come,” Layfield said. “We want to make great whiskey that looks good and tastes good, but we’re also committed to making a positive impact on society and the planet beyond financial gain.”
They’re supporting regenerative agriculture, improving soil health, reducing carbon emissions and using the grain grown on the farm to maximize flavor.
It’s a culture Layfield and others are grateful for. Ideas are welcome, the workplace atmosphere is positive, and employees work alongside the founding family.
“We are still led by the Samuels family and it’s actually one of my favorite parts about working at Maker’s Mark,” Layfield said. “You’ll always have these short-term pressures in order to deliver value to your stakeholders in the market, but having someone that has a real sense of the long-term purpose and a long-term vision for success for the brand, not just from a financial standpoint, but a brand that is iconic - it’s just such an impressive family to work for and a vision we can all really get behind.”
PAGES OF THE PAST
MICHAEL JONES SERVES UP SOME SOULFUL SOUNDS WITH LATEST BOOK
Writer / Helen E. McKinney
It took eight years, but it was worth the wait. Michael Jones is one of six authors who collaborated to pen “The Soulful Sounds of Derbytown”.
Jones said the book “is a celebration of black musicians and entertainers from Cato Watts, an enslaved fiddler that was one of the city’s first settlers, to Linkin’ Bridge.” He is also the book’s executive editor, as the only author who contributed to every section.
The additional authors are Ken Clay, Wilma Westfield Clayborn, Keith Clements, Gary Falk and Ron Lewis. They shared a dream
of producing and publishing this first-ever record of Louisville’s rich heritage of African American music and entertainment. All have spent their lives immersed in a variety of roles within many genres of music and entertainment in Louisville.
The book is separated into genres (gospel, jug band/string band, blues, jazz, rhythm and blues/rock/hip-hop, classical and dance, enablers, and venues). Each chapter starts with a historical essay and then short biographies of some notable people in the genre.
“The project started off as a photo
exhibition for black history month in 2016,” said Jones. One of the co-authors, Ken Clay, hosts an annual event at the Kentucky African American Heritage Center called “Celebrating the Legacy of Black Louisville”.
“In 2016 he decided to celebrate African American musicians and entertainers,” Jones said. “He gathered a group of people with connections in the Louisville music scene to collect photos from local musicians and the University of Louisville Photographic Archive made nice prints of them.”
The group put together a timeline around
the Heritage Center on the day of the event. Christy Brown saw it and suggested it become a book, Jones said. “She was kind enough to sponsor it,” he said. “We thought it would take us a year to complete, but the more we dug, the more we found. So eight years later, ‘The Soulful Sounds of Derbytown’ was born in March 2024.”
Jones said that “at 54, I was the youngest of the authors who worked on this book. My co-authors are all in their 70s and 80s. I felt like it was important to record this history before they and many other older musicians were gone. A lot of this information could have been lost without this project.”
Clay is a well-known music promoter and event organizer who began the Midnite Ramble at the Kentucky Center for the Arts and oversaw the music at WorldFest for several years. He is also co-author of “Two Centuries of Black Louisville”, which, Jones said, is a “kind of a companion piece to our book.”
Keith Clements, Gary Falk and Ron Lewis
were part of the group putting together the photo exhibit for “Celebrating the Legacy of Black Louisville”. Clements wrote a blues column for Louisville Music News for 17 years, and he is on the board of the Kentuckiana Blues Society. Falk owns Falk Audio and is a jazz musician who was in the house band at Joe’s Palm Room in the 1970s. Lewis is the owner of Mr. Wonderful Productions, and a prolific songwriter and guitarist in rhythm-and-blues bands.
“Wilma Clayborn joined us about two years into the project when we decided that we needed a gospel section,” he said. Clayborn and her late husband owned Grace Gospel Records, the first gospel record store and label in Louisville. Her grandson is Jason Clayborn, an awardwinning gospel singer.
Only Clay and Jones had previously published books. Jones was a book editor at the American Printing House Press before joining Biz First.
Michael Jones
Jones co-wrote the gospel chapter, wrote the jug band/string band section, and contributed biographies to all the other sections of the book. For the last two years of the project, he said “everything flowed through me. Our copy editor moved from Louisville to Portugal a few years ago, so I communicated with her by email and then I would go to each of my co-authors’ homes to get them to make the necessary changes.”
Jones spent his weekends interviewing musicians, writing last-minute biographies or searching through the archives of local black churches. He said that is where many African American musicians received their first training.
Jones said he loved learning about Bessie Allen while working on the book. She was the first black social worker in Louisville and she ran the Booker T. Washington Community Center at 9th and Magazine streets.
According to Jones, Allen started a
marching band to attract children to her nondenominational Bible school. She hired a jazz bandleader named Lockwood Lewis to lead the children’s band and teach them how to read music.
Bessie Allen never intended to produce professional musicians, but because of Lewis, the band produced some notable musicians: Helen Humes, who replaced Billie Holiday in Count Basie’s band; Dick Wells, a trombone player for Count Basie; and Jonah Jones, a cornet player in Lil’ Armstrong’s band (Louie Armstrong’s wife) and later a solo artist.
Jones said it was important to him to preserve Louisville’s black music because “no one else was doing it the way I thought it should be done. Historically, white writers were the main source of information about blues and jazz artists, and I felt like I brought a different perspective by being African American.”
As an example, he pointed out that jug bands were considered a novelty act, but he was able to trace the practice from Africa through the Caribbean to the United States. “Many enslaved musicians did not have actual instruments so they created sounds from homemade instruments, which is how we got the kazoo, based on an African horn, and the playing of bones,” Jokes said.
Jones said the biggest influence on his work is the book “Blues People” by LeRoi Jones. “I read it when I was a freshman at the University of Kentucky,” he said. “His thesis was that blues marked the beginning of African American culture because the children of enslaved Africans started singing about Georgia and Mississippi as home, rather than some place in Africa. He talked about an early form of black music between the African songs and the blues, but he never got specific about it. Being a journalist, I fell into a rabbit hole of research on black string band that has lasted 30 years.”
Jones said the idea of using music as a vehicle to examine social history “really stuck with me. At the time I read Jones’s book, I thought everything that could be written about the blues was already written. But then one day I walked into Underground Sounds in the Highlands and came across an import blues CD called “Clifford Hayes and the Jug Bands of Louisville”. It surprised him that all the musicians on the CD were African Americans. Jones had always identified jug band music with rural white groups like The Darlings on “The Andy Griffith Show”.
He wrote an article for LEO about jug bands that was included in his first book, “SecondHand Stories: 15 Portraits of Louisville”. He self-published the book in 2006 by selling his car. Two years later he received a call from The History Press. “They had been looking for someone to write a book about jug bands, and I knew more than anyone else they could find,” he said.
He published “Louisville Jug Music: From Earl McDonald to the National Jubilee” in 2014, and it won the Samuel Thomas Book Award from the Louisville Historical League. “The Soulful Sounds of Derbytown” is a continuation of the work he did on the jug band book. It won the 2024 Samuel Thomas Book Award.
He said that in many ways, “I feel like my mission is to write Kentucky back into the narrative of American popular music. Except for bluegrass, the state is rarely recognized for the notable musicians it has produced. The story is that jazz started in New Orleans and the blues started in Mississippi, but there was a continuum of culture along the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. Louisville got string bands and brass bands at the same time as New Orleans because we had musicians traveling back and forth on the steamboats.”
In 2019 Jones curated an exhibition at the Frazier History Museum on Kentucky
music, which focused on black and white musicians. He is also the economic development reporter for Biz First, writes for the African American Folklorist, and is involved with the National Jug Band Jubilee.
Jones has also worked on the oral history project “Unfair Housing”. The Metropolitan Housing Coalition hired him to interview people about housing discrimination and the interviews are available on the UofL Archives & Special Collections website.
Genealogy is a recent interest he has taken up. When working on the “Unfair Housing” project, he decided to interview his favorite aunt and learned a lot of new information about his family.
Jones is currently working on a history of the Russell neighborhood. It will be a little different from his other books, because he plans to incorporate some of his own family history into it.
FEBRUARY CROSSWORD PUZZLE
DOWN
1. Chain letters?
2. Sound at the door
3. Hi-fi component
4. Nerdy types
5. Goody two-shoes
6. Snitch
7. Did lunch, say
8. Stone worker
9. Allegro, in music
10. Battery fluid
11. Showroom model
16. Aquarium beauty
20. “That’s disgusting!”
21. It has its ups and downs
22. Still-life piece
23. Add to the pot
24. Buddhist priests
25. A comet, to the superstitious
28. Wired
30. Straddling, maybe
31. Hooded garment
32. Baby bouncer?
35. Dame Marsh of mystery
38. Cloak-and-dagger sort
42. Masterful
44. Stake drivers
45. Delicate, in a way
46. Board game or magazine
47. Bicolor sea predator
48. Beneath contempt
51. Dissenter’s word
52. Big shot
53. Canine command
54. “Malcolm X” director
55. Music to the cook’s ears
ACROSS
1. Buzzkill
5. Buggy for Brits
9. Furbys, once
Dog tag info
13. Pro ___
14. Pitching star
15. Chowhounds have big ones 17. Virtual citizen of PC gaming
18. It’s tapped
19. Better or best
21. Bakery supply
24. Marathon
26. Dominate, in sports lingo
27. Printer’s amount
29. Unrespected writer
33. “The best is ___ to come!”
34. Campaign creators
36. Freight weight
37. Metallurgist’s materials 39. Jets or Sharks, e.g.
Be outstanding?
41. Is worthwhile
43. Enough, and then some
Bridges in Hollywood 48. Itinerary part
Cause of inflation?
50. Covetously
56. Ozone hazard, for short
57. Jack and Jill’s burden
58. Stead
59. Congressional vote
60. Pound the keys
61. Check
Now That’s Harmony
JOYOUS SINGERS CHORAL GROUP CELEBRATES 25 YEARS
Music has an unparalleled ability to unite people, transcending barriers of age, race and language. For nearly 25 years, Joyous Singers, a choral group based on Louisville’s east side, has embodied this universal truth. Composed of primarily older adults, the group has touched countless lives through performances at senior living facilities, health communities and public concerts.
With a current roster of 31 dedicated members, Joyous Singers is led by passionate Music Director Mary Muse, and
accompanied on piano by Gloria Nimocks. Muse, a seasoned music educator with almost 30 years of experience, describes her work with the choir as more than just a professional endeavor; it’s a calling.
“Out of all the musical things I’ve done in my life, directing choirs is by far my favorite,” Muse says. “To me it almost feels like a ministry of sorts. I love being able to help the singers prepare their performances. I love connecting with them through music. It’s also great to provide joy for others through our performances.”
Joyous Singers was founded in 2000 by Clarese Fuller, who relocated to Louisville from Chicago, where she had previously directed a 60-person senior community choir. Over the years the group has been a creative outlet and a community for its members. However, like many organizations, Joyous Singers faced a significant challenge during the COVID pandemic, which led to a sharp decline in enrollment.
“One of our main goals going into our
25th anniversary is to rebuild our roster after we lost so many members during the pandemic,” Muse says. “We also want to make sure people understand that while we’re primarily a group of mature adults, we welcome new members of all ages.”
As a nonprofit organization, Joyous Singers operates on a modest budget, charging members a small fee to cover costs like sheet music. According to the group’s president, Rick Coalter, these expenses can quickly add up.
“Many people don’t know, but when you purchase sheet music, it’s almost $2 per piece,” Coalter says. “We have to buy 40 to 50 copies of four or five different songs for each concert, and while it might not seem like a lot, it quickly adds up. Our members pay dues, but we’ve also been looking at things like grants to help us with our growing costs.”
Recently, the group received a $1,000 Sparking Change Mini-Grant from the Community Foundation of Louisville, which provided some much-needed
Writer / Renée Larr
Mary Muse
financial relief. Coalter and the board are actively pursuing additional funding opportunities to ensure the group’s sustainability and growth.
Each year Joyous Singers hosts two public concerts: a spring performance in May and a December holiday concert. These events are a blend of traditional favorites and new selections. Muse is currently finalizing arrangements for the spring concert, which will explore the theme of love in its many forms: romantic love, familial love and love for one’s country.
“This year we performed some winter pieces, a few Hanukkah pieces, and then the rest were Christmas pieces in a variety of styles and genres,” Muse says. “For instance, we did ‘Sleigh Ride’, which is a standard, but also performed ‘Glow’, a fairly new piece for choral groups by Eric Whitacre.”
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For Coalter, who also performs with the choir, Joyous Singers is about more than music; it’s about fostering personal growth and community connection.
“The experience is rewarding in two different ways,” Coalter says. “We’re giving back to the community by performing for them and bringing joy into their lives. Our members are also continuously learning. They are learning how to sing correctly, learning how to read sheet music, understanding meter, and most important, learning how - working together - we can create some beautiful sounds. A favorite
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tradition is to make sure to stick around after our performances, especially at places like assisted-living facilities, and talk with the residents. Sometimes we share cookies or a snack. We don’t want to walk in, sing and just disappear. Those places can get a little lonely for residents, so we want to give them a friendly and warm experience.”
The singers practice once a week at Lyndon Baptist Church (8025 New La Grange Road) but are eager to expand their outreach. Coalter notes that while weekday morning rehearsals may pose a challenge for younger members, the choir is actively seeking new singers and volunteers to manage their social media and develop a website. Looking toward their 25th anniversary in 2025, the group aims to find new performance opportunities.
“We’re reimagining what we do,” Coalter says. “For example, we’d love to perform ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ at baseball games, sing holiday songs at Christmas tree
lightings or sing patriotic songs at Civil War re-enactments. Our goal is to connect with a wider audience and spread the joy of music even further.”
Singer Lynn Slaughter learned about Joyous Singers from longtime member and friend Mike Thomas. She says the two previously sang together in their church choir. Unfortunately, their beloved choir director had to suddenly leave the group. Knowing she was eager to find another musical outlet, Thomas recommended she join Joyous Singers, a group he has sung with for several seasons. Slaughter says Thomas’s recommendation came at the perfect time, and that joining has been a wonderful experience.
“I’m a former professional dancer and dance educator who has always felt deeply connected to music,” Slaughter says. “Music was the reason I became a dancer. It made me want to move. Moreover, I love to sing. We have an inspiring musical director in Mary Muse, and Joyous Singers is a
wonderfully supportive, enthusiastic group of mature folks who share a love of music and singing.”
Slaughter says she would tell prospective members that Joyous Singers is an incredibly friendly and welcoming group. One of the unique aspects of the choir is the diverse repertoire and daytime schedule, which works well for those who prefer daytime activities. She says the group’s mission is not just deeply meaningful, but also impactful, providing entertainment and inspiring choral concerts in the Kentuckiana region. These performances bring joy to audiences who might otherwise have limited access to live choral events, and that’s a mission worth being part of.
Through their unwavering dedication to harmony, community and joy, the members continue to prove that music is a powerful force for good, bringing people together one note at a time and spreading joy in the community.
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
Two new communities give Louisville residents looking to downsize more options to find homes that fit their busy lifestyles.
The Courtyards at Curry Farms and The Courtyards at Oakland Hills, by Perfection Builders, each offer award-winning home layouts in neighborhoods where lifestyle is paramount.
With comfort, convenience and privacy as the highest priorities, both communities offer low-maintenance, luxury garden homes that provide features owners require and desire. Floor plans include zero steps at the front door and garage entries, a private outdoor courtyard and premium standard features. Potential residents can even add their own personal touch to truly make their dream house a home by choosing from a wide range of expertly selected design options and finishes.
Other perks include exclusive community amenities, such as a private clubhouse to gather with friends and family, an on-site fitness facility, a heated pool and pickleball courts. Perfection Builders’ Director of Regional Sales and Design Michelle
Heareth says these homes offer a unique living experience for residents.
“There are a lot of folks who live here who have homes in other states,” Heareth said. “What’s nice about what we build is our residents get a community neighborhood, which is unusual in Kentucky. They can gather in the clubhouse for events, and challenge each other in pickleball matches and various other activities. Their communities have a social committee that ensures activities are available for all interests, whether it be bunco, Bible studies for both men and women, or book club. With the HOA and its provided maintenance, they have a true lock-andleave lifestyle, freeing them to travel and enjoy their families. The average age in the communities is mid-60s. Our target market is the people who have already raised their family and are looking for a simpler life.”
residents can connect with the outdoors and their community, as Perfection Builders strives to do with all its properties.
Curry Farms is in the final phase of development and is located at 1900 Dressage Circle in eastern Jefferson County. Oakland Hills is the newer development, and is located at 12511 Oakland Hills Trail in the southeastern part of the county, right before the Bullitt County line. Each offers over 150 homesites for homes to be built, as well as quick-move-in homes for those who don’t want to wait on the building process.
While moving can be a stressful experience for everyone, Heareth said she and her team help make the process of choosing your home and finishes stress free.
Curry Farms and Oakland Hills are communities by Perfection Builders, a franchisee of Epcon Communities. Epcon is the brains behind the floor plans and community designs, and these communities are built throughout the country. The two locations in Louisville were chosen based on viability studies to determine where
“We provide a design center for our buyers,” she said. “Knowing this may be their last home, we want to ensure they can choose finishes they really love.”
Writer / Gavin LaPaille
AIR APPARENT
VANCE WALKER CHAMPIONS RADON MITIGATION THROUGH ADVOCACY
When Middletown resident Vance Walker’s family doctor developed lung cancer, the source or cause was a mystery for the nonsmoker, but when they found high levels of radon in his home, they had their answer.
It sparked Walker’s lifelong passion to spread the word to others about radon exposure, and he’s done so over the past several decades through his own small business and advocacy.
“Radon is a low-level radioactive gas and it’s the second-leading cause of lung cancer after smoking,” Walker said. “There’s no safe level
of exposure but there’s a threshold, so say you are exposed to four picocuries - pCi, the unit of measure for the rate of radioactive radon in the air - 16 hours a day; it’s the same as getting 200 chest X-rays that year.”
He’s never found a home register zero on a radon tester, but it’s safe to say homes registering at less than 2.0 pCi is average. Between 2.0 and 4.0 pCi is the equivalent to 100 chest X-rays per year or eight cigarettes per day, and a level above 4.0 pCi is equivalent to 200 chest X-rays per year or a pack of cigarettes a day, according to the Kentucky Association of Radon Professionals.
You can’t taste, smell or see it, and it just so happens that Louisville-area soil is saturated with it.
Radon comes from a variety of minerals in uranium-bearing rocks. It’s most commonly found in black shale and the large shale belt spanning from New Albany, Indiana, to Chattanooga, Tennessee, making the Louisville area a hot spot.
Walker has even participated in experiments at a local middle school science fair.
“I had a buddy whose daughter wanted to learn more about this and we went out and collected samples of sandstone, limestone, soil and shale, and we put a 2-inch sample in the bottom of a drywall bucket with a radon tester inside,” Walker said. “All of the samples were very low except for the shale. It was at 70 pCi, just from 2 inches on the bottom of a bucket. That gives you an idea of how high it is.”
Walker launched Radon Management of Kentucky, Inc. in 1986, shortly after learning about his doctor’s diagnosis and the reason behind it.
He was trained by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Senior Scientists A.B. Craig and Paul Wagner as a part of the EPA’s radon proficiency program.
His mitigation company helps residents identify areas of high radon exposure, and offer solutions to reduce or eliminate the dangerous toxins in the home.
Writer / Melissa Gibson
Vance Walker
“It’s a system that creates negative pressure relative to the air pressure in the soil,” Walker said. “Soil gases are drawn into the building with this chimney or stack effect, and things in our homes add to that, like exhaust fans and clothes dryers. The home literally sucks the gas up out of the ground.”
Walker can overcome that natural pressure in the home through a series of drilling and piping, releasing the negative pressure in the home and reducing the amount of radon exposure. However, there are ways residents can start the process to see if there is a problem to begin with.
“You can buy test kits online or at a hardware store,” Walker said. “There are short-term tests homeowners can do themselves and those take two to seven days. There are also long-term test kits that can be used for 90 days to a year. If it comes back between four and 10 picocuries, you should do another test to confirm it and then call a mitigation company.”
The real estate market has adopted shortterm testing for their inspections, requiring a repair during real estate transactions.
Construction contractors have developed radon-resistant techniques on new-home builds to help mitigate future exposure.
Still, Walker has worked with numerous clients who have found the issue after a lung cancer diagnosis.
“There was a guy who brought national attention,” Walker said. “He worked at a tire plant in Pennsylvania and he kept setting off the radiation monitor when he went in to work. No one else set it off and when he went home, he didn’t set it off. A couple of
days of this and they realized that his home had an abnormal amount of radon and he was literally carrying it around with him.”
Think of it as tiny particles in the air we’re breathing in all of the time. Walking around outdoors, you might be exposed to 0.5 pCi, but constant and concentrated exposure in a home or workplace is where the damage is done.
As the information becomes more widespread and residents become aware of the potential risks, the local government has established protocols to help mitigate the issue.
Walker sits on the Kentucky Radon Safety Board, appointed by Governor Andy Beshear. They are working on a variety of programs to help residents.
“We have a licensing program and outreach program,” Walker said. “We’re working on getting licensing established for contractors
NOW THERE ARE 3
LOU LOU’S TO LOVE!
This Creole Champion of St. Matthews, Lou Lou Food & Drink has thrived for years by delivering Louisville’s Louisiana connection in culinary delight. The New Orleans vibe is also alive at Lou Lou on Market.
The Lou Lou tradition continues in Middletown with our new location.
like myself so they have to be certified. We want those mitigating to have a permit.”
It’s important for residents to know the person they’ve hired to mitigate the problem has been educated and licensed to do the work.
They also want to spread the word, specifically in rural areas where residents may not have heard about the problem.
“We’re working on outreach to simply
inform the public about the dangers, and we have a program for free short-term test kits,” Walker said.
Walker has shared the information with a variety of residents - those who panic and want to get their home tested immediately, and those who shrug it off and don’t feel the risk is important.
Regardless of how one feels about it, the result is an easy fix and awareness is the key.
“Years ago I worked for a guy, Dr. Salem George,” Walker said. “He was the nicest man and when we were done working on a project, he said, ‘This is kind of like seatbelts. It may or may not make a difference, but it’s not worth taking the risk to find out.’”
Visit radonmgtky.com and epa.gov to learn more.
AROUND THE COMMUNITY, 2025
LOUISVILLE AREA EVENTS
1
LOUISVILLE ZOO KROGER WILD WINTER DAYS AND DARE TO CARE FOOD DRIVE
Louisville Zoo, 1100 Trevilian Way
10AM - 5PM
Now through February 28, your Louisville Zoo is teaming up with Kroger for our Wild Winter Days program. louisvillezoo.org
SHRINE CIRCUS
Broadbent Arena, 937 Phillips Lane 2PM
6
BLACK CYCLISTS: THE RACE FOR INCLUSION
Filson Historical Society, 1310 S. 3rd St. 6 - 7PM
Cycling emerged as a sport in the late 1870s, and from the beginning, black Americans rode alongside and raced against white competitors. filsonhistorical.org
7
LOUISVILLE ORCHESTRA
The Ogle Center at IU Southeast, 4201 Grant Line Rd. 7:30PM
NightLite’s series “Time For Three”. Teddy Abrams, conductor.
12
NATIONAL FARM MACHINERY SHOW CHAMPIONSHIP TRACTOR PULL
Freedom Hall, 937 Phillips Lane at Freedom Way
High-octane intensity explodes into Freedom Hall during the evenings of the National Farm Machinery Show as pulling trucks and tractors battle it out at the Championship Tractor Pull.
14
DIRTY DANCING IN CONCERT
Louisville Palace, 625 S. 4th St. 8PM
Doors open at 7PM. All sales are final. No refunds or exchanges. Everyone, regardless of age including babes in arms, must purchase a ticket.
14
TRAE CROWDER
Kentucky Center for the Arts, 501 W. Main St. 8PM
Get tickets: https://bit.ly/TraeCrowderLOU
Research shows that play is essential for your child’s development. It sparks curiosity, boosts motivation, and nurtures creativity. Through play, children explore, experiment, and develop key cognitive and emotional skills for lifelong success.
Join us at Providence CCPS to see how our professionally facilitated, play-based program for infants to prekindergarten can unlock your child’s full potential.
Call 502-267-4249 to schedule a tour or visit www.providenceccps.com to learn more.
18
FILM SCREENING - “SECRETS OF THE DEAD: THE CIVIL WAR’S LOST MASSACRE”
Muhammad Ali Center 6 - 7:30PM
This event is produced in partnership with KET, the Muhammad Ali Center and the Shelby County Historical Society. This program is free to the public and registration is required. filsonhistorical.org
19
“RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK”
Louisville Palace, 625 S. 4th St. 7:30 - 10:30PM
Embark on an epic adventure like never before with “Raiders of the Lost Ark” on February 19 at the iconic Louisville Palace. louisvilleorchestra.org
22
DECADES: BACK TO THE ‘80S
Louisville Palace, 625 S. 4th St. 7:30 - 10:30PM
Prepare to travel back in time to the ‘80s with Decades: Back to the ’80s on February 22, 2025, at the historic Louisville Palace. louisvilleorchestra.org
LOUISVILLE POLAR PLUNGE
Main Event, 12500 Sycamore Station Pl. 9AM - 2PM
Whether you are brave or bonkers, we’ll take it, as long as you are #FreezinforaReason. louisvilleplunge.com
25
DR. NEIL DEGRASSE
TYSON: SEARCH FOR LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE
Louisville Palace, 625 S. 4th St.
7:30PM
Doors open at 6:30PM. All sales are final. No refunds or exchanges. Everyone, regardless of age including babes in arms, must purchase a ticket.
26
GROWN-UP STORYTIME 502
West Sixth NuLu, 817 E. Market St., Suite 101 7 - 8:30PM
Submit a written story to be read over beers at this monthly event.
Up for the Fight
BRITT REDMAN EMERGES TRIUMPHANT IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE AFTER CANCER BATTLE
Writer / Melissa Gibson
Photographer / Derrick Dixon Photography
Christian Academy of Louisville (CAL) won its third state championship in a row in December, a first in CAL history.
It was a special time for the school, the coaches and the athletes, but extra special for one particular player, wide receiver Britt Redman.
Britt comes from a long line of football athletes.
“My grandfather and my dad played for the University of Louisville, so I was third generation,” said Redman’s dad, Chris Redman. “I played nine years in the NFL and now Britt has won his third-straight state championship with CAL.”
Chris is the University of Louisville’s all-time passing leader with 12,541 yards. He’s one of only three Football Bowl Subdivision quarterbacks to throw for at least 12,000 yards in a career.
In college he was a two-time all-state quarterback and Parade’s National Player of the Year in 1994 before going on to play for the Baltimore Ravens, winning a Super Bowl there, and then signing with the Atlanta Falcons for five more seasons.
Today he’s coaching quarterbacks on the CAL team and cheering on his son in football, but more importantly, in life.
One year ago Britt, a 16-year-old high school junior at the time, was diagnosed with testicular cancer, and perhaps for the first time in years, football would be put on the back burner.
“I wouldn’t want any parent to go through what we had to go through as far as conversations with the doctors,” Chris said. “When we found out it was testicular cancer, when we knew it was beatable and we had a chance to get through this, things just turned around.”
In what seemed like a whirlwind in November of 2023, Britt underwent six surgeries and four rounds of chemotherapy. He spent six months focused on nothing but getting better.
“At my lowest point I weighed in at 104 pounds,” Britt said. “My normal weight was about 185. That was pretty scary at the moment.”
Perhaps even more surprising to some, it never stopped Britt from moving forward. He thought he might not get to play his senior year, but the high school senior did what all of the Redmans do - he fought back.
“I was out of football for six months,” Britt said. “When I started going back, I was only doing spring practices. I was still pretty weak and didn’t have all my speed and strength yet. I’m really blessed to almost be back to my normal strength, speed and weight now. Six months after chemo, I scored my first touchdown.”
For Chris, his wife, Ashley, and Britt’s sister, Josie, it was heart-wrenching to watch him struggle with extreme illness, but the entire family remained by his side cheering him on.
“Ashley was a rock star through the whole process,” Chris said. “I was so proud of how she handled everything. People handle tragedies differently and you can learn a lot
about a person when you see them going through a tough situation.”
Britt’s teammates had his back too.
“My team really rallied around me and supported me through everything,” Britt said. “They wore my number six on the back of their helmets and they all wore red at school because of my name. It was just really cool to see that, and I’m really grateful to be surrounded by their prayers and great people at Christian Academy.”
In March of 2024, doctors said Britt was officially in remission, making his senior year and eventual state championship even more special.
Looking forward, Britt hopes to attend the University of Mississippi with a major in finance and minor in communication.
“Winning the state championship is a great note to go out on my football career, and
I was really thankful to God for giving me the opportunity to come back,” Britt said. “I’ve had a great time and it’s been a lot of fun. I’m happy to have made it to the championship with my team.”
He doesn’t think football is in his future, but he knows giving back and inspiring others is.
“I want to develop a foundation to raise funds for kids who have cancer,” he said. “I’ve been there and know what it’s like. There were younger kids than me on the same floor and they had it a lot worse than me.”
It’s taking the perseverance and drive that football requires to a whole new level.
“I think we can turn this into a positive and help the many other kids who are in the hospital and scared to death,” Chris said. “You don’t know what’s going to happen next and here’s Britt, eight months later after
his last chemotherapy. He’s on the football field, making touchdowns and he has this opportunity. I had a platform of playing professional football and God gave him the platform of being a young cancer survivor. To me it’s a blessing and I’m proud of him for using it.”
The foundation will likely be launched in the summer of 2025 and a local physician has already expressed interest in partnering with the Redmans.
“We’re going to do a lot of cool things with schools in this state and across the country, so we’re excited to take this thing to the national level,” Chris said. “It’s also a great opportunity for Britt to learn about business, how to help others, and it’s a great opportunity for him to grow as a person.”
Looking back at the way his team rallied around him and his family stood by his side, Britt hopes to spread a positive message, and to never forget the way God has worked
in his life.
“I want to encourage kids to stay positive,” he said. “When you say we’re going to get through this and we’re going to beat this, it really has an effect on your mental health and then how your body will perform throughout all that. It’s like in a football game. A lot of it is mental. A lot of it is in between your ears.”
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For advertising information, contact:
COREY BOSTON
corey@townepost.com (502) 407-0185
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