The Effects of Covid-19 on the World, Louisville and Bon Air.

This has been an unprecedented time in our lives . . . both globally and here in Bon Air.  We have been on a societal and economic lock down in the name of preventing the spread . . . more like reducing the spread of a virus that has spread internationally.  Well for law abiding citizens.

Site of fatal shooting on April 23,2020

It has seemed to me that the people of the modern western world have had the luxury of viciously arguing about political positions to the point of calling each other vicious names on social media. That stopped for awhile because the Covid19 virus created a real crisis that both sides agreed existed and we stopped arguing as much about political differences and our minds were focused on our common fear of catching it.   

We expressed our common fear with the way we went bonkers buying out the stores.  The most valuable commodities in this time have been toilet paper, bottled water and hand-sanitizer.  

The times have changed our language with terms such as "social distancing" and "healthy at home" and "PPE."   Our Kentucky Governor's repeated mantra "We will get through this. We will get through this together" has been made into posters almost making him the cognitive behavioral therapist in chief. 

We are currently wearing masks in public. In some parts of the nation it is mandated to wear them if you are going out in public.  It is now mandated to wear a mask if you want to ride a TARC bus. We used to be very suspicious of people wearing masks in public.  However, now we are more worried about people not wearing them. 

It has been wearing us down. It has been oppressive.  We are looking towards the end of this lock down in our homes.  We look forward to going back to work and maybe finally getting samples again and grinding big bags of whole bean coffee at Costco.  Most of us could use a haircut and I hope to see Larry and hear some good sarcasm at the Bon Air Barbershop.  

The state is starting a last stand of sorts with the proliferation of testing.  Part of me thinks it is a good thing so people can know, but I also think that there will be a logical resurgence in cases because there will be more people tested.  I am inclined to think that there will be some commonly shared exasperation when there will be a re-emphasis of social isolation merely because there will be more positive tests out of the numbers game of testing.  (I want to be wrong on this) 

Otherwise, the powers the be are turning the corner and looking at the longer-term effects of what the shutdown is doing to us especially with Mayor Fischer's plea for federal funds and stating that Louisville Metro Government is looking at $115 million shortfall related to the shut down and he has proposed a $621 million budget for the fiscal year ending in 2021.  

That is significant when the Fiscal Year 2020 budget is $876.  Most cities get revenue for service fees and property taxes.  Louisville has done that, but has depended on a significant amount of revenue from income tax and since many of us have not been working they have not collected it.  

I can see despite Brent Ackerson's valiant efforts last year, I see an overwhelming push to increase the taxes on our insurance policies because there will be a lack of revenue from hotel room taxes. 

I see further delay in progress of getting the stage built in Farnsley Park.  Even though Brent has generously set aside NDF funds, I see the infrastructure of the Parks and Recreation Department being thinned out in addition to Mayor Fischer's ambivalence to the project (he still has yet to respond to my letter).  

We also will likely see pushes for cut backs in city services and projects getting put on hold. If police protection was cut back by COVID19 protection, we risk seeing more stretching of the police service by budget cuts.   I do think that the District 6 officers have done very good work and they are having to be efficient in the way they conduct patrols and when they can deal with defiant panhandlers who do not care about the law, but Bon Air will need more citizen involvement in keeping this neighborhood safe.

Apparently this seems to be more crucial in light of the fact that the murder rate in Louisville has increased three-fold from last year.  Many are out there checking car doors to see if they can get in and they are shooting each other over drug deals gone bad.  

This means that participation in neighborhood watches is all the more crucial.  By citizens being out there and watching and being present, we discourage opportunistic criminals and discourage drug dealing activity.   

We cannot stop everything, as you may be aware due to media coverage, there was a fatal shooting at Downing Way and Hikes Lane. It is always disturbing to see your own neighborhood on TV station B-roll  when the reporter is talking about a shooting.   LMPD is on this and they will be making announcements about what it was and hopefully an arrest. Preliminary information is that it was a drug deal gone bad. 

But if you are interested in getting involved in block watches in Bon Air, we can start to do something about that now.  I hope that you will consider being more involved.