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DERBY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS
LOUISVILLE-BASED GROUP SUPPORTS
WRITERS OF ALL LEVELS
Writer / Julie Yates
Who doesn’t love a good mystery? With so many versions — thrillers, romance suspense or detective fiction — there’s a type to appeal to everyone. Likewise, writers of mystery novels gravitate to the sub-genre that excites and inspires them.
Regardless of whether an author is published or just beginning to think about the possibility of writing, it is helpful to be part of a community that encourages and shares resources. Derby Rotten Scoundrels, a group based in the Louisville area, offers support to authors no matter where they are in their writing journey.
meetings per year, they are encouraged to join. Membership is $15. Some members are from Northern Kentucky and Lexington, but the core live in the Louisville area. Men are welcome to join, but all individuals must also be members of Sisters in Crime.
According to copresident Elaine Munsch, the Louisville chapter of Sisters in Crime began in 1992
As the Ohio River Valley chapter of the national organization Sisters in Crime, Derby Rotten Scoundrels is for anyone who likes to write mysteries. It’s a community of diverse people who meet once a month in person at the Middletown Library.
Members also have the option to participate via Zoom, and some meetings are Zoom-only depending on a featured speaker’s location. Speakers include authors who share their expertise or specialists in fields such as airplane tragedy investigations or autopsies.
Meetings are open to the public, but if someone finds the group is a good fit and they want to attend more than three
with the mission to promote the mystery genre and ensure both women and men authors were equally represented. Initially, the group was primarily a book club discussing mystery works, but two years later it took the name Ohio River Valley Chapter and became a resource for writers. Programs were presented to develop skills needed to become published, as well as increasing knowledge of the crime world. In addition, funds were raised for causes such as supplying books to women’s prisons and donating to a women’s shelter.
“Our first short story anthology was published by Silver Dagger Press in 2004,” says co-president Beverle Graves Myers. “The publisher was pressing us for a catchy title. I happened to be browsing a shop that handled only Kentucky products and noticed some towels and napkins that made a play on the word ‘derby’ and ‘dirty.’ ‘Talk Derby to Me,’ for instance. I was inspired to make a list of all the common
Carol Preflatish, Patience Martin, Elaine Munsch, Susan Bell (kneeling), Lynn Slaughter, Gloria Casale, Jeanette Pope, Lynda Rees at Group Retreat
phrases that contained the word ‘dirty’ and substituted ‘derby.’ At our next meeting, the group went over the list and thought ‘Derby Rotten Scoundrels’ was the winner. A few years later the group was intent on renaming the chapter and decided that the original anthology title would be perfect.”
To help aspiring writers in the membership transition to being published, the group has published three anthologies — collections of short stories. After the success of the first one, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, the second one followed two years later. Like its predecessor, Low Down and Derby features tales of murder and crime centered around the Kentucky Derby. The third anthology, Mystery with a Splash of Bourbon, published in 2020, has outsold the first two. It was marketed to distilleries and is available through booksellers including Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Walmart. Besides the opportunity to have their work showcased, members benefit from other facets of the group.
“During meetings there has always been a section for critique and discussion of writing, so six members decided to form a feedback group,” says Lynn Slaughter, past president and current secretary. “They submit their work ahead of time so members of the subgroup can read it before
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meeting twice a month. It turned out to be very successful. I find we learned as much or more from reading others’ work and critiquing it as getting feedback on our own work. Everyone got published and now a second group is starting.
“Another successful subgroup is called Guppies and is for pre-published authors,” Slaughter adds. “The founders of that group went on to be published but have stayed on to offer guidance. We never say ‘unpublished’ but instead say ‘prepublished.’ When a member gets published, it is announced on our Facebook and the Members’ News Page on our website.”
The group also enjoys contributing to the community. Members are available to speak at libraries or bookstores. Slaughter shares that they are delighted when asked to come to meetings, especially when book clubs reach out.
“In the 30-plus years it has existed, the chapter has been blossoming,” Munsch says. “Many of its members have gone on to publish their own books. Our group continues to help pre-published writers attain their goal.”
For more information, visit Derby Rotten Scoundrels on Facebook or at derbyrottenscoundrels.com.
Lynn Slaughter and Elaine Munsch at Group Retreat
Susan Bell, Elaine Munsch, Milton Toby at Joseph-Beth Booksellers
Five Decades Strong
CHENOWETH APPLIANCES MARKS 50 YEARS OF LOCAL SERVICE
Writer / Gavin LaPaille
Chenoweth Appliances is celebrating 50 years of selling quality products in the Louisville area. With a wide selection of refrigerators, ovens, microwaves, washers, dryers and dishwashers available, Chenoweth strives to build relationships with its customers and make everyone feel like family.
Wayne and Danny Lyons, Jr. co-own the business, taking over for their father, who started Chenoweth in 1975. The brothers aim to make every transaction a family affair while using their years of experience to help customers pick the best product that fits their needs.
“Guys who work for us have been here
15-20 years so they know what they’re talking about,” Wayne says. “All we sell are appliances. If you need to buy an appliance, you need to shop at an appliance store. It’s helpful to go with a company that has been in business for a while like we have.”
Dan Lyons, Sr. started Chenoweth after previously working at General Electric. Wanting to go into business for himself, Dan found a location for sale in the heart of Jeffersontown and started selling furniture alongside appliances. The name is homage to the former Chenoweth Park, now Charlie Vettiner Park, which is just a few miles from the store.
“My dad found this place in J-Town that was
up for lease and he got the property,” Wayne says. “He then went back to G.E. and got a contract to sell the appliances. He wanted to work in business for himself. He got the G.E. contract and went off from there.”
Wayne was initially unsure about joining the family business but was eventually persuaded to do so, alongside his brother. He worked in variety of different roles, including marketing, delivering, installing and buying products.
“I graduated from (the University of Kentucky) in 1982 and started working here,” Wayne adds. “I told my dad what I really wanted to do was sell ice cream on the beach but there are no beaches here. I
knew people would always need appliances so I took him up on it. He gave us an opportunity and we grabbed it. We know the name of the game is to treat people the way you want to be treated. If you do that, you’re going to do well.”
After the brothers became more involved, Chenoweth eventually got out of selling furniture and focused only on appliances. “I didn’t want to sell furniture that
wasn’t made here so we got strictly into appliances,” Wayne says. “We used to sell dining room suites, bedroom suites, chairs, all kinds of things. It made sense to focus on appliances.”
Wayne says the dynamic of working so closely with his brother isn’t a challenging
one, and the two complement each other well.
“My brother is pretty easy,” he says. “He’s a year and a half older so we’ve been close our whole lives and have worked together since we were 13 or 14 delivering newspapers. We have a good relationship. He’s more of
a conservative and I’m more liberal. He likes to save money and I like to spend it. We both want to take care of our customers so you have to buy quality to get the best price and pass it on. He has some children involved with the business we hope to leave it to.”
Chenoweth offers a large selection of
different price points and sizes on all of its products, as it aims to have the right appliance for every customer. Some of the most trusted brands sold by Chenoweth include G.E., G.E. Café, G.E. Profile, G.E. Monogram, Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, JennAir and Speed Queen Laundry. Chenoweth is part of the Nationwide
Marketing Group, North America’s leading buying, marketing and operational support organization for independent retailers, which helps Chenoweth obtain quality products.
“We can buy our appliances cheaper from the manufacture and we pass that on to our customers,” Wayne says. “People don’t
realize what kind of buying power we have. Once people realize we’re competitive with the box stores and we take care of them, they come back to us.”
Chenoweth has always strived to have excellent customer service, and offers delivery, installation and haul away, with nothing outsourced. Oftentimes, customers don’t even need to come directly in the store to make a purchase, and products can usually be delivered the next day, or sooner. Wayne says he will help customers who buy from him reach out to manufactures about various warranties they are covered by.
“We’ve had a lot of competitors over the years and a lot of them have gone out of business because of bad management and taking advantage of people,” Wayne says. “When people have a bad experience, they’re going to tell other people and word spreads. The reason we are here is because we treat every customer who walk into the door like they are the boss. We’ve become
friends with people and they keep coming back because they trust us. The reason we’re here is because of trust and the relationships we’ve built.”
Through five decades, Chenoweth has become a staple of the J-Town community. Located on 10312 Taylorsville Road, the Lyons have seen their business grow as the area around it has as well.
“It’s safe here,” Wayne says. “The city looks nice and they keep the streets clean and paved. It’s a nice community to live in.”
Wayne says a big goal for the business moving forward it to create the next generation of customers and attract a younger age into his business.
“The average age of someone in our store is between 50-85,” Wayne says. “I’d like to appeal more to 25–40-year-olds. That way when they find out how trustworthy we are, they’ll buy from us until they are 85 too.
Younger people want to go to the internet to buy appliances. They assume the big brands have the buying power. We get a lot of referrals from older clients telling younger people to come to us and not on the internet. They are really surprised by our prices.”
While nearing retirement age, Wayne plans to continue having a presence at Chenoweth for a long time.
“I don’t ever plan to retire,” Wayne says. “I have a lot of good sales people who work for me and they take care of my customers like I would, and I’d like to take off 4-5 weeks a year. Other than that, I want to keep working. I like my job and my customers. If I retire, I wouldn’t see a lot of people I’ve known for decades.”
Chenoweth is open six days a week, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. For more information, visit them online at chenowethappliances. com or call 502-267-8571.
WINTER IN BLOOM
WATERFRONT BOTANICAL GARDENS’ GARDENS AGLIMMER BRINGS LIGHT TO THE SEASON
Writer / Carrie Vittitoe
Wild purple geraniums wave gracefully in the wind, and a nearby stand of common milkweed provides nourishment to several monarch caterpillars. The delicate stalks of pink dianthus line a path that winds into and around a bend. It is certainly wonderful to stroll through Waterfront Botanical Gardens in June.
Except it’s not June. It’s November, and the skies are cold and gray. There are no blooms and no leaves — every tree is a brittle skeleton. Still, as any gardener knows, while winter may be a quieter season, there is plenty that needs to be done to prepare for the next growing period. Everyone at Waterfront Botanical Gardens knows this adage and is committed to keeping the spirit of the gardens alive even when everything in the ground is dormant.
Although the seeds of Waterfront Botanical Gardens were planted over two decades ago, it only opened to the public in 2019,
meaning it is still in the early stages of its development. When compared to the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C., which opened in 1850, Louisville’s botanical garden has a lot more growing to do. And it is this goal of healthy, steady growth that makes it important for Waterfront Botanical Gardens to stay relevant even during the bleakest midwinter. It does so in various ways, such as offering classes and planning special events like Gardens Aglimmer, which begins on Black Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, and continues throughout December on select days.
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“With the weather turning cooler and there being less visual interest in the gardens, it was important to still have an opportunity to bring the city out to see this brand-new botanical garden. If you look at other public gardens across the country, you’ll find that most of them offer some variety of holiday light experience as a way to continue engaging with the public,” says Megan Bibelhauser, Waterfront Botanical Gardens’ director of marketing and communications.
Winter activities and events are also a way
for Waterfront Botanical Gardens to have additional revenue streams to help support operations, which, Megan says, “includes everything from compost and mulch for the garden beds, to the gloves and shovels used by the horticulture team, as well as funding the staff who manage and maintain all that we have built.”
She says Gardens Aglimmer is the 501(c)(3)’s
largest revenue-generating event of the year. Like the gardens themselves, this fun winter event has grown each year since its inception.
Megan says the first Gardens Aglimmer involved a few thousand lights and a handful of in-house displays, but over the years the plans for the wintry wonderland have become more detailed and comprehensive.
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“Our goal every year is to expand not only the number of lights, but the types of displays and experiences, she says. “In 2023, for example, we wanted to highlight the fact that the gardens are built on top of a former landfill, so staff and volunteers worked together to create an upcycled display including ornaments made out of aluminum cans and spent plant materials, and twinkling lanterns from old cardboard
Phase 2A is set to begin and will feature a bonsai garden and house, as well as an allée of white oak trees leading to an overlook of Beargrass Creek.
boxes. This was an opportunity to show a unique way to turn trash into something beautiful.”
In the coming years, Gardens Aglimmer will grow even more because the master plan for Waterfront Botanical Gardens has several additional phases. Phases 1A-C have been completed, which means Gardens Aglimmer now covers about 2.5 acres.
Megan says this phase will add another 1.5 acres to the display.
Eventually, the plan calls for a visitors center, numerous gardens — including a children’s garden and a sensory garden — and, at some point, a conservatory in Phase 4. The complete plan for Waterfront Botanical Gardens spans 23 acres, an effort
that could take a decade or more. “As we add to the gardens’ physical space, Gardens Aglimmer will also grow to cover the entire footprint,” Megan says, which means even more opportunities for staff to work their creative lighting and design magic.
That creative magic is wonderful for attendees to experience, but it takes a lot of time, energy, and likely some periodic aggravation — as anyone who has ever dealt with holiday lights will understand. Megan says ideas for each year’s Gardens Aglimmer begin at least 12 months in advance, while planning requires a minimum of six months. She adds that “it takes the entire month of November to decorate outdoors,” an effort spearheaded by Andrew Hagerty, the director of horticulture and facilities, and implemented by his teams.
Of course, volunteers are part of the process every step of the way and are essential to the massive effort required to put on the event.
Gardens Aglimmer offers something for all ages. Little ones can visit with Santa, make a holiday craft with Mrs. Claus, and enjoy hot chocolate in the Jingle All the Way Café provided by Khalil’s Catering food truck. Adults can get their hot chocolate or apple cider spiked if they choose, and this year, there will be a savory menu in addition to sweet treats. Megan says the café is being relocated inside the event “so that food and beverage options are more accessible to guests.”
Another new feature will be a bar inside the Graeser Family Education Center, which she says will have a limited selection of beer, wine, and holiday cocktails.
Beyond the food and beverage options, guests can admire wreaths designed and decorated by local businesses, which will be auctioned off, with all proceeds supporting Waterfront Botanical Gardens.
While Gardens Aglimmer is its own special event, there are themed nights that might
appeal to different visitors. For example, on Friday, Dec. 5, students from Thrive School of Dance will perform. Monday, Dec. 15, will be a crowd-controlled sensory-friendly evening, and Wednesday, Dec. 17, is reserved for adults 21+ for a special “Date Night.”
“One of our core values is accessibility, emphasizing that all are welcome and wanted, so we set out to provide additional experiences that different members of our community could enjoy to the fullest,” Megan says.
Gardens Aglimmer pathways are wheelchair-accessible as well.
To kick off your winter holidays with a sense of wonder — and to help ensure that your spring and summer visits to Waterfront Botanical Gardens will be chock-full of vibrant flowers and plants — consider making Gardens Aglimmer a new holiday tradition. For more information, visit waterfrontgardens.org/gardens-aglimmer.
AGELESS AMBITION
LOUISVILLE’S NANCY LEAHY KEEPS COMPETING & INSPIRING THROUGH SENIOR GAMES
Writer / Melissa Gibson
Nancy Leahy has participated in the Kentucky Senior Games and National Senior Games Association’s (NSGA) Olympics, under the United States Olympic Committee, for more than 25 years.
“A friend of mine talked me into getting into it. Through the Senior Games, I’ve done power walking, shuffleboard, track and field, and my first love is racquetball,”
Leahy says. “I’m not the best at track and field or shuffleboard, but I have fun with it.”
She has served on the Kentucky Senior Games Board in the past, and though she’s qualified for the national games numerous times, she’s attended four competitions at the national level.
“I went to Arizona in 1997, Florida in 1999, Kentucky was host in 2007, and this year, I went to Iowa,” Leahy says. “You qualify in the even-
numbered years and go to nationals in the odd-numbered years.”
Participants must be 50 years of age or older, and competitions are divided into five-year age brackets. Nearly 20 sports are eligible at the state level, and even more at the national level.
Sports range from archery to disc golf and swimming to table tennis. Tai Chi, for example, is offered through Senior Games and is one of the five best exercises for the general population, according to a study by Harvard Medical School.
It’s all in an effort to encourage seniors to stay active.
The NSGA launched in the fall of 1985 in St. Louis, Missouri. A group of seven men and women created the organization with the vision of promoting healthy lifestyles for adults through education, fitness, and sports.
At that time, there were already 33 states hosting senior games, and NSGA planned the first Olympic Games competition in St. Louis in 1987. The first year brought together 2,500 competitors, and in 2025, Iowa welcomed more than 12,000.
Each year, more than 100,000 people participate at the state level, and according to NSGA, it’s never too late to get active. Many seniors try a new sport in their 60s, 70s, and beyond.
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The Senior Olympic Games is the largest qualified multi-sport event in the world for seniors.
Now that Leahy’s friends are no longer participating, she experienced the nationals in Iowa this year solo. However, the trip truly highlighted what the senior games are all about.
Des Moines hosted thousands throughout the city, with activities happening at swimming pools, golf courses, gymnasiums, and other venues across the area.
For nine days, if Leahy wasn’t competing, she had the chance to visit the city and
sightsee around the capital. However, it was the seniors participating in the games who made her trip special.
“Everyone is so friendly,” Leahy says. “They were coming in from all over the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, and other places. It’s amazing. I learned how to use an Uber, and I went down to breakfast that first morning and met other people headed to the games, and we shared an Uber ride. I didn’t meet
anyone that wasn’t friendly and outgoing.” As a part of the Senior Games, Leahy has been able to travel, build relationships, and stay active.
The 82-year-old says that though she’s “directionally challenged,” she attended and had fun while she was at it.
“I’m quite proud of myself,” she says. “I figured I could be old at home or be old in Iowa. I learned how to Uber, and the hotel had a free shuttle service. I became good friends with the shuttle driver. I totally stepped out of my comfort zone, and I don’t know if I was more pleased with the competition results or the fact that I did it on my own.”
She has always been an avid exerciser but sees the Senior Games as a bonus.
“I think I mainly do it because of the people,” Leahy adds. “It’s really inspiring to see all of these people participating — some of them are over 100 years old. There have been health and physical challenges, and these people have overcome them, and they’re out there trying their best.”
The NSGA website is packed with stories of senior athletes defying the odds.
In 2025, it debuted powerlifting as a sport, and 82-year-old Faith O’Reilly was the oldest female registered for the event.
Or take 72-year-old Mike Welter, for example. He won two gold medals at the Super Seniors International Pickleball Association World Championships before suffering a massive stroke and having to learn how to walk again.
Through NSGA, he’s back climbing the ranks and winning awards in pickleball this year. Winners at the state and national levels receive medals for their success, and Leahy has won several.
This year, she earned a second-place medal in women’s singles, first place in women’s doubles, and first place in mixed doubles in racquetball. She received a ribbon for a fourth-place finish in power walking and earned eighth place in shuffleboard.
At the state level, Leahy qualified for cornhole too but chose not to pursue it at nationals. Regardless of her success, Leahy
says most of the seniors aren’t doing it to win medals.
“I think many people want to participate and finish well, but winning a medal isn’t the main goal,” she says. “I would encourage people to just try it out. You don’t have to win. Just participate and exercise. It keeps you motivated and moving and active.”
Leahy is disappointed that racquetball will be discontinued for the 2027 games in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It’s simply losing popularity against other sports such as pickleball and powerlifting, but that opens up the opportunity to try something new.
She’s in good health and doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon.
“I have an older brother who just celebrated his 97th birthday,” Leahy says. “My mother lived to be in her late 90s, and her mother into her late 90s. So, just keep going.”
For more information about the Kentucky Senior Games, visit kentuckyseniorgames. com. Additional information about the National Senior Games Association can be found at nsga.com.
DECEMBER CROSSWORD PUZZLE
Holiday Magic
LOUISVILLE BALLET’S BROWN-FORMAN NUTCRACKER BRINGS A TIMELESS TRADITION TO LIFE
Writer / Melissa Gibson
Anthony Krutzkamp
he Nutcracker ballet, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, was originally performed in 1892. Though it didn’t receive raving reviews in the late 1800s, it has become one of the most popular ballets during the holiday season around the world.
In the two-act ballet, audiences follow the story of Marie, a young girl who receives a mysterious nutcracker doll from her godfather, Drosselmeyer, during a festive holiday party.
Later that evening, Marie sneaks back to the
Christmas tree to check on her new toy and is swept into a dreamlike adventure.
The room transforms as the tree grows towering tall, and the Nutcracker comes to life to battle a wicked Mouse King and his army.
With Marie’s help, the Nutcracker defeats the Mouse King and transforms into a handsome prince. Together, the pair journey through a snow-covered forest to the enchanting Land of Sweets, where they are greeted by the Sugar Plum Fairy.
Dancers from around the world perform a series of chocolate, tea, coffee, and candy cane dances, and Marie wakes from her magical journey forever changed.
The Louisville Ballet is no stranger to this beloved holiday tradition.
This year, they’ll perform The BrownForman Nutcracker under the direction
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of Louisville Ballet’s new artistic director, Anthony Krutzkamp. The choreography is by Val Caniparoli, and the magic and illusion design is by Marshall Magoon.
Whether you’ve seen The Nutcracker on stage or not, chances are you’ll recognize the music. A quick listen to Tchaikovsky’s “March” from the ballet will bring memories of the holidays — shopping, movies, and even cartoons.
“It’s a turning point — when the holiday starts,” Krutzkamp says. “You can’t walk into a store without The Nutcracker being played through the speakers. I think it’s the official kickoff to the holidays for a lot of people.”
The 2025 performance will feature live music with the Louisville Orchestra, directed by Tara Simoncic. It will be the first Louisville Ballet and Louisville Orchestra collaboration since 2022, and Krutzkamp is
“You’re working in tandem with the conductor, and he or she is working in tandem with the orchestra. It makes you perform at your best and creates something magical for the audience,” Krutzkamp says.
One might think the Louisville Ballet dancers would tire of performing the tradition each year, but Krutzkamp says it’s just the opposite.
“We’re doing more difficult things,” Krutzkamp says. “Each year is going to be slightly different because there are more techniques, and you’re always becoming better. It’s truly an explosive growth period for any dance company, and I get to work with dancers in a different way and watch younger dancers take on harder roles.”
Krutzkamp was still finalizing his cast list just a few weeks ago, but says Marie is always an important role because the audience views the ballet through her eyes.
The Louisville Ballet includes 24 professional dancers, a distinguished four-year, tuition-free professional training program, and a robust school serving more than 900 students, including a preprofessional training program.
“These dancers are Louisville residents,” Krutzkamp says. “They shop here, dine here and live here. They’ve literally picked up their lives and moved to Louisville to dance here.”
Furthermore, there will be hundreds of children participating in the performance — another cherished part of the production.
“Not only for the community, but for the children as well,” Krutzkamp adds. “We held an open audition, and for them, it’s like being on stage with your heroes. It can literally change a dancer’s life to watch the people you look up to perform — and you’re there on stage with them.”
In fact, Krutzkamp now serves as artistic director for a dancer in the company who once performed as a child in one of his earlier Nutcracker productions.
A Kentucky native, Krutzkamp previously served as artistic and executive director of the Sacramento Ballet and as a principal dancer with Cincinnati Ballet and Kansas City Ballet. He says his new role with the Louisville Ballet is a perfect fit.
“My favorite part of the job is working with the dancers — being able to get in there and coach and enhance the performances,” he says. “I always say, ‘If I can give the dancers all of the knowledge I have right now, they’ll be better than I ever was.’”
In his former roles, Krutzkamp achieved record-breaking ticket sales, launched a groundbreaking second company in Sacramento, and awarded more than $125,000 annually in student scholarships. He expanded his dancers’ repertoire to include works by George Balanchine, Alejandro Cerrudo, Penny Saunders, Ihsan Rustem, and others, while also creating acclaimed productions of Swan Lake and The Nutcracker.
He’s hoping to do it all again in Louisville.
“When I learned I had the position, dancers were reaching out over social media, welcoming me and congratulating me,” Krutzkamp says. “I can’t say enough about how awesome they are. Everyone has gone the extra mile, and I really look forward to bringing all different types of dances to Louisville. With technology today, we can see what’s happening around the world fairly easily. When we think internationally, having that in your city is very important. We want to be a company that can do everything, and the audience will notice. I know the city is proud of us, but I’m hoping we can be an artistic beacon that others aspire to be.”
The Brown-Forman Nutcracker will be on stage from Dec. 12 through Dec. 22. Purchase tickets at my.louisvilleballet. org/24378.
The Louisville Ballet was founded in 1952 and is Kentucky’s official state ballet. It’s a nationally recognized professional dance company that welcomes more than 70,000 people annually through performances, education, and outreach.
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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
Weather in the Louisville area has kept Clayton Hensley busy. As the owner and president of Hensley Guttering, Hensley has been working to get client’s roofs in top shape after hail and wind damage.
Hensley Guttering offers free estimates, helping homeowners understand what their problems could be and if they have a rightful claim with the insurance companies.
“If you think you have a claim, we don’t charge you for an estimate,” Clayton says. “We’ll look at your roof and gutters to see if you have damage before you call the insurance company. If you call the insurance company for a claim and they come out but there’s no damage, it’s on your record you have a claim even though they didn’t do anything.”
Hensley Guttering only recommends reaching out to insurance when they are confident a claim can be made, and will be the homeowner’s representative with the claims adjuster. This year, they are seeing more wind than hail damage, but both have caused issues.
“We have to be honest with the customers,” Clayton says. “We don’t want to tell them they have damage and then the adjuster comes and you can’t back up what you’re
saying. As a contractor, you lose your credibility with the homeowner and the insurance company.”
Hensley Guttering has been in business since 1973, and while Clayton says there has been worse years locally, the mix of winter weather has caused damage for many. Located in Jeffersontown, Clayton says most of his business has come from the surrounding area.
“We’re all over Louisville but 90% of the work we’re doing is five miles within J-town,” Clayton says. “If you have a lot of trees around the property, you’re more likely to have wind damage than hail damage. The trees can filter the hail before it gets to the roof.”
Clayton says his team can usually get to a customer’s home within two days. Different circumstances impact what they recommend.
“You don’t need annual inspections unless you have a lot of hail damage or high winds,” Clayton adds. “The newer the roof, the less likely you are to have hail damage.”
The high summer heat has also caused Hensley and his team issues, as the warm temperatures slow down progress on projects and requires extra care on customer’s roofs.
“It’s a factor,” Clayton says. “When it gets up to 90-95 degrees they have to quit earlier because of damage. The hot weather just makes it harder to get a job done. You have to be more careful with the material we’re using.”
Clayton says it’s his honesty that has kept him in business so long, and he plans to continue offering support to all his clients.
“We sell what people need, not what we make the most money for,” he says. “There’s nothing we sell or do that I couldn’t do myself if need be.”
With its dedicated employees ranging in age from 35 to 98, with employment from 15 years to 55 years employment, Hensley Guttering have more than 200 years of work experience in the business.
Don’t forget with the fall leaves, the company also manufactures and installs gutter covers in 20 colors to match most any roof, and they can custom make covers to fit most any gutter.
For more information on Hensley Guttering or to reach out about a free inspection, call 502-267-1700 or visit hensleyguttering. com. You can also email them at hensleyguttering@gmail.com.
CONNECT
Writer / Gavin LaPaille
Clayton Hensley, left
STEADY HEARTBEAT
SACRED HEART’S DONNA MOIR LEADS WITH GRACE, GRIT & UNMATCHED LEGACY
Writer / Ed Peak Photographer / Tre’Sean Durham, Supply Lab Media
Donna Moir is the heartbeat of Sacred Heart athletics — and has been for more than 33 years. She’s an eight-time girls basketball state championship coach and also serves as the school’s athletic director. Success at the private Catholic school of more than 800 students on Lexington Road is unmatched.
“I feel I’m exactly where I want to be,” says Moir, who started four years for legendary coach Bunny Daugherty in the 1970s. “I loved my time at Sacred Heart as a player. It’s always felt like home. I felt like I could coach here and make an impact on a lot of people.”
As a freshman starter, Moir helped lead the Valkyries to the 1976 state title. A basketball and golf standout, she was recruited to play both sports at the University of Cincinnati.
“I played for Ceal Berry (former Assumption basketball coach) at UC,” Moir
says. “She called me a couple months ago and said, ‘Let’s get together and play golf.’ We went to Hurstbourne, and she admitted she could have used me differently.”
Moir was an outside shooter.
After her career at UC, she tried playing professional golf on the LPGA Tour. It didn’t work out, so she and her husband, Rick, returned to Louisville.
“I was homesick,” she says. “We were traveling all over the place. It was tough.”
After a call from Beverly McAuliffe, the first laywoman principal at Sacred Heart, Moir received an offer.
“When she called me and said, ‘People say I should hire you as our basketball coach and athletic director,’” Moir says. “I didn’t hesitate.”
She’s been a staple there ever since.
“I really like seeing other sports have success,” she says. “I try to go to everything. We’ve had 117 games so far this year.”
Swimming has 36 state championships, cross country seven, soccer eight, field hockey four, and volleyball two.
“I don’t know anything about archery,” Moir says. “I sat down with our coach and had a two-hour discussion about the sport. He’s built our archery program. When I came here as athletic director, the sports really weren’t that good. I remember taking over a 9-18 basketball team.”
It took a little while in basketball.
“I remember coaching my first game, and we were playing Mercy at Trinity. Mercy scored 100 points on us,” she says. “I wasn’t mad — I was like, ‘How can we get better?’”
The Valkyries did get better — much better.
SHA trailed the entire game in the Seventh Region Tournament finals against Mercy one season. After a missed free throw, Crystal Kelly rebounded and passed to Carly Ormerod, who fed J.J. Spears for a layup — and a one-point victory.
Moir remembers the play to this day.
“I told the kids, ‘We practice this. We get the ball and go to the basket,’” she says.
But she also remembers the anxiety of that game.
“We were down 17 points, and I thought, ‘If we lose, when I go in Monday, I’m getting fired,’” she says.
One of Moir’s strongest qualities is her ability to lead.
“She’s pretty even keel with her coaching on the court,” says her husband, Rick, of 41 years. “When she’s dealing with her coaches and other teams’ coaches, she’s pretty even keel.”
Junior guard Tootie Jordan has seen that calmness firsthand.
“I would say she doesn’t get mad,” Jordan says. “She has a positive attitude. She has so much positivity it kind of overwhelms her getting mad.”
One Saturday afternoon against one of the top teams in the state several years ago, Anderson County slipped a long-range shooter into the game.
“I think she banked one in from near midcourt. I can’t believe we didn’t pick her up,” Moir says.
She was frustrated but measured. That season, the Valkyries won the first of five straight titles.
“Referees should love calling her games,” says her daughter Mackenzie, an assistant athletic director. “She never yells at the refs. She never yells at her players. I think that’s what makes her a good coach.”
Her overall record entering the 2025-26 season is 839-280, which includes eight state titles, 12 regional titles, and 28 district championships.
“We kind of thrived on playing each other,” says retired Mercy coach Mark Evans.
“No one loves Sacred Heart more than Donna. She knows her strengths and has surrounded herself with good people.”
“She concentrates on her players. She prepares her players. She doesn’t let outside noise affect her,” adds Mackenzie.
Moir says she knows other schools might be
envious of her program.
“They don’t see the work we put in,” she says. “Our girls play AAU all summer. We practice — we run sprints.”
SHA has a winning culture that attracts some of the best players — Ormerod, Kelly, Grace Berger, Josie Gilpin — and the list goes on.
Miss Basketball this past season, Johnson, lived in Shelbyville. According to Moir, she was going to play at Shelby County.
“She went to some meetings, and no one showed up,” Moir says.
Johnson came to SHA, started four years, and won four championships. Now, she’s a freshman at LSU.
“I spoke with Z the other day, and she says she’s winning all the conditioning drills,” Moir says, who keeps up with her former players.
This summer, Moir coached the Kentucky All-Stars to a sweep of Indiana in the annual series. She had been 0-4 as head coach and assistant before the sweep.
Moir played for Kentucky High School Hall of Famer Bunny Daugherty at SHA.
“Ms. Daugherty,” as Moir still refers to her, coached everything — and never yelled at players or officials.
Education remains front and foremost at SHA.
“It’s not easy — the academics at Sacred Heart,” Jordan says. “If you don’t make the grades, you don’t play.
“Academics come way before athletics,” she adds. “She knows how you’re doing in the classroom as AD. You have to make sure you have good grades before getting on the court or the field.”
“It’s hard,” says Bender, a 2011 graduate and the golf coach. “Some people say college isn’t as hard as Sacred Heart.”
Moir is such a staple at the school that she never thinks about retiring.
“I jokingly say when July 15 comes around and conditioning begins, I won’t see my wife until after basketball season,” Rick says.
Moir comes from an athletic family. Her father, Bob, played football at the University of Louisville with Johnny Unitas. Her daughter Leslie won four state championship golf titles at SHA. Her brother Rick played football at St. Xavier.
“Donna knows her strengths,” Evans says. “Her staff came to see me when I was at Oldham County to talk strategy. She has surrounded herself with good people.”
When Evans’ team won a title, Moir was one of the first to congratulate him. “She’s a class
act from a great family,” he adds.
A quality Moir possesses is that she can make a person feel good about themselves. She always greets people with a smile.
“She loves helping people,” Mackenzie says. “Even if you don’t play sports, she helps. She’s such a giving person.”
Moir and the Valkyries will try to make it six state titles in a row.
“Our kids get exposure. We play in big tournaments,” Moir says.
“We’re going to come with a different swag this season,” Jordan says. “People think because we don’t have Z, we’re not going to be as good. We’ll have that underdog mentality.”
Moir hopes to lead the Valkyries to another state championship.
TASTE THE JOY OF GIVING. CELEBRATE LOCAL FLAVOR
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
AROUND THE COMMUNITY, 2025
DECEMBER
LOUISVILLE AREA EVENTS
6
5-6
LIGHT UP
MIDDLETOWN
December 5th
Starts at 4:00pm-8:00pm 11803 Old Shelbyville Rd
Santa, Train Rides, Treats, Hot Chocolate, Carolers & more
LIGHT UP
JEFFERSONTOWN
December 6th
3:00pm-6:30pm 10416 Watterson Trail
Music, photos with Santa, crafts, food & market
LIGHT UP ST. MATTHEWS
December 6th
3:00pm - 6:00pm
Brown Park
Life music, train rides & free cookies/hot chocolate
BILLY STRINGS
KFC Yum! Center, 1 Arena Plaza. 7:30 p.m.
Please note, there is no opener for this show. Please plan to arrive with plenty of time for processing and entry.
COUNTRY CHRISTMAS!
Blackacre State Nature Preserve & Historic Homestead, 3200 Tucker Station Rd. 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Our most popular event of the year — Country Christmas!
HOLIDAY WREATH MAKING
Yew Dell Botanical Gardens, 6220 Old Lagrange Rd. 10 a.m.-noon
The crowd favorite of all wreath workshops is back!
6
LOUISVILLECONPOP CULTURE SHOW
Triple Crown Pavilion, 1780 Plantside Dr. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
It’s a collector’s mecca convention located in beautiful Derby City of Louisville, Kentucky.
12 JON MCLAUGHLIN & FRIENDS: HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Kentucky Center for the Arts, 501 W Main St. 8 p.m.
17
PETER BILLINGSLEY & A CHRISTMAS STORY
The Brown Theatre, 315 W Broadway. 7 p.m.
18
CHRISTMAS CENTERPIECES
Yew Dell Botanical Gardens, 6220 Old Lagrange Rd. 5-7 p.m.
Get ready to deck your holiday table in style!
19 THE LEMONHEADS: LOVE CHANT WORLD TOUR
Headliners Music Hall, 1386 Lexington Rd. 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.
The Lemonheads return in 2025 with Love Chant (out via Fire Records, October 24), their first studio album in nearly two decades — a bold, melodic reaffirmation of Evan Dando’s singular sound.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
BLACKACRE CANDLELIGHT
HOMESTEAD TOUR
Blackacre State Nature Preserve & Historic Homestead, 3200 Tucker Station Rd. 5-8 p.m.
Illuminating the Past: Holiday Candlelight at Blackacre. Experience early American holiday traditions on a candlelit homestead.
AN EVENING WITH JOHN CUSACK AND SCREENING OF “SAY ANYTHING”
Louisville Palace, 625 S. 4th St. 8 p.m.
Actor John Cusack will host an intimate screening of Say Anything, followed by a discussion about his career, the making of the film and behind-the-scenes stories.
THE BENJAMIN HEAD HOUSE
MYTHS & LEGENDS SURROUND 200-YEAR-OLD
MIDDLETOWN LANDMARK
Writers / Steve Wiser & Jack Koppel
At the northeast corner of Main Street and Harrison Avenue in the Middletown Historic District sits a quaint building which, if its stone walls could talk, would reveal more than 200 years of the fascinating past of this eastern Jefferson County community.
Before delving into the distinctive background of this charming structure, the myths surrounding it must first be dispelled.
A former historic marker once stood at this location that contained several inaccuracies. While now removed, this plaque remains in cyberspace and continues to generate misunderstanding.
Accurate documentation of historic sites and individuals has greatly improved over the past 30-plus years due to online sources such as genealogy and research databases. Prior to the advent of these vetted computer-accessed resources, stories of people and places typically were based on family recollections conveyed over decades via verbal and handwritten accounts, which were not the most reliable for verifiable facts.
Such are the tales once associated with this humble edifice, now known as the Benjamin Head House (11601 Main St., Middletown, Kentucky). The former plaque described Benjamin Head as a “Revolutionary War veteran captain.” Yet, verified genealogical records show the Benjamin Head who built this house was born in 1782 — one year before the Revolutionary War ended. However, there was another Captain Benjamin Head elsewhere in Kentucky who did serve in the Revolutionary War. The confusion between the two Benjamin Heads evidently stems from their shared death year of 1837.
The second misinformation on the plaque noted that the “fact” was based on a “legend.” But this “legend” was inscribed and therefore became accepted as truth. The claim was that the Head House “once changed hands as the result of a poker game.” This assertion was even repeated in a 2012 Courier Journal article.
However, descendants of John Hansbrough, who obtained the house from Head in 1821, deny this ever happened, citing Hansbrough’s strict religious beliefs, which
forbade gambling.
Another myth claimed treasure was hidden inside during the Civil War to protect it from thieves. No loot was ever found.
Lastly, even digital resources can be flawed. The website FindAGrave.com lists Benjamin Head’s birth year as 1780, but his headstone clearly states 1782. The discrepancy stemmed from a misreading of his obituary, which noted he died “in his 56th year.” That phrase means he was between 55 and 56 years old at his death.
With the myths addressed, here is the verified history of the landmark. Benjamin Head was born in January 1782 to Hadley and Mildred Head in Virginia, according to Ancestry.com. He settled in Middletown around 1804 and by 1815 was a town trustee. (Middletown was chartered in 1797 and named because it was the midpoint between Shelbyville and Louisville on the old turnpike road, now Shelbyville Road.)
Head partnered with Basil Nicholas Hobbs (1786-1837) and Benjamin Lawrence in the
Head, Hobbs & Lawrence General Store. Head traveled by horseback to Philadelphia and Baltimore to purchase supplies, while Hobbs kept the books.
In 1808, Head married Harriot Hobbs (1787-1824), sister of his business partner Basil. Their father, Nicholas Hobbs (17471793), was the grandfather of Edward Dorsey Hobbs, who later helped establish
the Anchorage community.
As for Head’s other partner, Benjamin Lawrence, his history remains unclear. He is often confused with another Benjamin Lawrence who fought in the Revolutionary War.
According to Middletown historian
Edith Wood, construction of the Head House began in 1813—not 1812, as other sources and the former plaque state. Head completed it in 1815, but sold it just six years later to John Hansbrough. The reason for the quick sale remains unknown.
William Chambers purchased it after Hansbrough but abandoned it during the Civil War. The next long-term occupants were William H. and Catherine Abel, married in 1858, who lived there until 1877 when Dr. Silas O. Witherbee bought the home. Four of the Abels’ six children were born in the house. The Witherbee family owned it into the 1960s. They were related to the Wetherbys of Middletown, including Kentucky Gov. Lawrence Wetherby. In 1974, Chris Matthews purchased and restored the house.
Byron and Freda Chapman bought the home in 1996. Byron became Middletown mayor in 2001 and remains in office. Over the years, the Head House has been both a residence
and the site of businesses and a restaurant.
Capstone Realty purchased it in 2020 and conducted an extensive renovation for its headquarters, including re-supporting structural beams, refinishing the original ash wood floors, and other improvements. The Head House is now on the National Register of Historic Places.
After selling the house, Benjamin Head bought a farm several miles west that was later owned by his great-grandson Robert Chester Tway, who developed a dairy there. In 1923, Tway built a large home designed by the noted firm of Nevin, Morgan & Wischmeyer. Today, that house at 10235 Timberwood Circle in the Plainview neighborhood is owned by the City of Jeffersontown and serves as a civic center.
Following the death of his first wife, Harriot, Head married Margaret Nora Brengman (1805-1891) in 1824. Known as Nora, she was the daughter of Martin Brengman
and the aunt of Catherine R. White, who with her husband, James Goslee, built “The Anchorage” estate in the mid-1800s. Their property gave its name to the Anchorage community, connecting Head in a roundabout way not only to Middletown but also to the development of Plainview and Anchorage.
After Head’s death in 1837, Nora remarried Henry L. Garr. Head is buried in Middletown Cemetery, but his exact gravesite is unknown. His headstone, once damaged, is now displayed at the Middletown Museum at 11700 Main St.
Basil N. Hobbs is buried in Hobbs Cemetery in Anchorage. The gravesites of Harriot Hobbs Head, Margaret Nora Garr, and Benjamin Lawrence are unknown.
Steve Wiser, FAIA, is a local historian, author and architect. Jack Koppel is a local historian and docent at Middletown Museum.
For advertising information, contact:
COREY BOSTON
corey@townepost.com (502) 407-0185
Myka G.
Metastatic Breast Cancer, 2017
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