01.08.2024

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46° | Partly cloudy | 8% chance of rain
Sunrise 7:54 a.m. | Sunset 5:34 p.m.

Livability, diversity, and prosperity

Imagine Lexington 2045: Creating jobs and prosperity

Imagine Lexington 2045 explores how quality of life, diversity, and prosperity can bolster our workforce. | Photo by Amy Wallot

Last year, we began a series breaking down the city’s newly adopted comprehensive plan, Imagine Lexington 2045.

The 349-page plan focuses on long-term planning + urban growth to address the needs of all Lexingtonians. Pro-tip: Catch up on the first two iterations building + sustaining successful neighborhoods and protecting the environment.

The first lesson of 2024 brings us to the third theme: creating jobs and prosperity. More specifically, how livability, diversity, and prosperity can boost Lexington’s workforce.

🏠 Livability

Studies have long supported the correlation between quality of life and higher employment, but how can the city support this? The plan lays out the following policies that aim to make Lexington more livable:

Bolstering opportunities within agritourism while preserving + being mindful of our rural landscape
Expanding sports tourism in east Lexington
Improving downtown livability, by increasing access to transit and walkable paths for citizens
Constructing more affordable housing

🤝 Diversity

Tapping into the diversity of our community can look like many things: promoting small business (which 63% of Lexingtonians are employed by), opening opportunities for disadvantaged communities, and creating a culture of inclusivity. Lexington hopes to do this by:

Making better use of vacant office space + expanding incubators for small businesses and entrepreneurs
Support funding + staffing for the Minority Business Enterprise Program, which bolsters minority-owned businesses
Increasing infrastructure + reviewing zoning to support remote workers

A picture of a bunch of horses in front of a sunset. — Supporting our agriculture and equine industry is a staple of promoting job prosperity. | Photo courtesy of VisitLEX

💸 Prosperity

Happier workers means higher retention, which leads to economic prosperity. But that also means being able to attract and retain top talent, which the city aims to do through:

Promoting, hiring, and recruiting the local workforce
Installing fiber-optic internet to improve availability + access
Encouraging the use of locally-made services and products
Collaborating with local entities to ensure the workforce has adequate access to affordable living, food, and transportation

Events

Monday, Jan. 8

BachaSalsa Social | Tuesday, Jan. 9-Tuesday, Feb. 27 | 6:15-9:15 p.m. | The Salsa Center Dance Studio, 817 Lane Allen Rd., Lexington | $10-$15 | Grab a partner and learn the fundamentals of this Latin dance style.

Tuesday, Jan. 9

UK vs. Missouri | Tuesday, Jan. 9 | 7 p.m. | Rupp Arena, 430 W. Vine St., Lexington | $33 | Watch as the men’s basketball team takes on the Missouri Tigers on our home court

Wednesday, Jan. 10

Nerd Nite Lexington | Wednesday, Jan. 10 | 7-10 p.m. | Blue Stallion Brewing Company, 610 W. 3rd St., Lexington | Free | Hear educational and entertaining presentations over a variety of topics from local experts while sipping on brews.

Thursday, Jan. 11

Kentucky Crossover | Thursday, Jan. 11 | 8 p.m. | The Burl, 375 Thompson Rd., Lexington | $15-$18 | Despite coming from all types of genres, these musicians have one thing in common: they’re Kentuckians.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Learn

You’re invited to OLLI’s Spring Open House

3 woman smile as they stand in a distillery

Field trips aren’t just for kids — OLLI members can participate in trips like this tour of a distillery. | Photo by Norma Wirt

Fact: Just because you’re an adult doesn’t mean you need to stop learning, growing + taking cool classes for fun.

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) offers a variety of courses on every topic from film to yoga for adults 50+. Interested? Meet course instructors, learn about course offerings, and watch demos at OLLI’s Spring Open House, happening today 1-3 p.m. at the Oleika Shriners (326 Southland Dr.).

Spring registration will be available online on Wednesday, Jan. 10 + Thursday, Jan. 11 at 10 a.m. Pro tip: New memberships are currently available to purchase online.

More fun for older adults

News Notes

Edu

Last week, Fayette County Public Schools announced it would rely on non-traditional instruction (NTI) in case of severe weather. However, Superintendent Demterus Liggins since clarified, saying that there may be specific cases where alternatives are taken, like in the case of power outages or “if it’s an ideal day for sledding.” (Lexington Herald-Leader)

Concert

Do you believe in life after love? The Lexington Opera House does, and it’s proving it with its “Chering is Caring” campaign. The partnership with God’s Pantry Food Bank invites anyone attending “The Cher Show” performances Friday, Jan. 26-Sunday, Jan. 28 to bring pantry-stable donations to help feed those in need.

Arts

Trifecta Glass Art Lounge is bringing some Miami sunshine to LEX. This quarter’s exhibit, “Miami State of Mind,” highlights glass work from various artists, creating much-needed South Beach vibes. The exhibit opens Thursday, Jan. 18 at 6 p.m. and runs through Thursday, March 21.

Biz

Beginning today, Shaker Village’s winter hours will take effect until March 19. During this time, visitors can still walk the grounds and check out the Welcome Center, but other accommodations like the on-site restaurant and daily tours will be closed on Mondays + Tuesdays.

Trivia

Bored and want to get out of the house tonight? Head to District 7 Social Hall for Monday Funday Trivia, starting at 6:30 p.m. Good luck, Lexington.*

Trending

Looking for your new favorite water bottle? The Owala Travel Tumbler combines the best of Stanley’s viral tumbler with Owala’s smart design. We’re liking color “Bunny Hop.”*

Job

New year, new job

Looking for a new job in 2024? Start here

The Parks department is hiring a Recreation Leader for its Extended School Program. | Photo courtesy of @lexkyparks

Speaking of creating job prosperity, we got to thinking, how can we participate in connecting the community with job openings around town? We landed on the best way we know how, so here’s a few available positions we’ve seen the past few days in Lexington.

Parks & Recreation: Recreation Leader

Enjoy working with elementary and middle school-aged kids? The Parks department is seeking applicants to be a Recreation Leader for its Extended School Program.

The Burl: Bartenders

If a lively, exciting environment is what you seek, look no further than The Burl. The arcade + concert complex is looking to add a few more bartenders to its roster. Learn more.
Lexington’s premier event highlighting our best Black-owned restaurants is looking for someone to help spread its message. Skilled social media professionals are invited to learn more and apply for the job, which begins mid-February.

The Buy

The Buy 1.08.23 (Affiliate + Six & Main)

Sustainably sourced coffee. Or maybe some organic matcha. Or a low-caffeine chai blend, or a hot toddy spice mix — whatever your favorite warm beverage, it’s waiting for you in Six & Main’s locally-sourced coffee and tea collection.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Aayat

From the editor

I just signed up to run the Bluegrass 10000 for the first time, so now I can’t back out. Right?....Right?

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