Franchise Opportunities in Louisville, KY

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Spring is allergy season in Kentuckiana, but with COVID-19 on the rise, how do you tell if you're sick or just need an antihistamine?

Experts at Louisville's Family Allergy & Asthma said allergies are hitting some people hard right now. How long that congestion and sneezing may last depends on what allergies you have.

Dr. Stephen Pollard said tree pollen and grass are peaking now. Grass will continue through the summer and ragweed will become an issue later in the summer months.

"Data shows as the planet warms and CO2 goes up, not only do we get more pollen but it's stronger," Pollard said. "So, there can be variability from season to season. This is a robust season."

While COVID-19 vaccinations are a big step in the right direction, Pollard said increased immunity can make virus symptoms harder to spot.

"It's extremely difficult right now, because we have so much immunity," he said. "Early on, it was pretty classic. Because they have immunity, their COVID symptoms are much milder."

Pollard said there is some overlap between COVID-19 and allergy symptoms but allergies won't cause a fever or body aches.

He also said allergy medicine won't do anything for COVID-19, so if you take allergy pills and don't feel better, it's a good sign you could have the virus.

COVID-19 affects each person differently and can have a wide number of symptoms ranging from mild to severe. With the coronavirus, you may have fever, chills, fatigue, headaches, sore throat, congestion, runny nose, nausea, diarrhea or shortness of breath, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Doctors at Family Allergy & Asthma said it's best to know what allergies you have and the time of year that bothers you most.

Many people can manage symptoms with over the counter medicines. There are also some actions you can take to help reduce symptoms during allergy season including keeping windows and doors closed to keep pollen out, replace your HVAC filter and wear a mask when mowing or doing yardwork.

The good news is that pollen levels drop after the first freeze, and in Kentuckiana that first freeze is usually in late October.

Copyright 2022 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Big things went down at Churchill Downs on Saturday — and not just the 148th Kentucky Derby.

Louisville rapper Jack Harlow was on site filming a music video for his new song, "Churchill Downs." Rap superstar Drake, who is featured on the track, joined Harlow in the infield for part of the shoot.

The song is in Harlow's second studio album, "Come Home The Kids Miss You," which was released Friday and boasts several big-name features, including Lil Wayne, Pharrell and Justin Timberlake.

Looking dapper in an iridescent white suit, Harlow took to the Derby red carpet Saturday with his parents and friends, including Louisville rappers The Homies.

"It's a beautiful moment," Harlow told reporters. "Kentucky will never be the same."

Susan Jones, a 26-year-old spectator, craned for a view from behind a mass of TV cameras.

"We were so excited to see the red carpet, and then Jack Harlow came out and we lost our minds," Jones said.

Jones and her sister, Elizabeth, 31, were among a handful of lucky fans who happened to be in the right place at the right time. As Harlow made his way down the red carpet, a camera crew filmed fans screaming their adoration for the chart-topping 26-year-old rapper.

Jayden Goodwin and Elizabeth Toohey sprinted to the red carpet when they got word that Harlow had arrived. The 20-year-old college students, who are both from Kentucky, said they were "shocked" they ended up in his new video shoot.

"Never in a million years would I have thought, 'Oh, I'm going to the Derby, I'm going to see Jack and be in his music video," Toohey said.

Previous coverage:Between a new album and 'Riders Up' call, Jack Harlow has a busy Kentucky Derby week ahead

When Emily Bay, 31, arrived solo at the red carpet Saturday, she was hoping to see Janet Jackson. The Charlotte native didn't even know who Harlow is.

"I'm like, 'This is exciting!' But I've literally never heard of him,'" Bay said.

The Los Angeles-based studio Pyscho Films is producing the video.

Churchill Downs isn't the only Louisville site mentioned in Harlow's new album. Slugger Field and the Kentucky State Fair get shoutouts from the Louisville native as well.

Harlow had appeared the night before at a pre-Derby party at 21c Museum Hotel and was set to make an appearance Sunday at Guestroom Records.

On the last day of early voting, Broadbent Arena was busy with people casting their ballots.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - On the last day of early voting, Broadbent Arena was busy with people casting their ballots.

Early voting became an option after state lawmakers passed legislation with bipartisan support to make early voting a normal part of elections here, in a move inspired by Kentucky’s first experience with such expanded voting options during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Governor Andy Beshear and Secretary of State Michael Adams expanded early voting to prevent people from being exposed to COVID-19 while casting their ballot.

In March of 2021, Kentucky lawmakers passed House Bill 574, allowing no excuse in-person absentee voting from Thursday through Saturday before a primary or general election.

Erran Huber, Communications, Media, and Public Relations Director for the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office said 2,427 people voted the first day of no-excuse voting. Almost 500 more people came out the second day across all six voting locations in Jefferson County.

“We’ve had about 9,000 people who have participated in some way in the in-person absentee process,” Huber said. “Whether that is mail in ballots, no excuse voting, or excused voting.”

Approximately 3,517 mail in ballots have been requested and more than half of those have returned so far, Huber said. 366 people voted in excused absentee in-person (early) voting.

“They’re excited about it,” Huber said. “They love the fact that we make it as convenient as possible.”

Volunteer Clematis Wallace said she agrees.

”They are really excited about the early voting,” Wallace said. “They don’t have to deal with the one-day crowds or just the one-day voting or the parking. It gives people the opportunity to change their schedule because the pandemic did change a lot of scheduling.”

Wallace said she never misses a chance to vote and wanted to return the favor for voters.

The flexibility to vote is something Simone Finley said she also appreciates.

”It’s been really easy,” Finley said. I was afraid the big crowd, so I said let me cut out early, but they had plenty of signs to tell us where to go and I am in and out in 10 minutes. There are a lot of things happening in our city, our country, our state that we need to take action.”

People who can’t make it out to vote early can still vote on Election Day on Tuesday. The polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For more information about Tuesday’s primaries, click or tap here. To find the nearest polling location, click or tap here.

Copyright 2022 WAVE. All rights reserved.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - While the Louisville men's basketball program has been in hot pursuit of top-ranked Class of 2023 prospect D.J. Wagner, they're also in the running for his top-tier teammate as well

Aaron Bradshaw, a fellow five-star '23 prospect who plays with Wagner for both Camden (N.J.) High School and the NJ Scholars AAU team, revealed his top seven options to On3 on Monday with the Cardinals making the cut.

Kentucky, Maryland, Oklahoma State, Michigan and UCLA round out the list of schools. Bradshaw is also considering heading to the NBA G-League.

The 7-foot, 210-pound prospect is not only considered one of the top big men in the country, but one of the top players. He ranks as the No. 2 center in the nation - behind only Denver (Colo.) Prep's Baye Fall - and the No. 24 player in the class according to the 247Sports Composite.

The one-two punch of Bradshaw and Wagner made Camden a force to be reckoned last season, guiding them to a 31-3 record, a No. 9 national ranking, and a berth in the NJSIAA Boys Basketball State Championship game.

Bradshaw himself has also been impressive in the Nike EYBL. In eight games between the Orlando, Fla. and Indianapolis, Ind. sessions - the latter of which was attended by Louisville head coach Kenny Payne - he averaged 12.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game while shooting 65.6 percent from the field.

He told 247Sports in a recent interview that he "will try" to make a visit to Louisville, and commented on speculation that he and Wagner could be a package recruitment deal.

"I would like to play with him but it's like we don't know where we're going to go," he said. "But I'd love to play with him. We have our own decisions, but that's my brother - he's just a great person."

Louisville currently has just one commitment in the 2023 class, coming from Louisville (Ky.) Male small forward Kaleb Glenn, but they have zeroing in on other targets in the class as well. Over the last week, Payne and the Cardinals have offered both point guard A.J. Johnson and center Xavier Booker.

(Photo of Aaron Bradshaw: Joe Lamberti - USA TODAY Network Atlantic Group / USA TODAY Network)

You can follow Louisville Report for future coverage by liking us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram:

You can also follow Deputy Editor Matthew McGavic at @Matt_McGavic on Twitter

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Knox Shepherd is three-years-old, but the Louisville boy has been through rigorous cancer treatments. Now that he has "no evidence of disease," his family wants to encourage blood donations like those that helped save Knox's life.

The Kentucky Blood Center is holding a "Super Donor Week" through Saturday, May 21, in honor of Knox. The drive is his family's way of giving back.

For the past several months, Knox and his family have been staying in Memphis, Tennessee, for treatment at St. Jude Hospital. Knox has been fighting anaplastic ependymoma, a rare tumor that forms when cells in the central nervous system begin to multiply rapidly.

He's had 30 rounds of radiation and two rounds of chemotherapy for the cancer, after undergoing emergency surgery right after Thanksgiving to remove the brain tumor.

Just recently, Knox and his family returned home to Louisville.

"He's doing great," said Ashley Shepherd, Knox's mother. "He has gotten a lot of his strength back. He's starting to eat better and getting his weight back up was one of our biggest concerns."

Knox has AB+ blood, so he can receive blood from donors of any type. But over the course of his treatment, he received two blood transfusions and could need more in the future.

"He got multiple blood transfusions, he got platelets, he sat there and really handled everything like a champ," said Erikk Shepherd, Knox's father. "I think mom and dad were much more stressed out than he was."

The Shepherds hope people will donate blood this week to help them give back for the support they've received.

"I think we've all realized how precious life is and how precious our children are now and -- let them get dirty and let them have fun and be silly," Ashley Shepherd said.

Both Ashley and Erikk said they are thankful for the people who donated blood in the past that helped their son, and are thankful to those donating this week.

"It's amazing," Ashley Shepherd said. "I mean, our community really came out for us and our family and our neighbors, just everybody's come out. This was just one little way we wanted to help give back to our community for everything they've done for us."

According to Eric Lindsey with the Kentucky Blood Center, extra staff members have been called in this week to help with the expected influx of blood donors. Lindsey said over the next several days, appointment numbers at both blood center locations have increased compared to a typical week.

"This blood is going to go somewhere to people in need in the local community," Lindsey said.

Knox, who was at the blood drive Monday to watch his dad donate, is a huge fan of Spider Man, so this blood drive also incorporates a superhero theme. Donors who stop by the blood center this week can write a note of encourage to leave on a spiderweb made for Knox. Those notes will be collected and given to the family at the end of the week.

"Our little guy is so important to us. It's nice to know how important he's become to so many other people," Erikk Shepherd said.

In addition to being a Spider Man fan, Knox is also a proud big brother and is looking forward to his upcoming 4th birthday.

He'll also return to St. Jude for check-ups.

"Unfortunately with this type of tumor, its location and his genetics, that's what you have to do. You always monitor for — is it going to come back? What is he kind of showing? And you just keep a close eye on it," Erikk Shepherd said.

To schedule a donation at one of the two Louisville donor centers for Super Donor Week, you can make an appointment at the Middletown Donor Center here or the Hillview Donor Center here, or call 800-775-2522. Appointments are preferred. Walk-ins are welcome.

Middletown Donor Center

Hillview Donor Center

Copyright 2022 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.