Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson says he expects the number of local jobs created by the federal stimulus package to increase sharply with the return of warm weather next year.As of mid-November, about 562 local jobs had been created with the help of funds from the stimulus package passed by Congress early this year.Abramson says it has taken more time than expected to generate the positions."I think if you ask the mayors around this country, we would have liked to have seen things move a little quicker. But the reality is the base is built, we're spending the funds as we speak, which is what President Obama and the Congress expected us to do. And I think you'll see the construction season this spring bring a major, major opportunity for local investment throughout the Louisville Metropolitan Area," he said.Abramson spoke outside a home in the Algonquin neighborhood that was being winterized under a program for low and moderate income families funded by the stimulus package.
Rick Howlett was midday host and the host of LPM's weekly talk show, "In Conversation." He was with LPM from 2001-2023 and held many different titles, including Morning Edition host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director. He died in August 2023. Read a remembrance of Rick here.