The Courier-Journal from Louisville, Kentucky • Page A1

When Monet Duke was 11years old, her mother died of a heart attack. Not long after that, the family was split up: Three of her four sisters went to live with relatives or friends, and she and a younger sister stayed with her stepfather. was really hard to focus on school because there was so much going on around Duke said. Now 17, she has just graduated from Shawnee High School as salutatorian and with the distinction of being one of 44 seniors in Jefferson County to win the Outstanding Senior Award. Whether they overcame personal tragedy or are celebrating academic or athletic achievements, the chosen 44 were recently presented the award by Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson.

Since 1985 the office has recognized Jefferson County achievements through the program, said Maura Temes, senior assistant to the mayor. year when we evaluate which programs we should continue, this a no- brainer. This is one that needs to she said. Each February, nomination forms are sent to every public, private and church-related school in the county. Then it is up to the principal or guidance counselor to decide who should get the award.

a look at a some of the recipients: Monet Duke was president of her senior class at Shawnee. She was accepted to 17 colleges and was offered scholarships totaling $243,000. She chose the University of Louis- BY DURELL HALL THE COURIER-JOURNAL Shawnee High School graduate and Outstanding Senior Award winner Monet Duke, 17, worked with Keontae Taylor, 10, during a vacation Bible school program at Eastern Star Baptist Church. Jill Cox, Presentation Terrance Farley, Pleasure Ridge Park Ben Luking, Ballard Kristen Schenk, Mercy Look for annual high school graduation section in next Courier-Journal. Students who overcame odds or showed leadership qualities singled out for honors By PATTI SMITH and REBECCA NEAL The Courier-Journal See THE Page 2, col.

1 EDITOR: VEDA MORGAN PHONE: FAX: 582-7080 Neighborhoods A A weekly section of news and features about your area of Jefferson County EAST END Crime4 Happenings4 Menus4 Sports6 In side On line Keep up with Neighborhoods stories from around Jefferson, Oldham and Bullitt counties when you go online. Heads Up NEWS HIGHLIGHTS Art fair, garden tour set in Butchertown Butchertown will showcase gardens and art and even some garden art when the Butchertown Art Fair and the Thomas Edison House Garden Tour of Butchertown are held June 20. The garden tour will be from 1to 6 p.m., starting at the Edison House, 729-31E. Washington with trolley service between sites. The garden at Domino Partners real-estate management company at 427-29 E.

Market St. has outdoor sculptures. The art fair will be from 11a.m. to 6 p.m. in the old Bakery Square building and outside at East Washington and Webster Street.

More antique dealers are expected this year, plus more entertainment and activities. Proceeds help the Butchertown Neighborhood Association. For more information: art fair, 589-3567; garden tour, 585-5247. Elson Meadow Vale plans first citywide picnic It might be time for Meadow Vale Mayor Roy Fey to hightail it out of town. the Tail on the is part of the entertainment lineup at Meadow first citywide picnic Saturday in neighboring E.P.

State Sawyer Park. Fey, who hopes organizers are not planning to use the real mayor, has been looking for a poster image of Donkey from the Disney cartoon Shrek that could be altered to show face. Other attractions will include baseball, volleyball, a music and a moon bounce apparatus. The picnic is a follow- up to the second annual citywide dinner in February. Fey has been promoting camaraderie among residents.

we know one another, take care of one he said. Elson Okolona clothing store caters to Hispanics Looking for that perfect Communion dress or Quinceanera doll? A new shop on Preston Highway in Okolona might be the spot. Casa del Angel, owned by Nereyda Calixto, specializes in formal wear for traditional events or birthdays for young girls and women in the Hispanic community. In addition to formal wear, Casa del Angel also carries accessories and keepsakes for special events. Hours for the store, at 8304 Preston Highway, are 10 a.m.

to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Phone: 969-1499.

St. Denis School to sell furniture, more a school liquidation sale. Desks, cabinets, fans and globes will be among the items sold at St. Denis Catholic School gymnasium, 4209 Cane Run Road, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Mondaythrough June 18. The school closed last month, and all of its contents will be sold. St. Denis merged with two other Shively-area Catholic schools, St. Helen and St.

Lawrence, to form Notre Dame Academy, which will open this fall at the old St. Lawrence School. Meadow Vale Mayor Roy Fey The 38-acre Hildebrand farm off Brownsboro Road at the Watterson Expressway survived virtually unchanged through decades of development around it. But no longer. Blue-Fenley-Blue Properties LLC bought the land May 27 for from Margaret Hildebrand of St.

Matthews, in her late 80s, and her brother, Henry, in his 90s and living in a Lyndon nurs- ing home. The contents of the old farmhouse and outbuildings were auctioned last fall when Margaret Hildebrand moved to a condominium after living on the farm since age 6. The buying partnership consists of David Fenley of Fenley Real Estate and developers Jonathan and Todd Blue of Cobalt Ventures LLC. Steve Fenley, David brother, is consulting. The developers have held several meetings with officials and residents of the adjacent cities of Crossgate and Graymoor-Devondale, and talking about building a mixed-use development.

It could include single- family and patio homes, condominiums, office and retail buildings, a small hotel and an assisted-living facility. by far the best piece of property in Louisville said David Fen- ley, managing director of the partnership. could put anything over there and it would work. just location, location, location. just absolutely Residents of Crossgate have been used to looking at a cornfield.

Crossgate Mayor Peggy Swain, who worked for 34 years as a staff member for the Louisville-Jefferson County Planning Commission, said not against development. for good she said. has a right to do something with their land as long as it harm or (cause) any inconvenience to main concern is to prevent more traffic in Crossgate, a residential enclave along what has become a busy commercial thoroughfare. supposed to be a sleepy little subdivision, but she said. Graymoor-Devondale Mayor John Vaughan also wants to protect his city from a flood of new traffic.

have tried to keep a fairly open he said. have presented some rath- er unique plans that are more in line with Cornerstone land-use plan. Kevin Ford, the attorney, said about 25 bidders submitted written offers, which were narrowed to 12 bids. He said the site is appealing for development. not going to make any more like this off Brownsboro Ford said.

David Fenley said last fall that he had approached Margaret Hildebrand about buying the property and came to an agreement with her in February. She said the family had many offers over the years but never wanted to sell. knew Fenley was interested in it, and I thought that he was compatible with the Hildebrand said. The Fenleys had built the Bro- Farm at Ky. 22, Watterson is sold Hildebrand tract may be slated for mixed uses By MARTHA ELSON The Courier-Journal BY STEVE DURBIN, THE C-J 264 HILDEBRAND FARMHILDEBRAND FARMHILDEBRAND FARMHILDEBRAND HILDEBRAND See PARTNERSHIP Page 2, col.

1 When the $3 million Mid City Mall opened in 1962 on Bardstown Road at the site of the old Protestant Orphans Home, it was described as one of largest postwar shopping projects and the first mall-type shopping center within the city limits. The air-conditioned mall was a dramatic change for a tree-shaded residential area where the stately two-story brick home had housed hundreds of children. Last McDermott, who has lived on nearby Goddard Avenue for most of her life, recalled a time when horses, cattle and sheep were in a fenced pasture behind the home, and the 10.5-acre tract was thick with trees. Mid City Mall looks for new ways to stay viable Winn-Dixie loss opens new chapter in history By MARTHA ELSON The Courier-Journal COURIER-JOURNAL FILE PHOTO Children played outside the Protestant Orphans Home on Bardstown Road in 1951. now the site of the Mid City Mall.

St. Louis Cemetery BY STEVE DURBIN, THE C-J MID CITY MALL Baxter Avenue Theatres See MID Page 3, col. 1 your opinion? Over its 40-plus years, the Mid City Mall has had everything from a bowling alley and a roller rink to a Jazzercise studio and a dollar store. What would you like to see at the site? Please send us your ideas for possible inclusion in a story. You can e-mail your ideas to nal.com or write to: The Courier-Journal, Neighborhoods, P.O.

Box 740031, Louisville, KY 40201-7431..