Home Care In Shepardsville, IN

SHEPHERDSVILLE, Ky. —

While Shepherdsville is thriving on the business and retail front, a $30 million project complements the city's growth by transforming several community areas.

“This is the kind of thing that people are going to get excited about; this is theirs, they own this,” said Mayor Jose Cubero.

The plan is being implemented just six months after newly elected mayor Jose Cubero took office.

Funded by the Kentucky Bond Corporation, the project is bringing more entertainment, sports, and family-friendly activities to the area. The three locations being prioritized are the city park, downtown, and a vacant property off Interstate 65.

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“We've got great cities around us, the Mt. Washington, Bardstown, E-town, and the Louisville area that we can service from, but what about Shepherdsville and having some of these same things here?” said Mayor Cubero.

The project will be done in phases and one of the first amenities will turn an abandoned warehouse into a state-of-the-art aquatics center. There'll be an Olympic size indoor pool, an outdoor pool, and different sports and fitness areas for the likes of pickleball and yoga.

Mayor Cubero says the city will acquire the building in July to prepare for bids, developers, and construction.

The second phase expected to begin in the spring will beautify the downtown area with benches, lighting, and a streetscape. The final and arguably most exciting part of the plan for Mayor Cubero is the massive expansion of the city park.

“We use a very small piece of that park and what we're going to do is develop the rest of it to have soccer fields, football fields, basketball, a huge dog park, a 5K walking trail, and a 2,500 seat amphitheater to concerts right on the salt river,” the mayor said.

The sporting facilities will also give the only three high schools in Bullitt County the opportunity to have a home field, specifically for soccer and swimming.

Mayor Cubero says this investment in the city's growth is long overdue, and most importantly it’s about the people, those visiting and the ones who reside in Shepherdsville.

“We'd like the majority of things that you like to do in your life to be done here in your own community, and that keeps the money here, it supports local vendors, and encourages more job opportunity,” he said. “We want to create that kind of atmosphere.”

The project is expected to take four years to complete. The city is preparing to launch a website to keep the Shepherdsville community updated on the progress.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear on April 27 announced leaders at EV-maker Rivian will invest $10 million to establish a remanufacturing facility in Bullitt County, creating 218 full-time, quality jobs.

Rivian currently stocks replacement parts at an existing 326,000-square-foot facility in Shepherdsville. This project will see the company improve and update the existing operation to establish a robust remanufacturing facility to support the warranty, repair and service footprint of the company’s EV trucks.

The investment will help expand the capability and capacity of this existing site to remanufacture critical components such as electrical hardware, drive units and battery systems.

“Kentucky’s manufacturing and EV industries have seen unprecedented growth recently,” said Beshear. “Continued investment in our key industries is critical for our immediate and long-term economic success. Rivian is an outstanding company that has been a major player in our state’s manufacturing and EV sectors, and this expansion is an exciting next step for the company here in the commonwealth. I look forward to their continued success here.”

“We’re thrilled to be working with the State of Kentucky to help develop and expand Rivian’s first facility within the state," said Jimmy Knauf, Rivian’s executive vice president of facilities. “Our new site in Shepherdsville will support multiple business-critical functions for Rivian and help bring good-paying jobs and training for Kentuckians in the region.”

Founded in 2009, Rivian designs, develops, manufactures and supports electric trucks, SUVs and commercial vehicles, including the Rivian R1T pickup, named 2022 MotorTrend Truck of the Year. The company employs more than 14,000 people and operates its principal manufacturing facility in Normal, IL.

Rivian’s investment continues to solidify Kentucky’s position as a leader within the burgeoning EV sector, with significant investment throughout the past three years. Since June 2020, the commonwealth has seen more than $10.6 billion in EV-related investments, with approximately 10,000 full-time jobs announced.

Rivian’s investment and planned job creation furthers recent economic momentum in the commonwealth, as the state builds back stronger from the effects of the pandemic.

To encourage investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) on April 27 preliminarily approved a 10-year incentive agreement with Rivian under the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based agreement can provide tax incentives based on the company’s investment of $10 million and annual job and wage targets.

Additionally, KEDFA approved Rivian for tax incentives through the Kentucky Enterprise Initiative Act (KEIA). KEIA allows approved companies to recoup Kentucky sales and use tax on construction costs, building fixtures, equipment used in research and development and electronic processing.

By meeting its annual targets over the agreement term, the company can be eligible to keep a portion of the new tax revenue it generates. The company may claim eligible incentives against its income tax liability and/or wage assessments.

In addition, Rivian can receive resources from Kentucky’s workforce service providers. Those include no-cost recruitment and job placement services, reduced-cost customized training and job-training incentives.

Source: Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development

You'll go to sleep a visitor and awake feeling quite at home.

In historic Shepherdstown, West Virginia, about the only moment you'll think about time is to wish you had more of it.

Shepherdstown, the state's oldest town, trades more on active experiences than long-ago history (though the Colonel Revival and Federal style architecture reminds you of its heritage at every glance). It's a college town—Shepherd University has been around since 1861—and the energy translates. Each October the annual Freedom Run marathon, for instance, starts in neighboring Harpers Ferry, follows the Potomac River, touches on Antietam Battlefield, and lands on campus in time to cheer on the Rams, Shepherdstown University's powerhouse football team. Here are a few other reasons to visit this historic small town.

Ride Along The C&O Canal Towpath

Shepherdstown is a C&O Canal town which means the towpath founded in 1831 to transport coal considers Lock 38, Mile Marker 72 a fitting place to stop—or start—your part of the 185-mile journey. If you're ambitious, begin up in Georgetown (Washington, D.C., is under an hour away by car). Or work backward from the trail's other end in Cumberland, Maryland. Better still, launch your fun in Shepherdstown by turning to Eddie at Shepherdstown Pedal & Paddle—he'll outfit you with a kayak, canoe, boat, bike, or maps to go it by foot. On the water, lushly bordered by greenery, travel at a simple meander. The entire towpath takes about five days but your Shepherdstown portion is a worthy sliver. After all, there's more to do here.

Visit A Local Park

With seven parks, Shepherdstown offers hikes both difficult and pleasantly easy. A favorite is the 1-mile loop around Morgan's Grove Park with its 20 acres of trees, meadows, and children's playground. For a harder hike, journey the nearby Northern Peaks Trail Loop for a challenging 6.1 miles.

Do Some Local Shopping

For more exercise, you could simply walk around town, especially if you consider shopping a major sport (we do). Four Seasons Books is one of those bookshops where warm advice comes with the visit—just tell owner Kendra Goldsborough your favorite titles, and she'll take you to your next read. At German Street Coffee-Candlery, sip and ponder the scents of tantalizing candles or which DeFluri's Fine Chocolate you'll choose (hint: the wine truffles are award winners and made in nearby Martinsburg). You can also try J.Q. Dickinson's ramp salt, applewood smoked or heirloom, all mined from an ancient ocean lying beneath Malden, West Virginia.

See Shepherdstown's Artsy Side

Poke your head in any art gallery—Shepherdstown has a bounty—to feel the creative vibe that pervades the town. Artist Deb Dickinson at Dickinson and Wait Craft Gallery, in business now for about 30 years, specializes in all things American-made—from jewelry to woodworking and beyond (an added bonus comes with the many West Virginia artists featured). She creates artsy-fun clocks from old vinyl records.

Visit For Theater Month In July

The Contemporary American Theater Festival returns to Shepherd University each July, introducing new works and starting topical conversations. Theater devotees from Washington, D.C., place this on their radar, as do New Yorkers. A rotation of three to five plays—pushing boundaries and surging the medium forward—are meant to celebrate the many possibilities of theatre. Some have leapt to New York stages while others have garnered awards; the festival itself has been regarded by the New York Times as "one of 50 essential festivals."

Experience The Bavarian Inn

The sons of Erwin and Carol Asam, founders of the much-lauded Bavarian Inn, have done what next generations do: They've taken a great thing and made it better. The part German (strudel and sauerbraten), part Appalachian (local fish and wild game) menu has delights such as the German sausage sampler. The added onsite brewery features Erwin's Angry Ale as a nod to Dad. An infinity pool sweeps your eye toward the Potomac River as you sit (or dine) at the accompanying bar. Several dining rooms take you from sit-down to casual; fire pits glow into Bavarian Inn nights. Stop by to eat or check in to sleep—73 rooms await.

Dine Around Town

Other food opportunities include The Press Room for its martinis and oyster stew and Lilah Restaurant, a dog-friendly spot for farm-to-table fare under pressed tin ceilings. If it's a mere nibble you're after, Mountaineer Popcorn's flavors range from birthday cake to dill pickle, caramel cashew to sriracha and honey mustard. A sealed bag lasts up to two weeks but good luck keeping it sealed.

Book Your Stay

Shepherdstown offers true local stays with bed and breakfasts like The Thomas Shepherd Inn and Sun Dogs Bed & Breakfast. There's also Knott Cabin, an Airbnb in the woods. You'll go to sleep a visitor and awake feeling quite at home. That's the West Virginia way.