In a part of Jefferson County prized for its country air, the stench of raw sewage creeps across sections of Joyce Kennerly's neighborhood.
"It's indescribable," she said. "It'll literally make you throw up."
Kennerly, 76, is one of several residents we interviewed for our latest investigation, a look at the sewage spills and stench issues that for years have plagued Ashley Pointe mobile home park.
(Read KyCIR's investigative report: As Sewage Spills and Stench Plague Louisville Mobile Home Park, Company On Notice)
City officials have tried to suspend the park's mobile home permit and state regulators have cited the owner of the park twice in the past year for discharging raw sewage into a public waterway.
Still, residents say the problems persist.
Hear Joyce Kennerly tell her story.
So what is like to go through a summer with the stench permeating your nostrils?
"I can't sit on my porch because it's so bad. I even put honeysuckle around trying to absorb some of the odor, and that didn't even faze it." -- Freda Dixon, 10812 Juneberry Ct.
"Put it this way, we've had our windows up and the air-conditioner running, and you can still smell it in our vehicle." -- Steve Caudill, 10703 Fir Tree Lane
"I had to redo my back bathroom because raw sewage was coming up through the commode. It was in the ditch and was backing up so much there was a layer about an inch thick. You could smell the raw sewage when you were cutting the grass." -- Dwayne Ashcraft, 1000 Blackberry Drive
SSK Communities, which operates the park, is co-owned by Nathan Smith, a powerful Kentucky Democratic party fund-raiser, a former party vice chairman and, currently, campaign chairman for gubernatorial candidate Jack Conway.
Smith attributed the sewage issues to vandals, and denied several of the residents' claims.
Make sure you read ourfull investigation and hear more from Ashley Pointe residents in our radio story.
