360 Fireworks Party

Saturday, December 24, 2011

NEWS ROUND-UP -- CHRISTMAS EVE

by Michael Monks 
NEW ADDRESS: Email Michael
Find us on Facebook: The River City News @ Facebook
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CHRISTMAS EVE
Hope you're finished shopping and are able to relax on this special weekend. Happy Holidays!

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NO NEW INFORMATION RELEASED ON TUESDAY NIGHT MURDER
Covington Police did not return calls seeking an update on the investigation into the Tuesday evening shooting death of 18-year old Brett Thornberry. A 15-year old was taken into custody Wednesday night and was charged with murder and complicity to robbery. The complicity charge indicates that at least one more suspect is being sought or is in custody now. The River City News will continue to follow.
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RISING STAR HOLY CROSS POINT GUARD KICKED OFF TEAM
He has been mentioned on various sports blogs as a potential Division I recruit, but sophomore Jalen Avery has been dismissed from Holy Cross's basketball team. The news came earlier this week and Avery has missed games Wednesday and Friday nights:
Playing without sophomore starting point guard Jalen Avery, who was dismissed from the team earlier this week for unspecified reasons, Holy Cross used its superior depth to roll past Newport, 89-65, in the second game of a girls’/boys’ varsity doubleheader in Latonia for its sixth straight win.
The Indians rolled to victory in both games, clobbering Newport Central Catholic and last night, Newport, during the school's alumni celebration.
Cincinnati Enquirer/Richard Skinner  
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HERE'S VIDEO OF AVERY PRODUCED BY A NATIONAL RECRUITING SITE:
SEE ALSO: You can vote for some of Holy Cross's football players to be named among the Tri-State's best. Click Here
NOTE: I hate the term "Tri-State", but since it's in the name of the above-linked website...
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THANK GOD WE'RE NOT VILLA HILLS, PART 603
The hot mess that is the City Council in Villa Hills continues to boil:
“When we found out two or three months ago that she did not have (the insurance) and the mayor had not enforced it, I said it was putting the city at liability,” Ringo said. “The mayor said: ‘I’ll do a new contract.’ And now, to the best of our knowledge, no new contact has been executed.” Schaber (a former city councilwoman -The RC News edit) is a $47.50 an hour contractual employee who was hired soon after Martin took office. Martin said she’s “an accountant by trade” who helps the city of Villa Hills with its monthly financial statements. The mayor said Schaber also helped the city investigate and acquire more than $35,000 in unbilled back taxes, or tangible property taxes from utilities that had not been billed by the city.
Christmas may not be so merry on the other side of Devou Park.
Cincinnati Enquirer/Cindy Schroeder  
SEE ALSO: More from the Enquirer on the "marathon meeting" that lasted till after 1:00AM here.
NOTE: Anybody else notice a guy named "Richard Gere" doing a lot of commenting on NKY stories at nky.com? No matter what you try, you'll never be able to rid yourself of all the trolls.
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COVINGTON GROUP GATHERS GIFTS FOR INMATES
A great story that captures the spirit of the season in the most unlikely of places: a Covington recycling building.
The RC News: Gifts, Hope for Local Inmates

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NEW CINCINNATI LAGER HOUSE BOASTS GREAT VIEW OF COVINGTON
Despite the troubles the RiverCenter towers have had this year, it's still nice to know that when someone refers to NKY's skyline, they're not (necessarily) talking about chili:
Much remains to be done before the place opens – we didn’t see any restaurant equipment on site, much less interior furnishings – but the floor-to-ceiling glass walls gave us a clear look at the surrounding park (also under construction), the nearby Roebling Suspension Bridge and the Northern Kentucky skyline. The second-floor dining area also will feature a wrap-around deck on the south and west sides.
Business Courier/Jon Newberry  
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OUR CHICKEN GIVES YOU DIABETES AND OUR ORGANS GIVE YOU... HEP C?
Kentucky's health reputation continues to decline:
Organs and tissue from a Kentucky donor apparently have caused three patients to test positive for hepatitis C virus infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta.Two of the patients received kidney transplants at Jewish Hospital in Louisville, and a child in Massachusetts received tissue. Hepatitis C, transmitted by blood and body fluids, can result in liver failure and liver cancer.
Herald-Leader  
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PARK HILLS COFFEE SHOP OWNERS FEATURED ON ABC'S 'SUPERNANNY'
They run a wonderful business, but it appears that Traci and Bill Gregg need some help calming down their kids. So, naturally, they've called in the Supernanny:
With the parents working split shifts to tend to their growing business, “the business of running the household has been left to the children,” Lifetime says. “As a result, there’s a strained marriage and a house of havoc. Hot-tempered triplets run in every direction, a neglected four year-old acts out for attention, and one year-old Scarlet is already following in her brothers’ wayward footsteps. ”
Cincinnati Enquirer/John Kiesewetter  
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KY LANDS $17 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDS FOR EDUCATION
The Commonwealth lands a windfall consolation prize after being passed over for the larger Race To The Top funds:
The state is one of seven that will share a total of $200 million from the program, which challenged states to compete for the money by submitting detailed school improvement and reform plans, according to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “We are thrilled to be able to invest in Kentucky,” Duncan said in an interview Thursday with The Courier-Journal on the eve of the official announcement. “We believe Kentucky has a chance to leave a very strong mark in national reform.”
Courier-Journal   
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SEND SOME OF THAT $ UP HERE AS COV SCHOOLS LAG IN COLLEGE RATES
Holmes High School ranks last in the region for college-bound students:
Among the 22 high school’s in Northern Kentucky’s 18 public school districts, Beechwood High School had the highest rate at 86.5 percent, while Holmes High School in Covington had the lowest at 47.9 percent. Thirteen of the 22 schools had rates higher than 63 percent.
Cincinnati Enquirer  
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ARE YOU STUCK OR CONTENT IN THE CINCINNATI AREA?
A local woman writes for The Atlantic Cities:
Fifteen years later I’m still in Cincinnati, which has one of the highest rates of native-born residents in any urban area of the U.S. So many Cincinnatians were born here that when people ask you where you went to school, they’re referring to high school, not college. And in my years here, I’ve begun to understand why so many natives stay put, or leave the area for just a few years and then return.
They’re not stuck. They're content.
Very nice piece. Read it all.
The Atlantic Cities via Urban Cincy 
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LOUISVILLE MAY BE TASTIEST TOWN IN THE SOUTH
Finger lickin' good!
“Us even being in the top ten really reflects what we’ve known in Louisville for awhile,” he said. “We’ve got great restaurants, great food, we’ve got a growing local food culture with our farmers’ markets, with the restaurants which are now focusing on local food, food within 100 miles of Louisville. So it’s really nice to be recognized by a national publication for that.”
In the blurb about Louisville on the magazine’s website, Southern Living touts neighborhoods like Crescent Hill, NuLu and the Highlands. It praises chefs like 610 Magnolia’s Edward Lee for “preserving the region’s iconic flavors while subtly redefining Southern cuisine.”
Click the link for more and how to vote at Southern Living's contest.
WFPL  
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CONGRATULATIONS DAN CARROLL!
This guy got a raw deal at FOX 19 (like so many others) where I worked alongside him as a producer for several years and then again on the local TV special series Cincinnality. Glad he's got a full-time gig again (and that he gets to stay in the area and continue his work on 700 WLW where he was gracious enough to bring me on as a guest to talk about Covington).
Cincinnati Enquirer/John Kiesewetter
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HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM THE RIVER CITY NEWS
I hope you enjoy this weekend with your family -- and we'll be back at it again on Monday! This season, remember how fortunate we all are to live in such a wonderful place.


GIFTS, HOPE FOR LOCAL INMATES FROM COVINGTON ORGANIZATION

by Michael Monks 
NEW ADDRESS: Email Michael
Find us on Facebook: The River City News @ Facebook
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Gary Dawson (L) and Dave Ramey load the truck
to drop off sweatshirts to inmates
In the truest spirit of the season, even those on the proverbial naughty list are redeemed and have a Merry Christmas. Covington's Life Learning Center, based at the Covington ReUse Center, uses many previous members of the naughty list as new employees, offering convicted felons a second chance at a better life. This week, the organization partnered with a Wilder church to purchase Christmas gifts for recovering criminals at Two Rivers in Covington and York Street in Newport. The church members were asked to go out on their own and buy a hooded sweatshirt of their choice to match the size of an assigned tenant of Two Rivers or York Street. The gifts were wrapped and then on Thursday, they were delivered to the treatment facilities. Some of the men had not received Christmas gifts of their own in years.
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Gary Dawson, Executive Director of the ReUse Center, spearheaded the effort through the Life Learning Center, an enterprise that has helped him understand how tough it can be to turn a life of crime into a life of success. "I've seen the obstacles to employment (for these men)," Dawson said, noting that the organization also helps people that may simply be victims of the Great Recession, considered too old for employment. "What I saw was guys coming out of prison had a difficult time finding gainful employment. I have been blessed beyond words with the guys I have here."
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Crew members from the Urban Partnership are given
their gifts during a weekly Thursday lunch
Some of those guys can be seen working on the streets of Covington as part of the Urban Partnership, an effort to keep Downtown Covington and the urban core clean from trash and graffiti. The ReUse Center works as a contractor with the Covington Business Council's Urban Partnership to provide these volunteers. The crew's supervisor is a former felon himself and credits Dawson's efforts with helping give him a new lease on life. Dave Ramey's rap sheet landed him behind bars three out of four consecutive Christmases, and when a charity dropped off gifts, "it really made a difference in my life," he said. Dawson is so confident in the organization's ability to turn around wayward lives, that his accountant is a former inmate convicted of robbery.
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Dawson's newest effort is a residence in Newport where he houses eight men in what he calls "Reset Ministries". "Imagine you're a guy just out of prison and now you have new furniture, internet, cable, six or seven other guys living with you," Dawson boasts. Ramey serves as the case manager for the men who live under a strict zero tolerance policy that includes random drug testing. 
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In a way, it is appropriate for such a charity to be based at a recycling (Dawson calls the ReUse Center, "the highest form of recycling" because of the assortment of materials available for purchase), as men who were once discarded are now finding their way after being cleaned up and put into better use again.
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Friday, December 23, 2011

NEWS ROUND-UP -- FRIDAY MORNING 23 DEC

by Michael Monks 
NEW ADDRESS: Email Michael
Find us on Facebook: The River City News @ Facebook
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MORE ARRESTS EXPECTED IN MURDER OF COVINGTON TEEN
One Covington teen is dead and another is behind bars charged with murder and complicity to robbery following a shooting on Greenup Street Tuesday evening. A 15-year old boy was arrested late Wednesday night following questions from investigators on the shooting death of 18-year old Brett Thornberry. Because of the "complicity" charge, we can expect that at least one other person was on the scene when the shooting happened. The River City News will continue to follow.
Brett Thornberry, 18, was killed Tuesday
night. This photo is one of at least 5
circulating on Facebook in his memory
The RC News: 15-Year Old Charged With Murder of 18-Year Old 
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'CHRISTMAS IN PRISON': THE WEEK IN KENTON CIRCUIT COURT
Kenton Commonwealth Attorney calls this week's round-up the 'Christmas in Prison' edition. Take a look at who was sent away this week:
On 11/22/11 Bonnie Tucker pled guilty to Obtaining a Controlled Substance By Fraud or Deciet. Asst. Commonwealth's Attorney Casey Burns recommended that Tucker, who has no felony record, be ordered into the felony diversion program for 3 years. On 12/19/11 Tucker was ordered into the felony diversion program for 3 years.
WANTED:
THIS GUY
For the list of who went to prison (or got felony diversion or probation) and who's the most-wanted in Kenton County, click the link.
Rob Sanders |
DEMOCRAT MAY ANNOUNCE SOON A RUN FOR CONGRESS TO REPLACE DAVIS
Nathan Smith, a Fort Mitchell Businessman, seems poised to announce a run for the US House. He appeared on cn|2 with conservative blogger and potential GOP candidate Marcus Carey, who may also be nearer to an announcement:
“After the holiday season, we’ll be considering it even further, and I’ll have an announcement of what I’m going to do,” Smith said in a joint appearance on Pure Politics with Republican lawyer Marcus Carey. Carey said he is looking at the race because he wants to make sure that the Republican who wins the nomination has the right ideals — and can win in the general election.
Short interview with both potential candidates at the link.
cn|2  
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NKY BEN-GAL CHEERLEADER INVESTIGATED
It's not her first time in the news. Sarah Jones also made headlines after she sued a gossip website for defamation. 
Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway has been asked to assign a special prosecutor to a criminal case. The board that certifies teachers in Kentucky is also investigating Jones and she resigned Nov. 30 from Dixie Heights High School in Edgewood. What law enforcement officials and educators will not say is what the 26-year-old Jones has been accused of doing.
Read the whole thing. Wow.
Cincinnati Enquirer/Jim Hannah  
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FLORENCE TO GET ELECTRIC CAR CHARGING STATION
Now drivers can charge their new Volt at Tom Gill Chevrolet in order to have enough juice to make it over to the new Flynt store
Because the station will be solar powered, Gill isn’t planning to charge for using it, Brown said. While recharging Volts is the primary use for the canopy, that’s not all Gill has in mind.
Cincinnati Enquirer/Justin Duke 
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OWNER OF ARNOLD'S BAR & GRILL: CORRECTING GRAMMAR IS HURTFUL
Rhonda Androski, owner of Cincinnati's oldest bar, Arnold's (which also festures prominently in the NBC series Harry's Law), takes to the bar's blog to discuss the modern-day problem of having one's bad grammar broadcast publicly on a daily basis:
In this computer age very few people could be online and having a wonderful time if they had to be perfect on grammar. I now delete someone that rudely corrects me or Arnold's on grammar mistakes. I will gladly change something if you message me in private and let me know with a friendly reminder that I have used your instead of you re or you're. Or even you instead of your, a big keystroke mistake for me. If anyone of my friends or customers that love me dearly and would never want to hurt my feelings care to edit this post please do so and I will re post with the corrected post. I will even give you credit if you so desire.
The whole post is well-done.
My Life At Arnold's 
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PROBLEMS AT 3 KENTUCKY MINES
Just three?
One of the citations issued was for an accumulation of combustible material, like coal dust, in the mine. In some places, the loose coal was two feet deep near the conveyer belt. A similar situation was one of the factors that led to the explosion at the Upper Big Branch Mine.
WFPL  
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GOV. BESHEAR ON MANAGED CARE FOR SENIORS
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HOLMES BASKETBALL WINS BY... 65 POINTS?!
The Bulldogs rolled last night over Nelson County 97 - 32. SERIOUSLY.
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KENTUCKY BEATS LOYOLA, BUT LET'S WATCH PATRICK PATTERSON DANCE
UK beat Loyola Thursday afternoon 87 - 63, so, since that game was an easy one, let's watch highlights of former Wildcat Patrick Patterson winning the Houston Rockets team dance contest.

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DON'T FORGET: THERE IS A SUPPLY DONATION DRIVE FOR COV SCHOOLS
If you're picking up last minute Christmas gifts, be sure to add some little things for our local kids to use in the classroom:
Pencils, pens, folders, art supplies, tissues, hand sanitizer are all on the wish list. There are donation bins at police headquarters, fire station #1, and City Hall (1st & 4th floors). Contact Michelle Robinson Wilson with any questions at 859.292.2241.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

NEWS ROUND-UP -- THURSDAY EVENING 22 DEC

by Michael Monks 
NEW ADDRESS: Email Michael
Find us on Facebook: The River City News @ Facebook
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BREAKING: (6:14PM) COVINGTON POLICE RESPOND TO CITY HEIGHTS FOLLOWING REPORTS OF A MAN SHOT. WILL UPDATE WHEN NEW INFO IS ATTAINED.
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15-YEAR OLD CHARGED WITH MURDER IN TUESDAY NIGHT SHOOTING
Covington Police tell The River City News that a 15-year old boy is in custody after being arrested late last night following questioning over the shooting death of 18-year old Brett Thornberry on Greenup Street. The 15-year old also faces a complicity to robbery charge, which implies at least one other individual may have been involved. Click the link for the latest.
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SEE ALSO: The teen is the fifth juvenile to be charged in a murder case in Covington this year. An excellent report at the link.
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UNEMPLOYMENT APPLICATIONS LOWEST SINCE APRIL 2008
The job market is strengthening:
Unemployment applications are a measure of the pace of layoffs. Job cuts have fallen sharply since the recession, though many employers remain slow to start hiring. The declining number of applications suggests that the economy may finally be regaining strength, 2½ years after the Great Recession ended. The nation added at least 100,000 jobs every month from July through November, the first five-month streak since 2006.
Associated Press via The Courier-Journal  
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SEE ALSO: Jobless rate falls in 114 of 120 Kentucky Counties. Press release
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MORE KENTUCKIANS GO TO COLLEGE THAN EVER BEFORE
Hopefully there will be jobs for these graduates too.
More than 63 percent of Kentucky’s public high school Class of 2010 has enrolled in college – the highest percentage on record, the Kentucky P-20 Data Collaborative announced today. The P-20 Data Collaborative used a more comprehensive set of data to calculate the rates, which revealed that of the more than 43,000 public high school graduates in 2010, 63.1 percent enrolled in some form of higher education.
Commonwealth of Kentucky 
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"Your mom goes to college."
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WE'RE SCREWED, AREN'T WE?
Ethics-plagued Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff will speak to Kentucky state lawmakers about... ethics?
The Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission invited Abramoff to lead a 90-minute session scheduled for January 4 on how his corrupt actions led to his rise in Washington and eventual imprisonment. In 2006, Abramoff, who has been called the most “notorious and crooked lobbyist” in modern times, began a three and a half year prison sentence after pleading guilty to tax evasion, fraud and corrupting public officials.
Anyone else thinking that these lawmakers will learn a lot? A whole lot.
WFPL 
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5/3 WARNS ABOUT BAD EMAILS
They're probably being sent by Jack Abramoff:
“We understand that recent SMIshing (using text messages) and Vishing (using voice mail) attacks have occurred on banking customers, including Fifth Third Bank customers,” Fifth Third (Nasdaq: FITB) spokeswoman Debra DeCourcy said. “The goal of these attacks (much like their counterpart, phishing) is to obtain credit or debit card information. This event is one perpetrated by thieves on unsuspecting individuals.”
The worst thing that could happen to a 5/3 customer is to become a 5/3 customer. (But, yes, be careful.)
Business Courier 
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FLORENCE Y'ALL IS GITTIN' NAUGHTY Y'ALL
Larry Flynt's brother Jimmy wants to open up a shop in the Boone County burg causing some people to get the vapors:
“We are reviewing the application to determine if the proposed business is a sexually oriented business,” said Richard Lunnemann, Florence city coordinator. “If we determine that it is, there is a sexually oriented business license process they would be required to go through.” If the store is determined to be a sexually oriented business, county officials say the current location would not comply with zoning regulations.
If Florence doesn't take you, Larry, come on down to Covington.
Cincinnati Enquirer/Mark Hansel  
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KY STATE POLICE: DRIVE SAFELY
You know these guys will get you, otherwise:
The 2011 Christmas holiday period begins at 6 p.m. on Friday, and runs through 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 26. Last year, during the Christmas holiday, there were 1,242 crashes resulting in 295 injuries and one death. "This is the time of year when many people are traveling to share the holiday with family and friends," KSP Spokesman Lt. David Jude said. "Our goal is for motorists to reach their destinations safely. We take this responsibility seriously throughout the year, and especially during holiday season."
KY State Police 
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GIVE A LAST MINUTE GIFT TO SOMEONE ELSE'S KID
Kentucky Youth Advocates wouldn't mind a few holiday bucks sent their way:
With your help, Kentucky Youth Advocates can begin the New Year ready to lobby for our collective legislative agenda – the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children.Your gift today of $25, $50, $75, $100; your monthly gift of $10, $25, $50; or whatever you can share, will allow Kentucky’s children to have a voice at the Capitol. Any gifts made by December 31st will be tax-deductable for 2011 and will make Kentucky Youth Advocates’ vision a reality – “Kentucky, the best place in America to be young!”
KYA 
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25 FACTS ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY MOVIES
Example:
(A Christmas Story)


13. For anyone keeping count, Ralphie says he wants the Red Ryder BB Gun 28 times throughout the course of the movie.
14. Jack Nicholson was very interested in playing Ralphie’s dad. But casting (and paying) Jack would have been too expensive. Director Bob Clark has said Darrin McGavin was the perfect choice.
15. Mythbusters tested whether it was possible to get your tongue truly stuck on a piece of cold metal. Guess what? It is. So don’t triple dog dare your best friend to try it.
You'll want to read the whole thing.
Mental Floss 


15-YEAR OLD CHARGED WITH MURDER OF 18-YEAR OLD

by Michael Monks 
NEW ADDRESS: Email Michael
Find us on Facebook: The River City News @ Facebook
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Murder victim Brett
Thornberry, 18, as remembered in
a photo from Facebook
A 15-year old boy was arrested between 9:30PM and 10:00PM last night at Covington Police headquarters following questions from investigators. Tips led to the teen being brought in to the station. On Tuesday night, police arrived at 1010 Greenup Street to find 18-year old Brett Thornberry shot to death. "We are still interviewing individuals and witnesses that are cooperating with us and we are optimistic that we will be able to bring this case to resolve very soon," Assistant Police Chief Spike Jones tells The River City News. As for the address of Thornberry's murder being the same as the 2009 brutal slaying of Shawn Davis, "It's a very unfortunate situation that the two incidents occurred there but it would be speculative to connect the too now," Jones said. Because the suspect is underage, his name will be withheld but Jones said that the 15-year old is a resident of Covington.
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For the original story on the night of Thornberry's murder, click the link below.

NEWS ROUND-UP -- THURSDAY MORNING 22 DEC

by Michael Monks 
NEW ADDRESS: Email Michael
Find us on Facebook: The River City News @ Facebook
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VICTIM IDENTIFIED IN GREENUP MURDER
The man killed in Tuesday evening's shooting at 1010 Greenup Street has been identified as 18-year old Brett Thornberry. No arrests have been made. The address is also the site of the brutal 2009 murder of Shawn Davis, who was lured there by the promise of sex before being robbed, beaten to death, and then having his body burned under a Campbell County bridge. If you have any information, call Covington Police at 859.292.2222.
One of at least 3
tribute photos
circulating on Facebook
in memory of Thornberry
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FLORENCE MAYOR WON'T RUN FOR CONGRESS; FORMER PROSECUTOR WILL
Florence Mayor Diane Whalen will not be a Democratic candidate for Congress, but Kenton County lawyer Ben Dusing (who used to serves as assistant US Attorney in Cincinnati and in Eastern Kentucky) will announce next week, marking the third announced Republican candidacy.
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NATIONAL ENTITIES TAKE AIM AT KY CONGRESSMEN
Western Kentucky's Ed Whitfield (R) is drawing the ire of environmental groups for his position that mercury levels in water do not harm women and babies:
“There are already strict regulations relating to mercury emissions,” Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY), the chair of the House energy and power subcommittee, falsely claimed in an interview today with Fox News. “Obviously whatever controls the EPA has in place are not working if our fish are tainted,” Fox’s Alisyn Camerota shot back. Whitfield then made the false claim that “there is not going to be any benefit from this new regulation in reducing mercury levels”
Think Progress  
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MEANWHILE...

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Democrat Ben Chandler, who represents Lexington and Bluegrass country, is in trouble with tax hater Grover Norquist, well-known for his anti-tax pledge that many Republicans (and Chandler) signed. Chandler broke away from that promise and was the topic of tweets from Norquist:


 Grover Norquist 
Rep Ben Chandler's strategy: Lie to one set of voters---get a new set quick. B. Brecht's advice to E. Germany...elect a new people
 Grover Norquist 
Rep Ben Chandler of KY lied his way into office -said no tax hike.-Then did. Hopes redistricting will save him . 

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OCCUPY BETHLEHEM!
Occupy Cincinnati took its movement to a Downtown nativity scene last night outside Western & Southern:
Jesus was born the poor child of poor parents with nowhere to go, and later in life during his ministry he was homeless and devoted his life to the cause of justice. This Nativity scene, commemorating Jesus’ life, has been brought to us by Western and Southern, a major corporation that has tried to displace the Anna Louise Inn, a charitable group that provides support to abused women in the spirit of Christ. Western and Southern, a powerful corporation has been allowed to occupy this park 24/7 with barnyard animals; however, Occupy Cincinnati has been told that political speech is not allowed to be granted a space in the parks.
Cincinnati Enquirer/Carrie Whitaker
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KENTUCKY CHAMBER MAKES REQUESTS OF LEGISLATURE
Reforming pensions, raising drop-out age, reduce smoking, reform taxes, and more. Check out the full list at the link.
KY Chamber 
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70 HOODIES TO BE PRESENTED TO MEN AT TWO RIVERS
Christmas cheer spreads in Covington even to those who have a debt to pay to society for various criminal activities. Ten of the recipients are among those who worked for the Urban Partnership this year in cleaning up Covington. The River City News will be there at 4:00PM as the gifts are loaded into a truck before delivery.
(press release)
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RUMOR MILL: POPEYE'S CHICKEN & BISCUITS TO MAINSTRASSE
Unconfirmed, but the proverbial word on the street is that the former Skyline Chili space at 5th & Main Streets has been purchased and will reopen as a Popeye's Chicken & Biscuits.
(Rumors and dreams of Po' Boys)


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VACANT NEWPORT THRIFTWAY TO BECOME BUILDERS SURPLUS
Building Cincinnati reports:
Builders Surplus to open in vacant Newport Thriftway (6th and York sts.) April 2, 2012. Stores in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, and L'ville.
Follow Kevin LeMaster's well-informed tweets @BuildingCincy 
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FT. MITCHELL'S USA HOTEL TO CLOSE
This dump has been trouble for that traditionally quiet, affluent city for some time:
The USA Hotel, 2100 Dixie Highway, will be closing this weekend, Will Terwort, a member of Fort Mitchell Council, told The Recorder.
 Back story with list of recent citations the "hotel" has received, at the link.
Cincinnati Enquirer 
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COVINGTON TRIO BUSTED IN BOONE COPPER THEFT
If we're going to send troops into Boone County to cause come sneaky economic troubles, let's send smarter ones next time:
Deputies arrested three people at the house. They were: Ira Boles, Jr., 33, his wife Tammy Boles, 34, and their cousin Jessica Boles, 28.
Another family business shut down by the recession.
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TOYOTA TO BOOST PRODUCTION 24% IN 2012
That's good to hear:
Toyota has estimate a 20 percent increase in sales in 2012, to 8.48 million vehicles.
Georgetown is gonna be hopping.
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LOTS OF GIFTS ARE BEING SENT AROUND THE COUNTRY THIS YEAR
Both UPS and FedEx are lugging around a ton of boxes this holiday season:
The Atlanta-based company expects the pace to reach its pinnacle Thursday, with close to 26 million packages reaching their destinations. That volume is up more than 60 percent from daily norms. Rival FedEx Corp., based in Memphis, Tenn., shipped about 17 million packages on Dec. 12, the busiest day in company history, it said. That one-day volume was up 10 percent from last year’s busiest day, and doubled total shipments on an average night.
Washington Post  
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BETTER HOPE IT AIN'T THIS FED EX GUY DELIVERING YOUR PACKAGE

Wow:
Why, yes, that is a computer monitor! FedEx responds with a video of its own:

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WAIT, KENTUCKIANS ONLY KILT 4 BARS?
Bear season has come and gone, and all we got were four measley bears?
Neil Perkins, of Hallie, Ky., took a 350-pound male bear in Letcher County that is the heaviest bear taken since Kentucky's first bear season in 2009, said Steven Dobey, bear program coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. Hunters took two bears in Letcher County and two in Harlan County. 
Guess it's faux-bearskin rug from IKEA then.
KY Fish & Wildlife  
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Bring it.
Image via