360 Fireworks Party

Friday, April 27, 2012

NEWS ROUND-UP -- FRIDAY MORNING 27 APR

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THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE
by Michael Monks 
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SCHOOL BOARD APOLOGIZES FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS AT PREVIOUS MEETING
The Covington School Board apologizes for allowing a lengthy personal attack on a volunteer and vocal critic of the district to be delivered during public comments; Plus, Superintendent Lynda Jackson thanks Covington Police for breaking up a large fight at Holmes. Details at the link. 
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MORE NOTES FROM THURSDAY'S SCHOOL BOARD MEETING: 
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Continued upgrades coming to Holmes
The Board approved upgrades at Holmes High School that will include the relocation and renovation of the band room, the replacement of exterior conrete panels on the gym/science building, asbestos abatement on the ground floor of the gym lobby and stairs, and architectural and lighting upgrades in the gym lobby and stairs. The estimated project cost is $1,165,409.98. The funding source is a bond sale. The Board also entered in a consultant contract with Covington-based PCA Architecture which will serve as the prime consultant for the upgrades. That contract is worth $77,600.
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CIPS approves partnership with City for summer youth program
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The Board approved a memorandum of understanding between the school district and the City of Covington for the 2012 summer youth program. The district approved a budget of $20,000 for additional costs and transportation. The program is five weeks long (June 18 - July 27, but will not include the first week of July) and will be hosted at each of the district's schools for students in grades K through 4. College students are already applying for the popular positions and applications are available at the Board of Education, City Hall, and soon, online. 
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Monthly attendance report
Latonia Elementary 96.26%
Glenn O. Swing 95.28%
Sixth District 95.27%
Ninth District 95.27%
John G. Carlisle 95.49%
Holmes Middle School 94.04%
Holmes High School 91.13%
Holmes Alternative 83.13%
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Computer printer supplies contract awarded
Two companies bid on the district's request for computer printer supplies and the contract was awarded to MRO Express, LLC of West Chester, Ohio.
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Custodial supplies contract awarded
Twelve companies responded to this bid request and the contract was awarded to Pyramid, Greko, Acorn, and Phillips Custodial Supplies.
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Fitness assessment evaluator contract awarded
CIPS will enter into a contract with Dr. Bradley R. A. Wilson who will serve as the primary evaluator for the required fitness assessments under the Carol M. White physical education grant in an amount not to exceed $14,000.
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Holmes students to visit Washington, DC
The five day trip's sample itinerary includes visits to Arlington National Cemetery, Iwo Jima Memorial, Washington National Cathedral, the Pentagon, the International Spy Museum, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, the World War II Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, the US Capitol, the White House, the American History Museum, the the Natural History Museum, the Baltimore Aquarium, Ford's Theater/Peterson House, the Holocaust Museum, the Air & Space Museum, and the Newseum. The cost is $500 per person and students must have a solid attendance and discipline report in addition to good grades, and a teacher recommendation.
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COVINGTON POLICE INVESTIGATE DEATH OF BABY IN MAINSTRASSE
A newborn was found dead inside a home on Lockwood Street in Mainstrasse Village Wednesday morning. Covington police are currently investigating, though no charges have arisen yet. That story and more, including: Covington mayoral candidate Dara McDowell continues her morality debate on Facebook. Click the link.
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NATIONAL GAY BLOG PICKS UP DARA MCDOWELL STORY
Back2Stonewall, a nationally-oriented gay news blog based in Covington had this to say about mayoral candidate Dara McDowell: 
Ex-Gays are like ex-smokers. They still want to have some but since they won;t they have to make life miserable for everyone else that still does. 
Back2Stonewall  
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FRANK: THERE WILL BE NO NEW BRIDGE WITHOUT COVINGTON'S CHANGES
City Commissioner Steve Frank posted online that the Commonwealth of Kentucky would not match any funds for the Brent Spence Bridge project without Covington's requested changes being included: 
Well here is the deal. The State of KY has many uses for what highway money it has and if we do not get a bridge design that meets our needs in Covington; I have it better than on good authority that there will be no required state match to build the bridge. The Highway Department first was promoting plan "E" which would have eliminated the 4'thand 5'th street exits into KY and I and some of my associates successfully moved them to endorse Plan I...though until this week Plan E was still an option. There isn't an ounce of compromise on maintaining Plan I with its 4'th and 5'th street exits. There is always room to compromise on other things but we feel we are within our rights to be asking for what we believe is in the best interests of the citizens of Covington. Yes federal rules for safety are paramount; but the collector distributor road that we want so that our Northbound traffic to fifth street can arrive unimpeded (as it currently is now) rather than hit three stop lights is both cost effective and safe. The Clay Wade Bailey exits exist in Plan I and they will stay in Plan I or there will be no bridge. Cincinnati's objections that our having a new access point to the Interstate via the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge is because it would prevent their streetcar from coming to Covington. To which I say if it was so important to Cincinnati that their toy trains come to Covington, you would think that they might have picked up a phone to call us before now (we are still waiting). 
Read more here
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DID YOU MISS COVERAGE OF THE MASSIVE COVINGTON MEETING ABOUT THE BRIDGE PROJECT? Nearly every Covintonian that spoke worried that the bridge plans would kill our city. For the most comprehensive report from that important meeting, click the link below. 
The RC News: Covington Raises Voice in Bridge Battle 


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2012 PRESERVATION AWARD TO GO TO CHUCK EILERMAN
Local real estate agent and Covington City Commission candidate Chuck Eilerman will be presented with the 2012 River Cities Preservation Award - Karen and Peter Rafuse Memorial Award in May, the City of Covington announced this week. 

This award was created to honor and celebrate individual  dedication to the preservation of  Covington's architectural and cultural heritage.  Through your work on saving the Grant House, expanding the Licking Riverside  National Register Historic District, serving as a member and president on the Renaissance Board, serving on the original Urban Design Review Board, and on  various.other cOlIllT).ittees wi~ha focus on preserving Covington' s  Landmarks you have helped establish and further historic preservation in Covington. Further, you promotion of  Covington through you job as a Real Estate Agent and through your photographs have helped people appreciate the beauty of  the built environment here in Covington.  
Read the full announcement here (PDF). 

QUICKIES
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An exclusive look at the new Concourse A at CVG Airport Cincinnati Enquirer 
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Kentucky gets $1 million for tornado clean-up efforts press release 
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KFC sandwich causes Australian girl brain damage, company to pay $8.3 million Business First 
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Americans put to shame by immigrants on civics test Cincinnati Enquirer
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19 Kentucky nonprofits in running for award from Toyota, including one from NKY Kentucky Forward 

Kentucky woman wins $63,000 on a ten-cent bet State-Journal 
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COVINGTON ANNOUNCES WEEKEND ROAD CLOSURES
The 1100 block of High Street in Botany Hills will be closed by the Sanitation District for sewer main repair all weekend. (The 5 houses affected are 1108 to 1120 High St. and the residents have been notified.)

West 8th Street from Main to ½ block east to the alley has been closed by the City's Department of Public Improvements.

Questions? Please contact Mike Yeager, Engineering Division, at 292-2112. 

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POLITICS
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GOP CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES DEBATED THIS WEEK
All seven Republicans seeking the GOP nomination for the race to represent NKY in Congress met for a debate in Oldham County. Lots of analysis and videos here: cn|2 
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The liberal Louisville newspaper LEO Weekly offered this analysis: 
LEO Weekly was at Oldham County High School last night for the 4th congressional District Republican candidate forum, where a packed auditorium heard about the evils of Obama, Obamacare and everything the president touches. The winner of next month’s primary will be Kentucky’s new representative in D.C., baring a miraculous Democratic victory this fall in the very conservative district.
LEO Weekly 
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SEE ALSO: NKY Super PAC defends itself Cincinnati Enquirer 
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Geoff Davis introduces legislation to incentivize "clean coal" press release  
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Rep. Yarmuth vows to vote against student loan bill WFPL
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Governor Beshear urges Congress to keep student loans affordable press release 
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Senators McConnell and Paul vote against Violence Against Women Act LEO Weekly 
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THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE
DESTINATION: GRADUATION PROFILE FROM HOLMES HIGH SCHOOL
From CIPS: 
Kayla Mitchell, 18, is a serious person. She spends most of her time studying and preparing for college. She is a quiet leader. “I’ve made it possible for myself to go on to college,” said a soft spoken and articulate Kayla. “I have a $40,000 scholarship from UK.”
At Holmes Kayla is enrolled in the prestigious International Baccalaureate Diploma program, where she takes university-level courses. Her grade point average is 4.911. She is ranked second in her class. She plans to become a nurse and then possibly pursue a degree in dentistry. She will be attending the University of Kentucky and will room with her friend and classmate, Rani Davis.
An important lesson that Kayla learned at Holmes is that anything is possible if you try. “School is what you make of it,” Kayla said. “Good things happen at Holmes.” 
Read more here. 

THURSDAY'S "WHERE IN COVINGTON AM I?" PHOTO
Are you playing along yet at The River City News Facebook page
The answer to this photo's location is Annie Hargraves Park in Old Seminary Square. Background on the park from a 1997 Cincinnati Enquirer article:  
A teacher at the Lincoln-Grant School, superintendent of the St. James AME Church Sunday School and director of the park at West Robbins and Chesapeake, Mrs. Hargraves was a woman who helped calm some of the racial strife in Covington during the 1960s and 1970s.
''She was so instrumental in that transition,'' said Ken Shields, basketball coach at Northern Kentucky University. He worked for the Covington Recreation Department the same time Mrs. Hargraves did.
When not teaching, Mrs. Hargraves spent her time in the park, organizing softball and basketball games, checker tournaments and parties for the neighborhood children. 

2012 National champs have stiff competition for "best UK team ever" Herald-Leader 

Tonight is NKU Night at the Cincinnati Reds game NKU 

A very cool bike tour is taking place this weekend through Newport Barons & Bike Tour 

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