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by Michael Monks
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LIGHTNING & WIND CAUSE DAMAGE TO HOME, CARS, CEMETERY
Wednesday's strong thunderstorm that rolled through the region caused severe damage to trees in a few Covington neighborhoods which in turn harmed homes and cars, and even Linden Grove Cemetery's fence. Some of the trees were clearly struck by lighting while others were uprooted by the abnormally strong winds. Tons of photos of the damage are at the link below.
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AN INTERVIEW WITH RETIRING FIRE CHIEF CHUCK NORRIS
He was just 16-years old when he was part of the crews that responded to the Beverly Hills Supper Club Fire in 1977. Shortly after, Chuck Norris knew he wanted to be a firefighter for the rest of his professional life. Now, he'll retire this month as Chief of the Covington Fire Department. Interview at the link.|
HOUSING AUTHORITY DIRECTOR ANNOUNCES HIS IMPENDING RETIREMENT
Aaron Wolfe-Bertling, executive director of the Housing Authority of Covington, plans to step down in the spring of 2014. At Wednesday's meeting of the HAC Board of Commissioners, it was decided that a subcommittee should be formed to establish the criteria for selecting Wolfe-Bertling's replace and to decide whether that candidate should be hired before his retirement or brought on in a lesser role in the meantime for transitional purposes. The subcommittee will include members of the HAC Board, HAC staff, and a representative from the City, likely assistant city manager Larisa Sims. HAC's assistant director, Tom Schmitz will be retiring at the end of the year.
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Other notes from the HAC Board meeting:
- A resolution will be drafted by HAC's attorney to be approved by the City attorney to formally privatize the streets of City Heights. One issue that could arise would be if the church and store located in the public housing development refuse to agree, at which point the boundaries of the private streets would have to be adjusted
- Covington Police Chief Spike Jones was also present at the meeting and informed the public that changes in the command structure at the police department will go into effect on Sunday. That also includes the dissolution of the department's community relations team, but Jones said not to worry. "It's not going anywhere, it's just getting bigger," Jones said. "It's the responsibility of all of us to do that, to be involved in the community."
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| Aaron Wolfe-Berling (File photo) |
Update on River's Edge at Eastside Point set for August 1
From the Housing Authority:
There will be a Rivers Edge at Eastside Pointe Community Update Meeting held on August 1, 2012 at 5:00 pm in the lower level conference room of 2300 Madison Avenue, Covington, Kentucky. Everyone is invited to attend.|
Housing Authority Put Teens to Work Over Summer
From a news release:
The Housing Authority of Covington’s Teen Summer Work Program provided a unique employment opportunity this summer to fifteen young adults living in Covington public housing.
The six week program was designed to offer young workers job training, paid employment, and community involvement throughout the city of Covington. The fifteen Covington youth –ages 16 to 20 years – worked at several non-profit agencies in Covington, Ky. The program started June 11 and ended on July 27, 2012.
Participating employers included the Housing Authority of Covington, Covington Independent Public Schools, Boys & Girls Club, and the Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission.
Job duties included office/clerical work, summer recreational program support, and facilities maintenance. We are grateful to our partners for employing our teen residents and supporting our program this year. “Our goal wasn’t to just place individuals in any jobs. It was to strategically place each resident in a working environment that would teach them transferable skills to equip them for future endeavors.” Jon Adkins, Education Coordinator for the Housing Authority of Covington, said.|
In addition to working 20 hours per week at the aforementioned sites, each youth worker participated in a two-day, 10 hour orientation/training program. Each youth was trained on workplace etiquette and employer expectations. In addition, teens received instruction on “soft skills” in the workplace, money management, the importance of secondary education, goal setting, time management & organizational skills.
Thanks to the Housing Authority of Covington’s Teen Summer Work Program, many young adults will take away the knowledge and work skills necessary for continued success.
COUNTY NEEDS TO KNOW WHICH CITIES ARE JOINING NEW DISPATCH CTR
The Kenton County Fiscal Court wants to know by August 1 which cities will be joining Covington in the new consolidated 911 emergency dispatch center:
“To add three or four other cities we wouldn’t need more dispatchers than we (did when we) added Covington,” said Kenton County Judge-executive Steve Arlinghaus. “The true savings of merging into one dispatch center does not really come about until every city is on board.” More dispatchers will need to be hired and the dispatch building will need to expand if the cities under Erlanger’s 911 center join the county.Cincinnati Enquirer/Libby Cunningham
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MAN STABBED AT COVINGTON LANDING OVERNIGHT
Story: WKRC & WCPO
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GROUND TO BE BROKEN TODAY ON "WORLD CLASS MICRO-BREWERY"
From State Representative Dennis Keene:
Nth Degree Distilling, LLC has announced a groundbreaking ceremony on July 19 at 11:00 AM for a “world class” bourbon micro-distillery that will be located on The Party Source campus. The multi-million dollar construction project will also include an expansion of The Party Source itself, increasing the store’s size by one-third.
The distillery is expected to be a popular tourist attraction, featuring on-site tours and educational programs. Current plans also call for a community space that will serve meetings and private gatherings, including an indoor/oudoor multi-purpose roof garden that can accommodate 150 guests. Construction is scheduled to be completed by Fall 2013.
Nth Degree Distilling Owner/President, Mollie Lewis, sees the distillery as a way to connect to the time-honored traditions that bourbon represents across the state of Kentucky. “The new distillery will allow us to celebrate in our state’s heritage, while producing a world-class product and visitor experience that will only enhance the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky region as a travel destination. We’ve done everything possible to ensure that our distillery will be top-notch, from the hiring of Glaserworks as the architects of the distillery, to the securing of industry veteran Larry Ebersold as our master distiller.”
Ebersold, who previously managed distillery operations at the Pernod Ricard USA distillery Lawrenceburg, is equally as enthused about the potential that Nth Degree Distilling represents to the region. “I’ve been fortunate to have had experience with many world-renown spirit brands, but I’m most excited and honored by the opportunity to bring to Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky a new bourbon and distillery that will stand equal to all others in the industry.”
The distillery construction follows the recently-completed first phase of the project, which involved the removal of the earthen levee on the west side of the store’s parking lot. In its place a more space-efficient concrete flood wall was erected, allowing land to be reclaimed for both construction projects. While the current store is located in Bellevue, all of the new development, including the distillery, will actually sit on the Newport side of the city boundary that borders the store.
“This Party Source project is going to be a great addition to our city,” said Newport City Manager Thomas Fromme at the start of the levee’s removal last December. “It’s going to generate investment and jobs by reclaiming land that was otherwise unusable. For a city that doesn’t have a lot of undeveloped land available, this is a special opportunity to not only take full advantage of a limited resource, but to also be a part of an exciting project that will enhance our community.”
The Party Source’s expansion will make it one of the largest off-premise beverage alcohol retail stores in the country, Party Source President Ken Lewis reports. “The additional space will provide much needed room for dramatically expanding our artisan distilled spirits selection, particularly bourbon and rye, as well as craft beer. The expanded store will house a micro-brewery and craft beer bar with 40 taps, as well as a “library bar” of 400+ bourbons and ryes to educate the public.”|
QUICKIES
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Kentucky and federal law enforcement are looking for an "armed & dangerous" ex-Army ranger who fled his rape trial The Los Angeles Times
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Convicted Kentucky killer who faked death an re-emerged on YouTube is caught in Indiana WKRC
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Memorial fund for pregnant woman killed in I-471 crash is dried up due to bank error Cincinnati Enquirer
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Instant racing case goes to Kentucky Supreme Court WFPL
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Local teacher accused of sex with student speaks out on the Today Show WLWT
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Report: Region ranks high in metro areas for economic output Cincinnati Enquirer
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Indiana smokers could be fined $10,000 for flinging cigarettes out of their cars WKRC
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Field of marijuana found, burned in Logan Co WKYT
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Did the landlord force a long-time Ft. Thomas jeweler to move his shop to another city? Fort Thomas Matters
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Electronic medical records education comes to NKU
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Kentucky rain helps soybeans, but too late for corn Courier-Journal
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KROGER MAY CHARGE CUSTOMERS MORE FOR USING CREDIT CARDS
Via WKRC:
It could save you money to have cash in your pocket when you go grocery shopping. The New York Times reports Kroger is considering charging you a lower price when you pay with cash or a check, and a higher one if you use a credit card.From The New York Times:
Under the Dodd-Frank financial reform law, banks had to reduce “swipe fees” that they collect from merchants each time a customer makes a purchase with a debit card. Under the credit-card settlement on Friday, worked out over months of negotiations, merchants can charge higher prices to consumers who decide to pay for their purchases with credit cards.
A customer, for example, who buys a $100 item with a credit card might be charged an additional $2.50. A judge still needs to approve the settlement.
Until now, the card companies banned merchants from adding such a surcharge, although gas stations and other retailers sometimes offered a discount for customers who paid in cash.
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WILL SECRETS AT DUKE ENERGY UNDERCUT EXPECTED CUSTOMER SAVINGS?
That's what a utility regulator in North Carolina wants to know
North Carolina utilities regulators are shedding a rare light on whether secret decisions at Duke Energy might undercut expected consumer savings from its takeover of Progress Energy. The North Carolina Utilities Commission holds a hearing Thursday featuring the Duke Energy CEO ousted within hours of becoming the top executive of the country's largest electric company.AP via Herald-Leader
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KENTUCKY TEEN BEAT UP IN WHAT FAMILY CALLS A HATE CRIME
A possible anti-gay attack on a teenage girl in Louisville:
A teen girl is recovering at home after being injured in an attack by a group of adults. Her family said after talking with police, they believe she's a victim of a hate crime.Photos of her injuries as well as a video report are at the link.
It happened early Tuesday morning on Taylor Boulevard near Wyandotte Park.
The girl, who suffered several injuries including a broken jaw was with two younger boys when the attack happened. They said the adults yelled anti-gay slurs at the girl before she was beaten.
"Her jaw is broken in several places and she has to have a plate put in her jaw," said family friend Brenda Hickerson. "She continued describing the 17-year old girl's injuries, "She has teeth knocked out of her mouth and she has scrapes and bruises."
WAVE
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SEE ALSO: More than 100 rally in support of fairness ordinance in Richmond, KY Herald-Leader
More photos from the event: The Fairness Campaign
|POSITIVE & NEGATIVE REPORTS ON EDUCATION IN KENTUCKY
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First, the bad news:
Kentucky received an F in one area of higher education on a national report card to the surprise and disappointment of some state education leaders who questioned the results of the analysis. A member of the United States Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday presented its “Leaders and Laggards” report, a state-by-state analysis of the best and worst performers in postsecondary education. The report doled out grades in areas including: student access and success, efficiency and cost-effectiveness, meeting labor market demand and transparency and accountability. Kentucky’s four-year universities scored on the low end of all the categories while its grades for two-year colleges were around the national average.Full story: cn|2
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And now the good news:
The improvement of Kentucky students in assessments of reading, math and science in the past 20 years has placed the state in a tie for fifth place in a report from Harvard University.Full story: WKYT
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NEW PRINCIPAL NAMED AT NINTH DISTRICT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
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| Scott Shepherd |
Scott Shepherd has been named principal at Ninth District Elementary School. He comes to Covington from Newport schools where he served as assistant principal at the Intermediate School.|
Shepherd also worked in Covington schools at the alternative program. “Covington is an ideal place to come back to,” Mr. Shepherd said. “I wanted to come back to Covington Schools because of the community, the students and the staff.”
Two community events to welcome the new principal will take place on July 24, City Heights, from 5 to 7 p.m., and July 31, Latonia Terrace (Barb Cook Park), 5 to 7 p.m. Residents will not only have the opportunity to meet Shepherd, but they will also learn about opportunities for children, families and residents at Ninth District for the upcoming school year.
“My goal is to get Ninth District back to the top,” Shepherd said. “I plan to establish a culture of universal achievement where all students find success in the classroom and in life.”
GOODFELLAS PIZZERIA PROFILED IN METROMIX
The new pizza place in Mainstrasse Village gets some buzz:
Huge pizza pies bubbled from behind their glass case and movie stills stared at us from the burnt umber walls while someone from behind the counter took our order.Metromix
They have three sizes of pizza, but be forewarned – they’re huge. We ordered a “small” 12-inch pizza for two people, but it was more like a medium. I’m guessing the 22-inch large could’ve fed Marlon Brando alone.
The seven specialty pizzas have cute, gangster names like The Boss, Fuhgetaboutit (with everything on it) and The Immigrant, but you can also do a build-your-own pizza and get pizza by the slice.
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| Goodfellas Pizzeria (RCN file photo) |
LOL: CVG FOR SALE FOR SAME PRICE AS ONE-WAY TICKET TO NEWARK
Have a laugh:
The Greater Cincinnati International Airport is reportedly for sale, and the price is rumored to be approximately the same as the cost of a one-way ticket from CVG to Newark, NJ. Although the asking price is firm, officials the airport can be purchased for one third of the asking price by simply driving to Louisville.Read it all at the link: Derf Magazine (Satire)
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