NEWS ROUND-UP -- WEDNESDAY EVENING 1 AUGUST

THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE

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FACEBOOK: The River City News

@theRCnews on Twitter  

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by Michael Monks 

Email Michael

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SHOW SOME LOVE FOR WEST PIKE STREET BUSINESSES

After the successful Food Truck Invasion and the debate that followed (SEE: Food Fight: Shut The Truck Up), it was determined that similar foodie events should be organized for the "bricks-&-mortar" establishments. What started as an event for this coming Saturday to encourage people to spend some cash at Bred & Spice, a new bakery/cafe, has developed into a week-long effort to patronize three news businesses in that area. In addition to Bread & Spice, that includes Charley Maxwell's malt shop/lunch spot and the Pike Street Lounge:

Our new businesses on West Pike have a challenge - they are located on the far west edge of Downtown and the far east edge of Main Strasse Village.
Make West Pike a destination for lunch, coffee, cocktail hour, a trip to find great baked goods.

Check out the event on Facebook for more information by clicking here.

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WHAT HAPPENS NOW THAT GEOFF DAVIS HAS RESIGNED?

WKRC reporter Joe Webb went to find out:

Davis's resignation was effective yesterday. A Kentucky special election to replace him could be held as early as September 4, but past precedent leads the experts to speculate there will be two elections on November 6. Kenton County Clerk Gabrielle Summe says, "You could have the special at the same time you have the general. Which would mean the names of both candidates would appear twice on the ballot. There would be a section for the special election. Whoever won that would fill out the term to January 1."

That's presuming Massie and Adkins would be the names on the special election ballot, too. Adkins says that's not a given. "No, it's not. I think the parties have to, that would be a logical conclusion, but I think the parties would have to meet to nominate, and I would anticipate they would simplify it and make it that type of nomination circumstance."

Full story: WKRC
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MEANTIME: Surprised allies react to Davis's sudden resignation cn|2 
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SEE ALSO: Sens. McConnell & Paul team up for Thomas Massie fundraiser WBKO 
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LOCAL AUTHOR RICK ROBINSON WEIGHS IN ON #VEEPSTAKES
Rick Robinson's latest column for the conservative website The Daily Caller explains "why Brian Williams and the left are afraid of Rob Portman":

But for some reason, silly season is starting early this cycle. It was kicked off last week with Brian Williams’ London interview of Mitt Romney. Sounding more like President Obama’s press secretary than an NBC reporter, Williams asked Romney if he is going to choose “an incredibly boring white guy” as his vice-presidential nominee.
Showing humor he does not often display, Romney replied: “You told me you were not available.”
The initial coverage of the exchange focused on Williams’ biased question and Romney’s uncharacteristically witty retort. However, the coverage of Williams’ characterization of Romney’s short list of VP choices misses an important underlying point: The left is scared of the competence and experience of those on the list.
Case in point: Rob Portman.

Full story: The Daily Caller
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KENTUCKY INTRODUCES "TAMPER PROOF" DRIVER'S LICENSES
From a news release:

Kentucky in August begins a transition to a new driver’s license that, while similar in appearance to current licenses, contains security features for greater protection of privacy and resistance to tampering. 

“The new licenses are the manifestation of Kentucky’s efforts to improve the level of service provided to our customers, in addition to securing a credential Kentuckians use each day,” Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) Department of Vehicle Regulation Commissioner Tom Zawacki said. 

“It was already time to replace the cameras and computer equipment – most of it more than 10 years old – that our circuit court clerks use in issuing driver’s licenses,” Zawacki said. “That made it an ideal time to also make this transition to a new license.” 

The new license has multiple layers of security features, all linked to each other, so counterfeiters must compromise multiple technologies – not just one. 

The licenses’ new features include:• Digital watermark imperceptible to the human eye• Bank note-level fine line printing• Improved dual-side lamination for greater tamper resistance and durability• Hologram with single-color, ultraviolet “ghost” image 

Kentucky last updated driver’s licenses in 2001, with the introduction of digital licenses. The new format offered improved security. Kentucky was the first state to put the driver’s image in the bar code on the back of the license. With the next stage of Kentucky’s driver’s license, those security measures will be tightened to provide even greater resistance to fraud. 

Installation of new cameras and computer equipment will require a one-day suspension of driver’s license processing at each circuit court clerk’s office. Installations are scheduled to begin in August and be completed by October. The first installation of equipment will be in McLean County Aug. 7. The new licenses should be available there the next day. 

Starting in the fall, new licenses will also feature veteran and organ donor designations. 

Customers are not required to obtain new licenses until their current licenses expire. The process for obtaining or renewing a driver license will not change. The cost of $20 will also remain the same. 

More information and answers to some frequently asked questions can be found on KYTC’s website: http://transportation.ky.gov/pages/digital-drivers-license.aspx. 

MorphoTrust USA, which provides driver’s license issuance solutions for 41 states and the District of Columbia, is partnering with the state to implement the new work stations and camera systems, including new security features in the driver’s license.

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GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS ABOUT KY'S HEALTH CARE FUTURE
A new study issued by the University of Kentucky’s Community Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky finds:

“Since the (U.S.) Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act, there likely will be 400,000 Kentuckians that now have access to health care who did not before,” said Alison Davis, the initiative’s director and author of the study. “This report is timely, because it provides a comprehensive overview of the current access to health care across the commonwealth and projects where expected shortages might occur.”

Read this: Kentucky Forward
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QUICKIES
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SAD: 1,194 workers will lose their jobs when Comair ceases operations Business Courier 
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Attorney: KY death row inmate missing part of brain WBKO 
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Group urges kids to be vaccinated for meningitis WKYT 
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University of Louisville considers Chick fil A controversy over 84 WHAS 
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KY has 3rd highest car insurance rates in nation WKYT 
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KY sales tax is 16th highest in nation Business First 
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Court documents: Mom tried to hide phones of ex-Ben-Gal cheerleader/teacher accused of sex with student WLWT 
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RELATED: Attorney Eric Deters issues this release on the case Facebook 
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Most Kentucky Democrats won't speak at Fancy Farm WFPL 
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Fort Thomas brothers show off their political memorabilia Cincinnati Enquirer 
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Dog may have stopped bear attack WKYT 
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Dalai Lama to visit Louisville in May WBKO 
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US digital infrastructure is also bad American City 
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SPORTS: New offers rolling in for Holy Cross senior basketball player Cincinnati Enquirer
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IN CASE YOU MISSED...
PUBLIC WEIGHS IN ON PROPOSED CUTS TO COVINGTON POLICE, FIRE
What cuts are to come to the police and fire departments? What is the City Commission's position on de-annexing South Covington? Should the G in C+V=G stand for greatness? A full recap of last night's meeting on proposed cuts to public safety -- at the link.

Full story: The River City News |
DON'T MISS WEDNESDAY MORNING'S NEWS!
Man accused of kidnapping, sexual assault of teen in Mainstrasse expected to appear in court; The mother of a teen missing from Covington weighs in on new search in the RCN comments; Plus, Kentucky marks the beginning of "breastfeeding week". Those stories and more at the link.

The RC News: Wednesday Morning Round-Up |
URBAN VIBES, VIBRANCY RENEW HAMILTON'S DOWNTOWN
"Studios, lofts, coffee houses make new city." You know, whenever consultants come to town and present all these ideas and examples of other cities, I wonder why places like Hamilton, Ohio aren't included since it is far more comparable to Covington. Check out what's going on up there in the city between Cincinnati and Dayton:

Dilapidated buildings, some 200 years old, are being transformed into swank loft apartments, new retail space, studios where artists can live and work, a ballet center and other uses. The city plans to spruce up its east entryway on High Street in a $10 million project.
The local school district also is proof that change is happening in Hamilton. While other urban districts are losing students, 135 new students enrolled in Hamilton City Schools in the recent school year, Superintendent Janet Baker said.
The district has undergone a makeover of its own in recent years to stay in line with the city’s plans to attract economic development. Hamilton’s 11 schools have been rebuilt or renovated, also adding the latest in technology, to the tune of $250 million.

Small cities can be cool, too.
Full story: Cincinnati Enquirer/Sheila McLaughlin 
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SANITATION DISTRICT'S PUBLIC SERVICE PARK SHOWCASED ONLINE
So, this is happening:

Caption: "A 7,000-gallon cistern made from reinforced concrete pipe collects runoff from the adjacent garage. A roof solar panel was intended to feed a pump for recirculating the stored water. The cistern water is used for demonstrations throughout the Stormwater Garden. The fountain in the Stormwater Garden is carved from Indiana limestone. Water recirculates via a small, self-contained pump and basin."

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Check out the full article: Landscape Online 

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#NOM NOM NOM ALERT!

Graeter's revealed its new flavor today:

From Graeter's:

Our new Mystery Flavor is... Black Cherry Chocolate Chip!! All natural black cherry flavored ice cream loaded with black cherries and our signature dark chocolate chunks. Available at all Graeter's locations, while supplies last!

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KENTUCKY #SWAG

Don't you love that? Me too. Want to buy it? Click here 

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Hat tip to those kick-ass Kentuckians at Kentucky for Kentucky 

NEWS ROUND-UP -- WEDNESDAY MORNING 1 AUGUST

THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE

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FACEBOOK: The River City News

@theRCnews on Twitter  

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by Michael Monks 

Email Michael

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PUBLIC WEIGHS IN ON PROPOSED CUTS TO PUBLIC SAFETY

What cuts are to come to the police and fire departments? What is the City Commission's position on de-annexing South Covington? Should the G in C+V=G stand for greatness? A full recap of last night's meeting on proposed cuts to public safety -- at the link.

Full story: The River City News 

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SEE ALSO: The next public discussion about proposed cuts at City Hall is set for Thursday, August 9 at 6:00PM inside the Commission Chambers. The topics will be code enforcement and community/economic development.

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COUNTIES STRUGGLE WITH 911 FEES AS LANDLINES DWINDLE

One of the reasons Covington wanted to "get out of the dispatch business" is because the revenue coming in from 911 fees on landline phones was shrinking:

During the past decade, the number of telephone landlines – a primary funding source for 911 dispatch service in Kentucky – have shrunk from 2.2 million to 1.8 million. Those numbers continue to drop, as telephone landlines are dropped in favor of cell phones, which provide a lesser amount of funding for dispatch centers.
“I haven’t seen any pre-filed bills addressing 911 funding yet, but it’s an issue that comes up in the (state) legislature every year,” said Shellie Hampton, director of governmental relations for the Kentucky Association of Counties. “We’re watching any county that has an innovative way to collect that money because land line fees on phones (a primary funding source for dispatch centers) are decreasing every month.”

The report goes on to suggest that the $6 fee proposed to be charged to utility bills which was defeated at the Kenton County Fiscal Court last week, will likely be reconsidered.
Full story: Cincinnati Enquirer/Cindy Schroeder 
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US REP. GEOFF DAVIS RESIGNS FROM CONGRESS
Geoff Davis (R-Hebron), first elected to Congress in 2004, submitted his resignation Tuesday evening and released the following statement:

“I thank the people of Kentucky’s Fourth District for the honor of serving as their Congressman over the last eight years.

“When I was a Cadet at West Point, I internalized the words of the U.S. Military Academy’s motto, ‘Duty, Honor, Country.’ Next, I learned that success was based on honoring God, Family, and Work, in that order. In December 2011, I decided that in order to honor those values, I needed to retire from Congressional service so I could more effectively serve my family as a husband and father. 

“Those priorities continue to guide my decisions. Recently, a family health issue has developed that will demand significantly more of my time to assist. As a result, I cannot continue to effectively fulfill my obligations to both my office and my family. Family must and will come first.

“Therefore, I am resigning from the U.S. House of Representatives effective at close of business on July 31, 2012. 

“I have served with great men and women in the Congress in both parties, and leave knowing that the House is filled with people who love this country and are working to make our future better. I am grateful to have been blessed by being a part of this great institution.” 

Congressman Davis submitted his resignation today to Governor Steve Beshear and Speaker of the House John Boehner.

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Senator Mitch McConnell had this to say:

“Congressman Geoff Davis has been an outstanding representative for the people of Kentucky’s Fourth District and has served his constituents with distinction since 2005. He has accomplished much and has worked tirelessly on behalf of the people of Kentucky during his tenure. I wish him and his family well as he embarks on his new endeavor.”

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More coverage via cn|2:

Kevin Sell, the 4th congressional district Republican Party chairman and a close friend of Davis, said he wasn’t aware of the family health issue to which Davis’ statement referred.
Sell said Davis mentioned the possibility of leaving during a conversation in June. At the time, Davis had said he was eager to return to Northern Kentucky to spend more time with his wife, Pat, his children and grandchildren and wasn’t looking forward to going through the motions in Congress over the next six months, Sell said.
“When you look at the fact that they start to push them out in the fall and there’s usually just procedural votes and they’re not replacing staff, he had just decided that it was time to go,” Sell said.
Sell said he didn’t try to talk Davis out of resigning early but he did provide some counterpoints, such as continuing the representation of 4th district constituents. However, Davis’ staff will remain in place through the end of the year, so constituents will have congressional contacts.

Full story: cn|2
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Former Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson explained via Twitter the process to replace Davis:

KY Gov sets date for special election. Both parties nominate via to party rules. No primary. Election must be at least 5 weeks in future.

I predict Kentucky Gov will call special election for November election date due to cost of special election and proximity to November.

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More coverage of Davis's departure: Politico 
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MAINSTRASSE SEXUAL ASSAULT SUSPECT WAHEED RAHMAN IN COURT TODAY
The man accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 17-year old girl in Mainstrasse is expected to be in court Wednesday afternoon. Last Tuesday, Police arrested Waheed Abdul Rahman, 22, and charged him with first degree sex abuse and kidnapping a minor. At the time of the arrest, Covington Police Chief Spike Jones told The River City News, "The suspect was known to the victim but not well known, more like an acquaintance than anything, and the victim was en route to somewhere and just happened to run into this person."

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MOTHER OF TEEN MISSING FROM COVINGTON WEIGHS IN AT RCN

The comment section of the post regarding the search for Paige Johnson in Knox County last week has deteriorated into personal accusations. Johnson's mother posted the following:

I am Paige's mother. I was just wondering if you knew that Jacob Bumpass spent time in a jail in Pineville, Ky, before he knew my daughter. Pineville is very close to the area they are searching. During his incarceration, he was allowed to roam the grounds and fish. Monday through Friday he was able to leave the facility to do work release on local farms and forestry work. His mother wrote all about it on her CNN blog. It seems to be a huge coincidence that he knew the area and now they are searching there. He would have thought it would be a good place to take her for nobody would look there. This is what I truly believe. I spoke with Jacob shortly after Paige went missing and he wouldn't even look me in the eye. He also seemed nervous and he rushed me off. Does that sound like someone that was supposed to be a friend to Paige? His cell phone proves that he lied since he was never in Covington. This is why I can't look past Jacob.

To read the full comment thread, click the link below and scroll to the bottom.
Search for Teen Missing from Covington Resumes in Knox Co 
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QUICKIES
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NKY foreclosures on the rise WLWT 
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Anti-gay, anti-abortion billboard removed by owner in Lexington KY Equality Federation 
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Sanitation workers in Lexington vote to form union Herald-Leader 
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Gov. Beshear statement on court ruling against EPA regulation of water and coal companies press release 
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Fans of The Who redeem tickets to Cincinnati concert 33 years later WLWT 
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KY Commissioner of Education: Student engagement is key to success KY Forward 
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DON'T MISS TUESDAY EVENING'S NEWS
When a Covington woman's email is hacked, a TV news reporter responds to the hacker; Covington businesses named among the best in NKY; Plus, 10 ways to research the history of your house. Those stories and more at the link!
The RC News: Tuesday Evening Round-Up 
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KENTON CO LIBRARY BRANCH IN COVINGTON COMING ALONG NICELY
Check out the progress at the Covington library expansion:

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TODAY MARKS BEGINNING OF BREASTFEEDING WEEK IN KENTUCKY, WORLD

From a news release:

In honor of World Breastfeeding Week Aug. 1-7, the Kentucky Department for Public Health (DPH) is working to emphasize the importance of providing support for breastfeeding families. This message extends to fathers, family members, friends, employers and other key individuals who can play a role in the effort to build a supportive network for breastfeeding mothers.

“We encourage mothers to breastfeed to ensure that infants are getting the nutrition they need to grow and thrive,” said Health and Family Services Cabinet Secretary Audrey Tayse Haynes. “Even the most committed mothers can struggle to successfully breastfeed when they don’t have the kind of support system they need at home, at the workplace and in the community. If we want to send the message that breastfeeding is important and improve our breastfeeding rates, we need to support mothers who choose to breastfeed.”

Medical and professional organizations worldwide emphasize breastfeeding and the importance of support for new mothers. Similarly, public health has participated in programs, such as the Business Case for Breastfeeding, that have assisted businesses with the implementation of breastfeeding-friendly policies.

“Families and friends can play a role by offering encouragement and assistance at home,” said Fran Hawkins, director of the Kentucky Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program. “Even with that support at home, continuing breastfeeding after returning to work is a tremendous challenge.”

Four steps are encouraged to make work environments more conducive to breastfeeding: support from managers and coworkers; , flexible time to express milk (around 10 to 15 minutes three times per day); , education for employees about how to combine breastfeeding and work; , and a designated space to breastfeed or express milk in privacy.

Public health officials stress that continuing breastfeeding after returning to work is often necessary to meet the recommendations for optimal infant nutrition. The World Health Organization (WHO), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and other medical organizations recommend that babies are exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life, and continue to be breastfed, along with other food sources, for at least a year.

The World Breastfeeding Week 2012 slogan “The Road to Lifelong Health Begins with Breastfeeding” focuses on the lifelong health benefits that breastfeeding provides to both mothers and babies. 

The health and nutritional status of mothers and infants are directly linked, making appropriate infant feeding a critical first step in preventing these and a variety of other medical conditions.
Families, health professionals, governments, employers and communities must support breastfeeding mothers for the mother to have a successful breastfeeding experience.

“When breastfeeding mothers have little support, they are more likely to stop breastfeeding before they reach their goals,” said Marlene Goodlett, breastfeeding promotion coordinator for Kentucky public health.

The Kentucky Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Program provides support and information for prenatal and breastfeeding mothers to help ensure good health for Kentucky’s babies. The program operates through local health departments and provides one-on-one counseling, information and round-the-clock guidance for mothers new to breastfeeding.
“The peer counseling service is a wonderful program for breastfeeding mothers,” said Goodlett. “We’ve had a great deal of success helping mothers learn to breastfeed and remain committed to their breastfeeding goals.”

Kentucky law protects women who wish to breastfeed their babies in public. This law permits a mother to breastfeed her baby or express breast milk in any public or private location. This law also requires that breastfeeding not be considered an act of public indecency or indecent exposure.

Welcome to August! Have a great day!

NEWS ROUND-UP -- MONDAY EVENING 23 JULY

THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE

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FACEBOOK: The River City News

@theRCnews on Twitter  

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by Michael Monks 

Email Michael

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COVINGTON RANKS POORLY IN STATE CRIME REPORT

Our City is close to the top in several categories of crime across the state, including burglary, robbery, prostitution, arson, and more. (Thank goodness for Lexington!) A full breakdown of a year in crime in Covington and Kentucky -- at the link.

Full story: The River City News 

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MORE CITIES TO JOIN MERGED KENTON CO DISPATCH CENTER

Three more cities will join Covington in the new, consolidated Kenton County 911 Emergency Dispatch Center:

Kenton County Judge-executive Steve Arlinghaus said that the cities of Fort Wright, Bromley and Park Hills have told him they want in on the county’s dispatch services.
“Several others have expressed an interest but have not drafted any resolution in support,” he said. “We needed the commitment from them that their intentions are to join the county.”
It costs the county $4.9 million annually to run three emergency dispatch centers, and combining services would reduce costs to $4.1 million, Arlinghaus said.

Full story: Cincinnati Enquirer/Libby Cunningham 
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The Kenton County Fiscal Court will take up the issue of $6 fees on utility bills at Tuesday night's meeting. For the agenda, click here (PDF).
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DUKE ENERGY COULD BE FORCED TO REHIRE OUSTED CEO
After the merger of Duke Energy and Progress Energy earlier this month, the CEO was only on the job for a day before being removed (and walking away with a $44 million payout), but that could change:

The N.C. Utilities Commission’s chairman suggested Friday that state regulators could order Duke Energy Corp. to reinstate ousted CEO Bill Johnson as a condition of letting the Duke-Progress Energy merger stand, the Charlotte Business Journal reported.

That could affect the predicted savings for customers.
Full story: Business Courier  
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COMPANY THAT ABANDONED COVINGTON IN COURT OVER NEW BUILDING
Things are off to a rocky start for The Nielsen Company, which along with Omnicare created a huge vacancy in Covington office space when both companies moved across the river to Cincinnati, but it's not all puppies and rainbows to the north:

“I saw a flatbed and it had these big letters on it for a sign,” Joseph said.
He was shocked, he said, because Columbia knew nothing about the Nielsen sign being placed on the building and hadn’t given permission for it. Nielsen, a consumer insights company best known for analysis of viewing behavior and demographics that helps determine TV ratings, brought its 500 jobs from Covington last year to the 29-story Cincinnati office building.
Lawsuits filed in Ohio and federal courts by Columbia accuse the city of Cincinnati of “hastily and surreptitiously” working for months with NNN TiC, which claims it owns the building, to circumvent zoning laws that prevented the sign’s erection.

Full story: Cincinnati Enquirer/Kimball Perry 
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HOW KY'S HEALTH CARE EXCHANGE WILL LIKELY WORK
Kentucky's implementation of a key part of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, lovingly dubbed Obamacare, looks like good news for individuals, low-income folks, and small businesses in the Commonwealth:

Small businesses—those with fewer than 100 employees—will be able to visit insurance exchanges, too. Like individuals, small businesses will be able to gauge different plans and purchase one that's right for their workforce.
The Kaiser Foundation people say there are two options many businesses will likely have. First, they can choose a plan, either modest or generous, and offer it to all employees. Or, the business can choose a level of a plan (the Kaiser people compared them to “bronze, silver or gold”) and allow individuals to choose their insurer from within a specific range of options.

More details on how the plan could work in Kentucky: WFPL
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QUICKIES
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Task force to study teacher retention in Kentucky WFPL
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Conservative Kentucky Club for Growth ranks state representatives and senators on fiscal issues State House & State Senate 
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Governor Beshear discusses Kentucky gun laws in wake of Aurora, Colorado deadly movie theater shooting cn|2 
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Investigation leads to another bust for child porn in Kentucky press release 
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Did excess parking add $4 million to the development cost of Cincinnati's Mercer Commons? Urban Cincy 
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Six die on Kentucky roadways last week press release 
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Lexington's newspaper, the Herald-Leader, makes another round of deep cuts to staffing Herald-Leader 
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American Idol auditions to make stop in Bowling Green next season Herald-Leader 
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Sorry, UK football fans, Penn State's penalty does not mean the Wildcats won the 1999 Outback Bowl Courier-Journal 
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DON'T MISS MONDAY MORNING'S NEWS!
A quick look back at a piece of history on one Covington corner; Covington's loss of businesses is Cincinnati's gain; Nostalgic road signs are one way to "cool-up" a strip of state highway; Plus, some adorable furry faces ready to be adopted. Click it.

The RC News: Monday Morning Round-Up 

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NKY CONGRESSMAN TOUTS HIGHWAY BILL'S BENEFITS FOR REGION

From US Representative Geoff Davis:

MAP-21 will provide $112 billion in surface transportation funding to States between fiscal years (FY) 2012 and 2014. Of that amount, $1.93 billion will go to Kentucky. Those funds, determined by formula, are passed to each State and territory. The General Assembly in Frankfort is responsible for making decisions about which projects to fund. This State control of federal dollars gives Kentucky the authority to advance projects like the Brent Spence Bridge replacement.

Full column: Geoff Davis
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KY TEEN WHO TWEETED ATTACKERS NAMES WON'T FACE CHARGES
This story about a girl who was attacked by two boys and then identified them on Twitter went viral, and maybe that's why she no longer faces a contempt charge:

David Mejia, an attorney for one of the accused boys, says the motion to hold 17-year-old Savannah Dietrich of Louisville in contempt was withdrawn Monday.
Mejia says the decision had nothing to do with public sentiment in the case, although an online petition campaign had garnered more than 62,000 signatures. He said there's no need for the motion now that Dietrich spread word about the case over the Internet.

WPSD
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COVINGTON CAR DAMAGED DURING STORM LAST WEEK FOR SALE ONLINE
This vehicle popped up on Craiglist today:

Here's the seller's description:

A tree fell on the car. It did not fall on the hood, the engine still runs fine. You must tow it away.  

The 1999 Honda Accord can be yours for $550. Check out the listing and another photo: Craigslist
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MORE PHOTOS OF STORM DAMAGE IN COVINGTON: The River City News 
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WHEN THE COVINGTON STARS CHALLENGED THE CINCINNATI REDS
We come across this article from the August 12, 1875 edition of The Ticket, a short-lived Covington newspaper, by way of the March/April 2005 newsletter of the Kenton County Historical Society:

"The new Cincinnati Reds may be a very brilliant and beautiful club and worthy of occupying an immense amount of space in the Cincinnati papers, but it is strange
that they should start out to win glory by beating such little clubs as the Milfords and the Louisville Setting Hens-Eagles when they can get a game with the [Covington] Stars any day. The Stars challenged them two weeks since, and it looks a little as though the great club was alarmed."

Those of our readers who know the history of the original Red Stockings, know they were virtually unbeatable in the fust few seasons of their history. Begun in 1869 as the first professional base ball team (and the word was separated atthe time); the story goes that they played any and all comers. However, according to this article
they shied away fkom our own Covington Stars. The Stars established a field near 15" and Madison Avenue, and their field appears on the 1877 Covington Atlas. Their reputation was somewhat illustrious in that decade, but their story is somewhat incomplete. This one article seems to contim their better-than-average abilities.

Check out the 2005 newsletter by clicking here (PDF)
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JUST SAYIN'

More here: NKU Memes 

NEWS ROUND-UP -- THURSDAY MORNING 12 JULY

THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE

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FACEBOOK: The River City News

@theRCnews on Twitter  

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by Michael Monks 

Email Michael

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WEBSITE LAUNCHED TO COMBAT PROPOSED CUTS TO COVINGTON FIRE DEPT

"Don't Lose Your Covington Fire/EMS Protection" says a new website launched this week in an attempt to rally the public against recommended cuts to public safety in the City. Some highlights offered at the site:

• OSHA has federal mandates that state firefighters must have a 2 man team in order to enter a structure fire and a second 2 man team on stand-by for their safety. This is referred to as “2 in – 2 out”. If a fire engine arrives with only 3 personnel this mandate cannot be met and the firefighters will have to remain outside until more arrive. With no ambulances and only 21 personnel/day this will happen more frequently. The most affected neighborhood would be South Covington (Company #5). The next due company is 10 minutes away and with no firefighting ambulance, there would only be 3 total firefighters until the next due arrived.
• In order to combat this, the City suggested using mutual aid from Taylor Mill to supplement staffing in South Covington. Taylor Mill is a majority volunteer fire department and has no guarantee of how many (if any) firefighters they could provide. Should citizens of Covington pay the tax rates set by the city and have their fire protection provided by another fire department that is staffed with volunteers?
• Other recommendations in Management Partners report: Elimination of all fire apparatus at Company #5 (Hands Pike)
  Elimination of Ladder Truck #7 (Latonia), leaving only 1 Ladder Company in the City.
  Using 3 mostly volunteer fire departments as mutual aid with no reduction in taxes.
  Elimination of full-time Safety/Fire Inspection officer.
  Accepting these recommendations could reduce daily staffing to as low as 16 firefighters/day.

The website then urges citizens to contact the Mayor, City Commissioners, and City Manager to voice opposition to the proposed changes. Check out the website at the link below.

Cov 911 

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COVINGTON BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO DISCUSS NEW BRIDGE TODAY

City Hall welcomes Covington's business community to City Hall today at 1:30PM. Representatives of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the City of Covington will be on hand to discuss the City's desired changes to the design of the Brent Spence Bridge project. Check out the link below where City Manager Larry Klein seems to be more comfortable with the originally proposed concept as transportation officials have tried to assure the City that drivers will have ample opportunity to come to (and know they are coming to) Covington.

Cincinnati Enquirer/Mike Rutledge 

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WHO SHOULD GET THEIR NAME ON A BRIDGE?

Brent Spence was a worthy gentleman, but who else should have the honor of a bridge named after them? An interesting story via The Atlantic Cities:

Another obvious problem with naming things after living people is that their reputations are subject to change. Koch seems to be avoiding controversy, but former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani notoriously erred in naming the Manhattan Detention Complex—colloquially known as "The Tombs"—after Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik in 2001. The Bernard P. Kerik Complex quietly reclaimed its former name in 2006, when Kerik pleaded guilty to ethics violations. (He is currently serving four years in federal prison on other charges, including conspiracy and wire fraud.) Of course, that minor bureaucratic hurdle is nothing compared to what's going on in Egypt right now, where there were 388 schools named after deposed president Hosni Mubarak, and another 160 named after his wife Suzan, not to mention highways, streets, and a central Cairo Metro Station.

Full story: Click Here 

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THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE

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A Covington Police officer alerts tenants and saves them from a building fire...

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Covington School Board chooses Kenton Co. Sheriff's Office over Covington Police to serve as school resource offices in money-saving effort...

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Pregnant lesbian and her partner booted from Kentucky park after kissing; Covington native lives a dream after buying a steamboat and sailing down the Mississippi and Ohio (video); Plus, with the large number of people who just don't seem to care, can city dwellers ever really have nice things? 

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All of those stories are at the link below!

The RC News: Wednesday Evening Round-Up 

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HOUSE GIVES FAMILY A SECOND CHANCE AT HOME

After her home in Newport was shot up, a Covington educator knew she had to move her three kids somewhere else. How a house gave a family a second chance at home, and several young adults a second chance at life, at the link.

The RC News: House Gives Family Second Chance at Home 

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ALSO: HONK will show off another finished home in Covington Thursday afternoon:

In its first partnership with The Brighton Center, Housing Opportunities of Northern Kentucky (HONK) recently completed the major rehab of 330 E. 18th St., a two-bedroom home in Covington’s Austinburg neighborhood. This project, like all HONK projects, is made affordable for a family looking for a homeownership opportunity.

“This house had seen better days before we started on it,” says David Hastings, HONK’s Executive Director. “It had been through foreclosure and was really in need of significant investment. Now we’re standing in a home that has been fully rehabbed, with new mechanicals, new insulation, an extra half bath added, a new roof, and all new finishes.”

“While we used some of our own volunteers, staff, and other subcontractors on this home, it was Brighton Center’s Construction and Manufacturing Technologies Program that really made a difference here,” says Steve Lutkenhoff, HONK’s Construction Manager. “This has worked out so well, we are hoping this partnership can continue so we can help even more local families become homeowners.”

The house on E. 18th is one of four HONK has completed on this street in the last 8 months. Another was recently built by HONK just around the corner. Funding for 4 of the 5 homes has come through a federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) grant to the City of Covington through the Kentucky Department for Local Government.

While the focus of the celebration will be on the Open House at 330 E. 18th St., two additional homes recently completed by HONK will also be open for the public during the same time at 334 E. 18th (a rehab project) and 618 E. 17th St. (new construction).

Click to enlarge

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QUICKIES

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Another municipality will file for bankruptcy protection NPR 

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Southern Air is closer to a deal at CVG Airport Cincinnati Enquirer 

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Wait, what? President Barack Obama is the "smallest government spender" since Eisenhower? Who's reporting this? Wait, Forbes? Interesting:

So, how have the Republicans managed to persuade Americans to buy into the whole “Obama as big spender” narrative?
It might have something to do with the first year of the Obama presidency where the federal budget increased a whopping 17.9% —going from $2.98 trillion to $3.52 trillion. I’ll bet you think that this is the result of the Obama sponsored stimulus plan that is so frequently vilified by the conservatives…but you would be wrong.
The first year of any incoming president term is saddled—for better or for worse—with the budget set by the president whom immediately precedes the new occupant of the White House. Indeed, not only was the 2009 budget the property of George W. Bush—and passed by the 2008 Congress—it was in effect four months before Barack Obama took the oath of office.
Accordingly, the first budget that can be blamed on our current president began in 2010 with the budgets running through and including including fiscal year 2013 standing as charges on the Obama account, even if a President Willard M. Romney takes over the office on January 20, 2013.

Full story: Forbes 

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VIDEO: Rep. Geoff Davis on voting to repeal "Obamacare" YouTube 

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Kentucky story raided for selling bath salts WKYT 

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Personnel Board to consider overturning merit hire pushed by KY Democratic leader Courier-Journal 

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POVERTY HITS KENTUCKY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Things are bad in Allen County, Kentucky:

"We see kids who come from backgrounds of no electricity no running water sometimes," says Principal of the Allen County Intermediate School, Randy Cook.
So, to help those children, the schools have something called Family Resources.
In Allen County schools, kids can get necessities like food, clothing and school supplies.
"Not that their families don't love them, but in our hard times right now those families are doing everything they can to take care of them," says Cook, "and we're just going to go that extra step to help them."

Full story with a video report at the link.
WKYT
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COVINGTON'S BAKER-HUNT, PHOTOGRAPHER HONORED BY CHARITABLE GROUP
From a press release:

Mary Fisk-Taylor, president of PPA Charities, the charitable arm of Professional Photographers of America (PPA), has announced that Matthew Andrews Photography in Covington in conjunction with The Baker Hunt Art and Cultural Center, is one of 48 PPA members to earn the designation as an “Operation Smile Studio” for 2012. This honor was given to those photographers who donated $240 or more through the organization’s first “Celebration of Smiles Day” that raised $46,581 to benefit Operation Smile, its charitable partner. Operation Smile provides free surgeries for children around the world who suffer with cleft lip, cleft palate, and other facial deformations.
“These funds will go a long way toward meeting our 2012 goal of raising $120,000 for this wonderful organization,” Fisk-Taylor said. As of July 1, PPA Charities’
2012 fund-raising total stands at $72,180. Because Operation Smile’s medical professionals and support staff volunteer their services, it costs only $240 to provide a simple cleft lip surgery to a child in desperate need. Therefore the funds raised by PPA members so far in 2012 means that over 300 smiles will be saved.
By donating enough to save a smile, the studio is eligible to compete in a drawing for an opportunity to document an Operation Smile mission.
The Celebration of Smiles Day promotion provided consumers with the opportunity to receive a mini-session and a 5x7 professional portrait in exchange for a donation to Operation Smile of only $24; therefore, for every 10 sessions photographed by a participating studio, another smile could be saved by the volunteer professionals of Operation Smile. The official date for the first Celebration of Smiles event was April 21, but studios that had commitments on that date were allowed to conduct the fundraiser on alternate dates in April or May.
Next year’s Celebration of Smiles Day is scheduled for April 6, 2013.

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WAYS TO HELP OUT IN COVINGTON:

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From the Emergency Shelter of NKY:

One of our guests has a job starting at a warehouse this weekend near Wal-Mart in Ft. Wright...2nd shift. TANK does not run that late to get him back to our shelter. Do you have an adult bike that is in good working condition that you would like to donate to someone in need to hold down a job? If so, email Rachael Winters at emergencyshelternky@yahoo.com

From the West Latonia Neighborhood Association:

Hey folks!!! WE are looking for any interested persons to help watering up at the park.. the new plantings need to be watered at least every other night and we need to do this at least up through September. Please contact Julie Plageman if you are available and interested in helping! 859-816-7230.....  

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DREAM TRIP TO THE SUSPENSION BRIDGE MAY SOON BE AUCTIONED
Now, this sounds like fun. From the Roebling Suspension Bridge Facebook page:

Anyone out there interested in Climbing to the Top of the RSB. I have the authority to Auction one trip for 6 people to spend 1 hour at the top on a mutually agreeable date before Oct 29 2012. I am trying to find a way to execute that auction and reach businesses, groups, families, photographers, fans and friends of the RBS. I would start the bidding at $500 (a tax deductible contribution to the Covington Cincinnati Suspension Bridge Committee) to help fund the pier lighting, phase 2 of the Light Up History Campaign. Someone could organize a group of people and come up with the highest bid? Or maybe a business is looking for a unique way to reward its staff/ employees, local artist and photographers would have a filed day! Oh, the winner will also receive an $80 Gift Card to Blinkers Tavern. Give me some feedback please.

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LOL: RON PAUL MAKES STOP IN WHIMSICAL JALOPY

Via The Onion: