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by Michael Monks
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Saturday was a perfect day in Covington to enjoy breakfast and pet some animals in Goebel Park during the backpack giveaway, or to party in the street in Helentown, and to hit up the Farmers Market. Check out the photos:
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360 Fireworks Party
Showing posts with label Goebel Park. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Goebel Park. Show all posts
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
A BRIDGE TOO FAR: COVINGTON FIGHTS FOR EXITS
by Michael Monks
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THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE
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"This is by far the most important meeting in Covington about the Brent Spence Bridge in several years," said City Manager Larry Klein at the start of a packed public meeting inside City Hall. Covington's elected leaders and administrators hoped to create a unified message from Northern Kentucky's largest city as the region embarks on one of the biggest infrastructure project in its history, a new bridge between Cincinnati and Covington that may eliminate an important exit ramp to the Kentucky riverfront.
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Fifty percent of the traffic that comes into Covington from northbound Interstate 75 does so at the 5th Street exit which would disappear under the plan recommended by transportation departments from Ohio and Kentucky. Instead, northbound drivers would exit at 12th Street and then use a collector road to get to 5th. Heading south from Cincinnati the issue is of even more concern to Covington as drivers would have to begin to exit near the Museum Center in preparation for an exit at 5th Street in Kentucky.
Fifty percent of the traffic that comes into Covington from northbound Interstate 75 does so at the 5th Street exit which would disappear under the plan recommended by transportation departments from Ohio and Kentucky. Instead, northbound drivers would exit at 12th Street and then use a collector road to get to 5th. Heading south from Cincinnati the issue is of even more concern to Covington as drivers would have to begin to exit near the Museum Center in preparation for an exit at 5th Street in Kentucky.
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The loss of an exit ramp, while possibly the most significant, is not the only trouble facing Covington as the bridge project moves forward. Important access to Devou Park would be compromised, Goebel Park would lose its basketball court and possibly its swimming pool, and the Lewisburg neighborhood could yet again be gutted in the name of interstate progress. "When the original highway went in it cut Lewisburg off from the rest of the city and this new development only makes that void worse," said Beth Johnson, Covington's historic preservation officer.
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HERE IS A LOOK AT THE ISSUES AND PROPOSED SOLUTIONS:
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ACCESS TO DOWNTOWN COVINGTON
Covington wants to ensure that a collector road is guaranteed on the northbound side of the interstate at the 12th Street exit so that traffic can continue on to 5th Street. Also, it wants amplified access to the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge so that traffic can be mitigated during afternoon rush hour traffic on 4th Street allowing drivers to choose the Clay Wade Bailey to access the interstate in Cincinnati. Additionally, Covington's leaders want a direct ramp from I-75 to 9th Street.
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LEWISBURG
Twenty-three properties will be completely removed while twenty properties will be partially affected. Most of the homes being removed are on Crescent Street which would no longer be a through-street and would have double cul-de-sacs. The homes to be removed are indicated in red in these photos:
Suggestions by the city include demolishing noncontributing buildings, emphasizing a facade grant program for the neighborhood since it is an under appreciated gateway into the city, and also the creation of a Charles Zimmer Memorial Path that would be pedestrian and bike oriented in honor of the former hardware store owner who was dubbed Mr. Lewisburg in his day.
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DEVOU PARK
Access to Devou Park from Lewis Street would be closed creating more traffic on Baker Street according to the city which also said the street is not designed or equipped for through traffic. The proposed solution by city staff is to make Monatgue a two-way street with an off-street parking option.
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GOEBEL PARK
GOEBEL PARK
Suggestions for a revamped Goebel Park include a new pool and pool house, a "sprayground", a fruit and vegetable garden, a pond, and new parking. Check out the photo for details:
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There are two public meetings scheduled on both sides of the river in a couple weeks: Tuesday April 24 at Longworth Hall and Wednesday April 25 at the NKY Convention Center (parking is free that inside the RiverCenter garage). Both meetings are from 5:00 to 8:00PM. The focus of the presentations will be the recommended plan but Covington's alternate suggestions will be display with a "not recommended" label. The public will be able to submit comments through a court reporter who will be present at both meetings.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
CITY EXPRESSES CONCERN WITH ONE BRENT SPENCE BRIDGE PLAN
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THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE
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The City of Covington will host a meeting next week to hear feedback on the remaining possible plans for a new Brent Spence Bridge. Today the City issued a press release outlining its concerns with "Alternative I" and its impact on Covington:
Access issues:The public meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 11, from 5:00 - 8:00PM at City Hall in the Commission Chambers.
Northbound: Instead of having direct access to 5th Street like there is today, motorists would need to exit at 12th Street and then travel on a new, one-way, local road (Jillians Way) from 12th to 5th through several traffic signals in Alternative I that is being recommended. The City feels direct access to 5th Street from the collector distributor road is necessary.
Southbound: Alternative I does provide access to 5th Street and 9th Street from SB I-75. However, the decision point is located one mile north of the Ohio River near the Museum Center at Ezzard Charles. If you miss this exit, your next opportunity to exit in Kentucky from I-75 southbound will occur at Kyles Lane in Fort Wright. There is no opportunity to exit into Covington once the City is visible or once you cross the bridge into Kentucky. The City feels direct access from I-75 southbound into Covington on the Kentucky side of the bridge is necessary. The project team has looked at several options and has determined a direct ramp from I-75 SB to 9th Street is feasible.
Clay Wade Bailey Bridge: Alternative I currently shows connections from the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge to I-75 northbound and to Clay Wade Bailey Bridge from I-75 southbound. The City feels these connections would improve access into the City's Riverfront area and better utilize this bridge. There have been talks about removing these connections from the project and we want to advocate that they remain.
Impact to Goebel Pool:
The City feels that Goebel Pool will become unusable once the Brent Spence Bridge project is built. The noise studies taken at and around the pool already exceed the acceptable levels for a recreational facility. This project will bring the roadway even closer to the pool and noise projections show the noise levels will increase even further beyond the acceptable range. In addition, the proximity of the road will also create issues with cleaning the pool. The City feels we should be compensated for the loss of the usefulness of the pool, or the pool should be relocated as part of the project.
Access to Devou Park if Lewis is closed:
In Alternative I, the plans show the connection from Pike Street to Lewis being closed. This currently acts as one of the major access points into Devou Park. If the connection to Lewis is removed, the City feels off street parking needs to be provided along Montague and road improvements on Montague need to be made in order for this to become a 2-way road and an entrance to the park.
Mitigation for impacts to Goebel Park and Lewisburg:
As part of the 4f and 6f environmental processes associated with roadway projects, the project team is required to mitigate the impacts to parks and historical areas. Goebel Park and Lewisburg both fall into this category and will be impacted by the project. The City would like to make sure the recommendations that have been made by the City, SD1, residents, and other stakeholders are implemented into the project. For Lewisburg, the City is recommending a façade grant program, a purchase rehab program, demolition of non-contributing buildings, and/or the Charles Zimmer Memorial Path as a re-connection from Lewisburg to commercial and recreational areas of the City. For Goebel Park, SD1 developed a plan incorporating Green Infrastructure into the park along with improvements recommended by the public (parking, walking trails/boardwalk, basketball court, etc.)
Thursday, March 8, 2012
NEWS ROUND-UP -- THURSDAY MORNING 8 MAR
by Michael Monks
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THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE
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MAYOR SCHEPER WARNS OF LAYOFFS WITHOUT NEW UNION CONTRACTS
Covington Mayor Chuck Scheper continued his meetings with neighborhood associations Wednesday night during the monthly gathering of the Residents of Mainstrasse. Scheper updated the progress of his 10-point plan and "brutal facts", admitting that he would not meet his goal of a new contract with the public employee unions within sixty days. He also said that without the new contracts, layoffs would likely be the end result. Additionally, the internal reviews at City Hall have begun; And did you know - the C+V=G logo was one of three proposed? Click the link for an update from Mayor Chuck Scheper.
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COMMISSIONER UNVEILS PLANS FOR GOEBEL PARK
At the same ROMA meeting Wednesday night, Commissioner Steve Casper, who's running for mayor, talked of his plans to redevelop Goebel Park. Casper called the park a treasured but underutilized asset and he hopes to make is a destination for Covingtonians and visitors alike. The commissioner would like to see a large fountain installed that would also serve as a seasonal ice skating rink, calling it a mini-Bellagio fountain complete with music and lights. The rink could also host public hockey games. "The benefit would be to enhance traffic to the Mainstrasse businesses while remaining respectful to the residents," Casper said.
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ALSO: At the ROMA meeting, Covington Police provided its monthly crime report for the neighborhood. Some of the highlights (...lowlights?):
- A car flipped on its top on York Street and the occupants attempted to flee on foot. The driver was arrested for DUI and was discovered to have cocaine in his pocket.
- A suspect approached a would-be victim, gestured toward a gun in his pocket and said "give me all you got". The would-be victim was able to run away and police located the suspect, arrested him, and discovered that the weapon was a BB gun.
- Two guys were reported to have been smoking weed in the back of a building on Craig Street and fled on foot when officers arrived. They were later caught under the railroad trestle between Russell & Washington Streets where it was discovered that one suspect was wanted on an indecent exposure charge.
- Police received a report of an injured raccoon near the 500 block of West 7th Street. An officer responded, placed the raccoon in an adjacent alley, and shot it.
BOUQUET, OTTO'S EXPANDING ON MAIN STREET
In another good sign of economic progress in Covington, two of Mainstrasse's newer and more popular restaurants are growing at the same time and one owner at least partially credits the work-together attitude of the neighborhood for the success. Click the link for details -- including how one owner is giving up his apartment upstairs to make room for more seats!
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LEAGUE OF CITIES PANICKING OVER COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, POLICE
The scandal-plagued Kentucky League of Cities, of which Covington is a member, is urging city leaders to fight collective bargaining and the police officer bill of rights:
Senate Bill 169 expands the police officer bill of rights to apply the procedures to all complaints against a police officer, not just complaints made by citizens. This would make the statute applicable to internal disciplinary matters initiated by the police chief or city management related to violations of departmental rules and regulations. The legislation would also require the city to allow a requesting police officer to have an attorney present during any interrogation concerning alleged misconduct, including violations of departmental rules and regulations. Additionally, the bill extends the time for notice of a hearing from 72 hours to 10 days if charges are filed.And:
House Bill 492 would require any city that is a member and pays dues to a "public entity" as defined by KRS 65.310 to bargain collectively with unions representing all employees on issues including wages, works schedules, and other conditions of employment. Collective bargaining would be governed by the same terms and conditions established in state law for Louisville police officers, including selection of exclusive representatives, conduct of elections, unfair labor practices, dispute resolution procedures, and the prohibition against strikes.KLC clutches their pearls
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SEE ALSO: Kentucky hospital forced to rehire employee that was fired after she tried to organize a union for the workers Courier-Journal
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SEE ALSO: A civil right to unionize The New York Times
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FRANKFORT QUICKIES
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Senator Jack Westwood, who represents much of Covington, opposes Governor Beshear's new tax task force WFPL
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University cuts approved in state budget passed by House Herald-Leader
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TORNADO HEADLINES
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Covington Fire Department went down to help in Piner Local 12
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Widow returns to scene of husband's death Local 12
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Four charged with stealing metal from storm victims Herald-Leader
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SEE ALSO: Disaster fraud task force Press Release
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Kentucky tornado cut a 95-mile trench CNN
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Crittenden family lost home, horses Local 12
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Some schools condemned, others remain closed Herald-Leader
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Governor commends overwhelming response Press Release
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THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE
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KENTUCKY MAN HEADED TO AUSTRALIAN PRISON
What? You're not allowed to go overseas and strap a fake bomb to a woman's neck?
The letter stated that the case was boobie-trapped and could only be opened safely if they complied with his terms and conditions.You're gonna want to read the whole thing.
"For the avoidance of any doubt, I am a former special forces green beret munitions specialist and have constructed such devices for over 20 years," the letter stated.
"SO, ACT NOW, THINK LATER, or YOU will inadvertently trigger a tragically avoidable explosion known in the American armed forces, as a BRIAN DOUGLAS WELLS event."
The letter also warned not to tamper with the device or its combination buttons, otherwise it would result in an explosion.
"You will be provided with detailed Remittance Instructions to transfer a Defined Sum once you acknowledge and confirm receipt of this message," the letter stated.
News.com
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QUICKIES
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Kentucky Presidential primary could matter Cincinnati Enquirer
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Toyota changes North American leadership Business Courier
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11,000 Kentucky Alzheimer's patients live alone WFPL
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Lawsuits follow Amazon after Zappo's hacked Business First
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SEC all but surrendering to 'Cats Herald-Leader
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UK rarely played from behind Herald-Leader
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Tournament fever hits Bowling Green WBKO
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Western Kentucky coach believed in Hilltoppers Courier-Journal
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High School: Host families make life sweeter for Sweet 16 teams WBKO
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BOWLING GREEN BRINGS FARMING TO THE CITY
Interesting:
They're building a greenhouse and clearing two plots of land for seniors and children to garden. The greenhouse will grow fruits and vegetables like tomatoes and cabbage. Residents can help out by buying the fresh produce.WBKO
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James Bond's car to be on display in Cincinnati FOX 19
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Taco Bell rolls out new Doritos shells Business First
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And then there's this. Watch it, and then see how fast you switch razor brands:
And he means it.
Monday, February 13, 2012
UPDATE ON COVINGTON'S 10-POINT PLAN TUESDAY
by Michael Monks
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The people of Covington will get an update on Mayor Chuck Scheper's 10-point plan during Tuesday night's caucus meeting of the Covington City Commission. Additionally, there will be an update on the daytime curfew and a presentation on the Brent Spence Bridge project and the related Goebel Park mitigation.
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The agenda for the meeting includes a point-by-point update on the 10-point plan as follows:
- Public/Private partnerships Business & Community advisory board; Visits to neighborhoods; Calls to top 100 businesses; Work with Covington Business Council, Latonia Business Association, and the Mainstrasse Village Association; Covington Youth Commission; and the special email address
- Departmental reviews Management partner proposals
- Complete labor negotiation contracts
- Zero based budgeting
- Regional approach to shared services and privatization Dispatch
- 300 vacant properties
- Easier to do business with the City Barrier removal team (Need for business ambassador as single point of contact)
- Marketing team Staff contact need
- Reduce City's 2.5% payroll tax rate
- CREZ incentives These are proposed incentives to boost business development in vacant storefronts
- Brent Spence Bridge Project & Goebel Park Mitigation Presentation
- KRS 82 and Lien Priorities Presentation
- Daytime Curfew Update
- Proposed TANK Resolution
- Top 100 Business Contact Calls
- Prioritization of Parking Lot Items
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