THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE
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by Michael Monks
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CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT THREATENED OVER SCHOOL BOARD SEAT
The saga of the vacant school board seat takes another turn as it appears there may be yet another change to the ballot and a lawyer is threatening a class action lawsuit on behalf of Covington voters. Hear from the County Clerk and the attorney at the link.Full story: The River City News
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DON'T MISS FRIDAY'S NEWS!
School board candidates (and an attorney) engage in debate over sudden election for vacated seat; Check out some of the awesome items on the menu at Piper's (opening in Mainstrasse soon); Plus, are you ready for some high school football? It's back tonight with defending champs Holy Cross in action.DON'T MISS FRIDAY'S NEWS!
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WILL WRITE-IN CANDIDATES SLOW THE REPORTING OF ELECTION RESULTS?
Yes. With the news that Alan "Chip" Terry has decided to enter the race for Covington City Commission as a write-in candidate and the enthusiasm with which the announcement was received possibly making him a viable candidate, election results reporting could be slow on November 6. In fact, Kenton County Clerk Gabrielle Summe tells The River City News that we won't know how many votes Terry and other write-in candidates receive until possibly the next day. Terry's addition to the race gives Covington nine choices to fill the four seats available. Other potential write-in candidates for any local office have until October 26 to declare their candidacies.
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JUDGE-EXECUTIVE EXPLAINS $85 FEE TO PAY FOR NEW DISPATCH CENTER
JUDGE-EXECUTIVE EXPLAINS $85 FEE TO PAY FOR NEW DISPATCH CENTER
Kenton County Judge-Executive Steve Arlinghaus penned an op-ed piece for the Cincinnati Enquirer to explain how property owners will now be saddled with an $85 fee to pay for the consolidated 911 emergency dispatch center since the proposed $6 monthly fee on all Duke Energy bills was shot down by the County Commission:
I, along with Commissioner Jon Draud, voted to place the fee of $6 per month on every electric bill in the county to pay for 911 dispatch services. Doing so on the electric bill would allow us to capture the largest number of users, property owners and renters alike in order to keep the cost as minimal as possible.Covington's dispatch center is expected to "go out of business" next month and join the Kenton County operation.
Duke Energy and Owen Rural Electric argued we lacked authority to place such a fee on utility bills, that only the state could do so. Our County Attorney Garry Edmondson disagreed, arguing we are a branch of state government, which I too agree. That being said, I still needed the majority of the Fiscal Court to agree.
Two commissioners, Kris Knochelmann and Beth Sewell, did not agree with placing the fee on the electric bills, and both voted against it. Their blocking this ordinance required the less appealing option of placing the $85 annual fee on real property parcels and granting renters in this county a free pass.
Full story: The Cincinnati Enquirer
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WORK TO BEGIN THIS WEEKEND ON PLAYGROUND THAT BURNED
Here is an update on the Sixth District School playground which was destroyed by arson earlier this summer:
Due to the nature of insurance coverage and the safety issues surrounding the area that was burned, the decision was made to have a local company come in and take care of the re-construction of the area where the re-build will take place, as well as the installation of the new structures and new ground covering. The company will not only be adding a new structure to where the destroyed section of the playground was, but they will also be slightly expanding the space and adding additional play "stations" and activities around the entire perimeter of the complete playground so that there are more things for the kids to do.The message came from Heather Abbott, chairperson of the BEST partnership between Sixth District and Gateway College.
This weekend, the US Navy Seabees, Unit NMCB26, will be installing a brand new swing set! The kids at Sixth will now have 10 swings instead of just 4! We are so thankful that the US Navy has volunteered to help us with this engineering feat!
We anticipate that the new playground and swing set will be ready to enjoy by early September!
We do plan to have a Grand Re-Opening Event after school starts. We want to make sure to include the children of Sixth District in our celebration, as well as the community, our sponsors and community partners, and city officials. Details and invitations will be sent out once we start the event planning process. Look for announcements in late September/early October!
More projects planned for this year include an educational black top mural, new litter prevention and recycling program, and a raised-bed learning garden! We also plan on repairing the marquee in front of the school and continue the beautification through additional planting and gardens throughout the park and playground area. We will keep you informed as these projects are planned and hope that you will join us!
QUICKIES
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Gov. Beshear sets special election to replace US Rep. Geoff Davis for the same day as the general election Herald-Leader
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New NKU President: We will compete Cincinnati Enquirer
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Black eye for state worker safety enforcement I Watch News
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More details on Kentucky-India coal deal WFPL
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Video: Gov. Beshear discusses tax reform commission YouTube
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Proposed law would end battle between state and Christian health care exchange WFPL
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KY Agriculture Commissioner fires leftover official from Richie Farmer's administration Courier-Journal
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Kentucky Sikhs hope to spread understanding Courier-Journal
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Coach Cal, Kentucky Sports Radio raise serious cash for West Liberty's tornado recovery efforts WKYT
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WNKU drops late night host Cincinnati Enquirer
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Kentucky man to attempt world record ax juggle WXIX
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Gettin' lucky in Kentucky: After a lucrative Powerball ticket was sold in Erlanger, a $250,000 winning lotto ticket was sold in Florence right after WXIX
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273.3 LB watermelon wins Kentucky blue ribbon WKYT
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SO, WHAT'S UP WITH THE CANTALOUPES TRYING TO KILL US ALL?
Look out:
Public Advised to Avoid Eating Melons Grown in Southwestern IndianaRead more: press release
The Department for Public Health (DPH) today reported that cantaloupes tested in the state public health laboratory carry the same strain of Salmonella associated with a statewide outbreak that health officials say is still ongoing.
The salmonellosis outbreak, which has sickened at least 50 Kentuckians and been associated with two deaths, began in early July. Through an epidemiological investigation and confirmatory lab testing, Kentucky public health officials determined that cantaloupes, which evidence indicates were grown in southwestern Indiana but purchased in Kentucky, carried the same strain of Salmonella determined to be the cause of an ongoing outbreak of infection. Salmonellosis cases caused by the outbreak strain have also been reported in other states. In addition, investigation is also continuing into other clusters of salmonella cases in Kentucky, which may be linked to cantaloupe or watermelon consumption.
“Foodborne illness is a serious threat to public health. Consumers are advised to avoid eating cantaloupes from southwestern Indiana, especially if they are at heightened risk for complications from salmonella infection,” said acting Public Health Commissioner Steve Davis, M.D. “In addition, healthcare providers are encouraged to be mindful of patients who may have symptoms consistent with salmonellosis and report all cases to the local health department.”
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GO TO THE COVINGTON FARMERS MARKET TODAY!
There will be a canning demonstration, orange safety flags passed out for wheelchairs, Josh Eagle and the Harvest City perform, and nearby at Roebling Point Bookstore is a storm drain marking class. And don't forget that the Covington Farmers Market participates in the WIC program. Thanks to the hard work of the NKY Health Department and the ACHIEVE grant, the market provides matching vouchers to double the spending power for WIC participants.
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COVINGTON QUICKIES
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C-Forward donates funds to early childhood education Facebook
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PHOTOS: Kenton County Library Covington branch renovations Facebook
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HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Holy Cross 69, Dayton 20
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HOW GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE COULD BRING MOVIES TO CINCINNATI
Film production is likely to pick up in Greater Cincinnati this year according to this report:
And while money is a major factor in where movies get made, experts assured me it’s not the only one. Another big way to lure movie production to town is through good, old-fashioned customer service, said Joe Bessacini, vice president for film and TV production incentives with Cast and Crew Entertainment Services, an entertainment industry payroll company in Burbank, Calif.Full story: Business Courier/Lucy May
“Everyone knows everyone here in the industry,” Bessacini told me. “They talk to each other, and as long as they had a positive experience, I think that definitely helps.”
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SINGING IN THE CAR MAKES YOU A WORSE DRIVER
Bad news for... me:
The research suggests that singing along requires more mental activity – which draws away some of your attention from the road. Singing drivers were more likely to vary their speeds and to drive at an overall slower rate. Interestingly, the research also shows that singing drivers had significantly less movement within lanes than those not listening to music.Full story: The Atlantic Cities
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Seems like a good opportunity to post this hilarious video about singing in a car to an annoyingly popular and catchy hit:
