PUBLIC WEIGHS IN ON CODE ENFORCEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

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by Michael Monks 

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The review of most of the departments at City Hall is now complete and as of last night the public discussion portion of the Management Partners report has also concluded. Thursday, the Cincinnati-based consulting firm recapped its twenty-five recommendations for code enforcement, community development, and housing at a packed public meeting inside Commission Chambers. 

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SEE PREVIOUSLY: Redeveloping Covington Will Take Public/Private Partnership 

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SEE PREVIOUSLY: Report: Create a Housing Strategy & Change Code Enforcement 

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For the most part, residents want more code enforcement, not less and even though the Management Partners recommendations include decreasing the department to part-time status or outsourcing to an entity such as the Northern Kentucky Area Planning Commission, it promises that code enforcement will be more productive. Most residents did not buy it.

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Nancy Ray of South Covington complained of what she called "dirtbags" taking over vacant and foreclosed buildings, warning that more foreclosures are likely on the way. James Berg of Helentown said that outsourcing the service to NKAPC would be a bad idea. "Covington code enforcement is far more in tune to Covington's needs than anything NKAPC will be able to come up with," he said. Berg also raised concerns about the efforts of the Northern Kentucky tea party and the Home Builders Association to put NKAPC on the ballot for elimination.

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Dennis Fangman of Austinburg, a member of the City's code enforcement board, thinks the decision to rid the City of the department has already been made. "I have a feeling that what's going to happen has already been decided," he said. "We keep losing more and more people because people don't want to live next to boarded up properties that aren't taken care of. Code enforcement needs more tools and the code enforcement board needs more to get things moving instead of spinning our wheels so much."
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"I don't want to see code enforcement outsourced to area planning or some private company. It needs to remain in the City where the citizens can have contact. We need code enforcement desperately. We can't do away with it."
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"Blight and code enforcement is always on top of the list of concerns," said Bill Wells of his meetings with various neighborhood groups. Wells, of South Covington, is the president of the Covington Neighborhood Collaborative. "We depend on code enforcement to keep our property value as high as it can be."
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Maurice Burden, another member of the code enforcement board, asked how the City can be more effective with fewer employees. "I spoke to code enforcement in Newport," he said of Covington's neighbor which uses part-time code enforcement officers. "I asked about the restructure. The answer I got was, 'It's different'. Not that it's working, not that it's not working. 'It's different.'"

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Another code enforcement board member also spoke. "I have grave concerns about the near future of what will happen," said Fritz Kuhlman of Kenton Hills. "Code enforcement should be toughened, more aggressive."
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But not everyone spoke highly of the department. "There is a house at 226 West Fifth that has been vacant for twenty of the twenty-one years I've lived there and no one seems to want to take care of it," said Carolyn Parker of Mutter Gottes. "It seems like I shouldn't be calling after twenty years but these properties have to be addressed."
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"We're trying to rebuild this city. We need to clean this city up and we won't clean this city up without more aggressive code enforcement," said Terry Simpson of Levassor Park. "It's not working and I don't think it's going to work. I know I won't be very popular when I leave this stand but truth is truth and truth hurts."
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SEE ALSO: Cracks emerge in unified commission at special meeting about code enforcement 

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One of the biggest offenders in the arena of blighted properties is the City of Covington which owns 288 parcels of land. Mayor Chuck Scheper said that is being addressed. He toured the city with employees from the code enforcement department. "Blighted buildings can be an opportunity for us," the mayor said. "I saw it as blight and challenging but I also saw it as an opportunity to cluster and do something. Let's cure the patient instead of just putting Band-Aids on it."
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"There are nineteen to twenty developers interested in investing in Covington but they want to know what kind of tools we have in our toolbox (in the form of tax breaks, etc). How do we monetize the value of 288 properties?"
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City Commissioner Steve Casper said that no decision has been made on the future of code enforcement, at least not yet on his end. "I've not made up my mind," he said. "We're going to listen to the department and we are open to what the resolves are."

PHOTOS & VIDEOS: DAY ONE AT OLD TIMERS IN COVINGTON'S EASTSIDE

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The twenty-sixth annual Old Timers picnic kicked off in Covington's Eastside neighborhood Friday evening with a proclamation presented by Mayor Chuck Scheper and a performance by The Kingsmen. Check out the photos and videos below:

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More photos below, just click the link!

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COMMUNITY RESPONDS TO HELP REBUILD PLAYGROUND

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July 21 was already on the calendar for the playground at Sixth District to undergo a renovation. There was to be a new swing set, a learning garden, and an educational art display to cover the adjacent asphalt. What had started as a small planned project had grown bigger thanks to grants scored from the Lowe's and the Center for Great Neighborhoods. All the plans changed, however, when a fire destroyed half the existing playground equipment in June. "We went, 'OK, we have to regroup'," said Heather Abbott, a student affairs specialist at Gateway College and chairperson of that school's partnership with Sixth District Elementary. "How can we illuminate the silver lining, so we came up with community involvement day."

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Volunteers from across Covington and the region answered the call and attended Saturday's event at Sixth District, planting flowers, donating money, offering suggestions for the new playground. City Commissioners Steve Casper & Steve Frank and Covington Independent Public Schools Superintendent Lynda Jackson raised money by volunteering to have buckets of water dumped on them for just a buck a shot. More than two-thousand dollars was raised and Lowe's has promised to match whatever money the volunteers could chip in. 

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Lynda Jackson gets a soaking after
a young girl's solid throw

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"This is truly a community school so there's going to be an outcry of support and that's wonderful because this playground was used a lot," Lynda Jackson said. The superintendent explained that the school's surveillance cameras only captured the image of a solo male fleeing the playground the night that it burned but so far no arrest has been in what police are investigating as arson. 

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The cost of the damage has been described as ranging from $30,000 to $70,000 while the cost to rebuild has ranged in estimates from $15,000 - $50,000. The school district expects to receive its three bids for the work this week. The standing equipment is still in good shape and whatever is added will be built near what wasn't burned. Danielle Eulitt of Keep Covington Beautiful, an organization also deeply involved in the original plans for the playground's renovation, anticipates more equipment for special needs students and more educational components such as litter prevention and conservation to find their ways into the rebuilt park's design. 

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In the meantime, more volunteers are responding to help. On Sunday, members of the Seven Hills Church will be sanding, staining, and resealing the existing structure. And then in August, the United States Navy is coming in to help. Heather Abbott explained that she could purchase the swing set with the funds but then what? "The United States Navy Seabees volunteered to come in and install it," she said. You can spot those Navy engineers at Sixth District on August 18 and 19.

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LOTS MORE PHOTOS FROM THE EVENT, JUST CLICK THE LINK BELOW:

PHOTOS: PEASELBURG PARADE

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The annual Independence Day Parade in Covington's Peaselburg neighborhood was a well-attended blast, even though the sun was working overtime to heat up the place. Check out photos from the event: 

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Lots more photos below, just click the link!

SPIKE JONES SWORN IN AS COVINGTON'S CHIEF OF POLICE

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Chief Spike Jones takes in a standing ovation

When he was nineteen years old, Michael "Spike" Jones sat in the office of the Covington Police Chief and asked what he needed to do to become a police officer. Twenty-seven years later an aspiring cop could wander into the police chief's office and find Jones still sitting there, but this time on the other side of the desk. Jones was sworn in as Covington's Chief of Police Friday before a packed crowd inside the City Commission Chambers at City Hall with enthusiastic, unanimous approval from city leaders.
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"I am happy and thankful to bring Spike on as the new police chief of the City of Covington," said Mayor Chuck Scheper, who admitted that before his appointment to the office last October, he had only known Jones from TV news appearances. Jones, as assistant chief, spent several years as the face of the department, always ready to answer media inquiries. On Thursday, less than twenty-four hours before officially assuming his new role, he performed both tasks, guiding invited media around town as multiple units rounded up more than thirty suspected drug dealers. 

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Mayor Chuck Scheper pins the badge on newly
sworn-in Chief Spike Jones

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"We have a lot of work to do and challenges to overcome, both economic and operational, but one thing we cannot lose sight of is who we are here to serve, the people of Covington," Jones said after being sworn by Judge Doug Grothaus and having his badge pinned on by Mayor Scheper. "I am proud and honored to take this position but most of all I am honored to be a Covington police officer."

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The pride was shared by all members of the City Commission. "This is a good day for all of us," said Commissioner Sherry Carran. Commissioner Casper recommended a headline for media coverage: "Covington Spikes It Rich".

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"This is my happiest to do something this wonderful for this town," said Commissioner Steve Casper. "I can't think of a better way to end this week," said Commissioner Shawn Masters, adding that Friday was the proudest day of his term. Jones's swearing-in ceremony was drummed into reality by the Eastside Drummers, a group of kids mentored by the new chief, a former member of the marching band at Holmes High School from which he graduated in 1984. From there he earned degrees from Eastern Kentucky University, the FBI National Academy, and a master's degree from Northern Kentucky University.

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Also beaming with pride in the large crowd was Spike's father, Jack Jones, who remembered his son wanting to be chief for as long as he could remember. "It means a lot to him and to me, and a lot to our neighbors," said Jack Jones. "We're very, very proud of him. It goes back to his first year on duty. The police chief told me that Spike would have his job someday."

Jack Jones raises his hand when recognized by his son

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LOTS MORE PHOTOS FROM THE CEREMONY BELOW, JUST CLICK THE LINK!

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SPECIFICS WILL COME LATER FOR COVINGTON'S NEW BUDGET

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City Manager Larry Klein

"It rains an awful lot and having a rainy day fund that is less than one week's payroll is not much of a rainy day fund," said Covington Mayor Chuck Scheper at Thursday night's special meeting of the City Commission. "A city our size should have a reserve of five-percent of its general fund, or $2.5 million." But as the 2011-12 fiscal year comes to a close at the end of this month, there is far less than two-and-a-half million dollars. There is a paltry $449,080 or less than one week of the City's payroll expenses. Worse still, had the City not adopted Commissioner Shawn Masters's long proposed tax amnesty plan which generated roughly $400,000, there would be less than fifty-thousand dollars in the City's checking account.

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While there was a technical vote on the agenda to approve the moving-around of some line-items from the 2011-12 budget, this meeting was about the approval of next year's budget, one that hopes to bear little resemblance to the shaky one that ends Sunday. But before the new budget could be presented, the old financial wounds of the past year were reopened and reexamined one last time. City Commissioner Steve Frank even dusted off his familiar refrain about what inspired him to run for the office, a stint on the City's audit committee. 

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"We saw this train wreck coming and our warnings were not heeded," Frank said. "It's unsustainable what we've been doing for many, many, many years. We're going to put this last travesty of a budget to bed." And then, nearly one year to the day that the budget was originally passed, the 2011-12 budget was voted on and approved one last time. 

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Specifics will come later

The new budget for fiscal year 2012-13 was unanimously and enthusiastically adopted by the City Commission following its presentation by City Manager Larry Klein and finance director Bob Due. This is a budget that aims to do more with less, so that more will be available to the City in the coming years. Klein emphasized that there are no and will be no tax increases. In fact, the City's payroll tax will be lowered from 2.5% to 2.45% and while Covington's coffers will likely collect $600,000 less in that area than it did last year, to Klein, it is a good thing, for now. "Payroll tax rates play a role in where companies look to locate," Klein said. 

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Additionally, the budget calls for $2 million in infrastructure spending, which is $500,000 more than last year. Members of the current City Commission have frequently accused previous administrations of not spending enough in that area in order to balance their books. The numbers back up that accusation. From 2007 through 2011, only half a million was spent annually on road repairs and the like. The amount was increased to $1.5 million in 2012. 

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But what about the other anticipated cuts and the recommended reorganization of City Hall and its departments presented by an outside consulting firm Tuesday night? No one knows for sure. The budget was passed with a high amount of generalities and a low amount of specifics. What is known for sure is that 2012-13's budget is projected to have $2 million less than 2011-12's and that cuts are going to come from somewhere, including personnel. 

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"I feel sorry for the people in a state of limbo because it's a time of uncertainty and we will be deliberate about that," Mayor Scheper said. "We're going to do it with open eyes and open ears." To filter out the consultants' recommendations and planned cuts the mayor promises to meet with department heads in the next two weeks, and to schedule public hearings within the next thirty days, and then within the next sixty days more specific details will be known. "We still have work to do and we're going to do it as quickly and thoughtfully as possible to put this city on a better path to the future. Doing more of the same won't solve the problems of today or tomorrow."

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Commissioner Steve Casper referenced this week's bankruptcy filing by the City of Stockton, California, the nation's largest municipal bankruptcy ever. "We here in Covington are not letting it happen. It is tough, but for you all to have jobs and streets to work on we have to do this and we'll be better for it in the long run," Casper said to the city employees at the meeting. He invited suggestions from all employees. "We're all ears," Casper said. 

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Commissioner Sherry Carran also described the forthcoming decisions as tough, but said that she is confident in the changes that are to happen. "(NKU President) James Votruba was at a legislative caucus earlier this year and said the number one responsibility of leadership is to accept reality and that's what this is, this is reality," Carran said. "This budget is addressing infrastructure needs and at the same time, is getting us to a better spot where we'll be providing services more effectively. We have to change in order to stay ahead of the times. In a year or two years from now we're probably going to be better than we've ever been."

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SEE SLIDES FROM THE BUDGET PRESENTATION BELOW, JUST CLICK THE LINK!

CITY HEIGHTS STREETS LIKELY TO BE FIXED AFTER ALL

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City Heights/file photo

The crumbling streets of the City Heights housing project will likely be fully replaced this year. The City was to repair and repave the streets one more time as part of an agreement before handing control of them to the Housing Authority of Covington which would operate them as private streets, giving them the option of keeping undesirable troublemakers out of the neighborhood. But at last week's city commission meeting it was learned that HAC may have changed its mind on wanting control of the streets as it pursued a federal grant to redevelop the site. Following that meeting, the City and HAC had conversations and cleared up any confusion and now they are back on track to fulfill the goals of the resolutions passed by both entities last year in regards to the streets of City Heights. 

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"The (city) engineers have indicated that they would be totally rebuilt with a ten to fifteen year lifespan that gets us to the point to where we would have made a decision on (the future of) City Heights," said Aaron Wolfe-Bertling, executive director of HAC. "There's still some legal processes that yet need to occur that would transfer those streets over and we're confident that they will be repaired this construction season."

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City Commissioner Steve Casper, who also sits on the Board of Commissioners at HAC, said he made several phone calls to the parties involved following last Tuesday's city commission meeting. "Behind the scenes, when I found out (HAC) hadn't had a formal change of heart, I posed to the chairman (of the HAC Board, Glenn Kukla) that I was going to demand one of two things: either we uphold the resolution and take ownership of the streets and the City pave the streets, or if we're reversing, then HAC pay for the streets," Casper said. "But the streets had to get done. It was no longer acceptable to continue its present condition, but fortunately it's going the way it's supposed to go."

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Wolfe-Bertling described the streets at City Heights as suffering from significant erosion. "The sub-base will be replaced and then once that's completed, then the streets will be rebuilt and repaved and new asphalt will be put overt the whole site," Wolfe-Bertling said.
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An order/resolution to move forward with the City Heights streets project could appear on next Tuesday's city commission agenda. Though they were absent from the streets project presentation last Tuesday, City Manager Larry Klein said the City Heights streets were never officially removed from the City's planned repaving work list for this upcoming work cycle because none of the work had officially started. "We felt like there might be some discussion about this following the commission meeting," Klein said. 

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Street repair & replacement important to redevelopment

Another issue is at play with the need to fix the streets of City Heights. The housing project sits high atop a valuable hill with sweeping vistas of the woods and the City. It is the desire of the Housing Authority to redevelop the area either with new public housing or, more likely, a private development. HAC applied for a federal planning grant in 2011 and just missed out on receiving it, but according to Wolfe-Bertling, the HAC Board decided to move forward in developing a plan for the area. Wolfe-Bertling predicts that any significant work is ten to fifteen years away but Commissioner Casper is more optimistic. 

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"I don't believe it will be that long," he said. "We're looking at a number of options and I'm not convinced that we wouldn't be able to find money somewhere along the way. It's an important piece of property that needs attention. It could be private money, depending on circumstances, but overall, it's part of the needed housing strategy that Covington has to put forth, what is the best way to deal with public housing, in a cluster form or in a scattered form, or possibly even beyond the city limits."

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Meanwhile, Wolfe-Bertling said that City Heights and other Covington public housing faces $210 million worth of infrastructure needs over the next ten years. "(HAC is) the utility company in most of City Heights and Latonia Terrace," he said. "We're responsible for the gas lines on the properties and in the case Latonia Terrace, those were built in the 1930s. City Heights, the 1950s. So, it's an ongoing concern that if infrastructure continues to age with reductions in funding from HUD (US Department of Housing & Urban Development), it would be irresponsible if we were not looking for redevelopment opportunities for that site."

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HAC may pursue another federal grant in the near future to speed up the planning process for the City Heights site.

NEWS ROUND-UP -- THURSDAY MORNING 31 MAY

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MAKESHIFT MEMORIAL APPEARS ON 8TH STREET DOWNTOWN

This display was erected to honor the memory of Jonathan Lowe, 40, who was stabbed to death two weeks ago on Eighth Street near Madison Avenue in Downtown Covington. Last week, interim Covington Police Chief Spike Jones told The River City News that he was optimistic that an arrest would be made soon, but so far there has been no public acknowledgement of an arrest. (If you have additional information, call Covington PD at 859.292.2222). 

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Just this morning...

Commonwealth's Attorney Rob Sanders sent out this tweet: 

Big arrest last nite. Look for release from @CovingtonPD ! Great work by Det.Brian Fuller, Det.Corey Warner & Officer David Hoyle!#KYcrime 

No further details were immediately available.

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MORE SUPPORT FOR COVINGTON'S BRENT SPENCE CHANGES

City Commissioner Steve Casper reports at The River City News Facebook page: 

We received a letter of support from Ohio Senator Brown after Commissioner Frank, Larry Klein and myself met with his Cincy off. Very appreciative he stepped forward with his leadership.

Kentucky's US Senators Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul joined NKY Congressman Geoff Davis and Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory in lending their support to Covington's desired changes to the Brent Spence Bridge project.  
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Read Davis's letter in support of Covington in Wednesday's evening round-up at the link below.
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WEDNESDAY HEADLINES
A full report from Tuesday night's critically important city commission meeting; Plus, Rep. Geoff Davis writes a letter on behalf of Covington; And, KET takes a look at The Carnegie. More Covington News Than Any Other Source -- at the link! 
The RC News: Wednesday Evening Round-Up 
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COVINGTON SCHOOL BOARD TO MEET TONIGHT
The meeting is at 7:00PM inside the Board of Education (across from City Hall on Seventh Street). The agenda includes the hiring of an additional school psychologist for the 2012-13 school year and the pursuit of a school counseling grant from the federal government: 

This competition focuses on enhancing school counseling programs. If funded, this grant would place one additional full-time guidance counselor at Holmes Middle School and a certified school social worker at Holmes Middle School and Holmes High School (total of three new staff).
We are working closely with Dr. Brett Zyromski of Northern Kentucky University’s School Counseling program to develop our application. Included in our proposal are plans for extensive training for current and new guidance counselors as well as the school social workers, specifically in the areas of data-driven comprehensive school counseling. Funding will also support specific bullying prevention activities.
Our grant request will be approximately $1,100,000 for the three-year funding period. 

Read the full agenda here 
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CITIZENS SUMMIT TONIGHT AT CENTER FOR GREAT NEIGHBORHOODS

The Covington Citizens Summit is tonight from 6:30PM - 8:30PM at the Center for Great Neighborhoods, 1650 Russell Street. RSVP: rachel@greatneighborhoods.org 

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FRIENDS OF COVINGTON TO HONOR JIM & DONNA SALYERS TONIGHT

Jim & Donna Salyers will receive the 2012 Covington Award tonight. From the Friends of Covington: 

 Jim & Donna Salyers have brought a significant vitality to the Central Business District of Covington. With their purchase of the Woolworth five and dime, they preserved and enhanced a historic asset in Covington. It did not take long to see that this creative and dynamic couple would contribute to Covington in many ways; ways that may be counted simply by the tens of thousands of patrons and clients who have danced upon the floors of their renovated landmarks and those who have crossed the thresholds of their many business ventures throughout Covington. Come join us as we honor them. Reservations ($50) can be made by phoning your Friends' Secretary, Sue Corken (859.261.1762), before noon on Wednesday, May 30th. We are keeping Sue very busy these days, so leave a message if she is not available. We will accept checks at the door but please call ahead to let us know you can join us for the 24th Annual Covington Award presentation.

As of Tuesday there were still tickets available, and while the deadline has obviously passed, it may be worth a phone call if you want to honor these two great Covington business leaders.  

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QUICKIES

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Governor Beshear to sign synthetic drug bill today WKYT 

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Child enticement reported in Fort Thomas NKY Spot 

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Environmental group sues to protect crayfish in Kentucky Herald-Leader 

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Bones found in glacier belong to missing Kentucky hiker Associated Press 

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Governor's coal county scholarship program criticized Courier-Journal 

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Stan Chesley case among those to go before Kentucky's Supreme Court in the next session press release 

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Whiskey "fungus" causing damage to homes in Louisville area? WFPL 

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iHigh gets $12 million investment (You use iHigh if you watch high school sports online) Herald-Leader 

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Commonwealth issues swim advisories press release 

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Cincinnati metro is gaining population Business Courier 

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700 WLW HOST BILL CUNNINGHAM PRAISES OTR. WAIT, WHAT?

Local blowhard Willie Cunningham had some sort of epiphany that Cincinnati is not the run-down violent town that he and his station portray it as: 

Then walked over to Washington Park. I couldn’t believe that – which is right in the front door of Music Hall. Couldn’t believe what I’m seeing. There were thousands of good people there, black and white, with so many people there had to be a valet service for all the parking. We went to three restaurants and they were packed with a two hour wait. This was like at 6:30 at night and I thought to myself “I must be living here in some alternative universe.” And this was during the so-called Taste of Cincinnati and we were north of Central Parkway well away from the Taste and the restaurants were packed. I’m thinking to myself “Something right is going on. Maybe I should spend less of my time crapping all over the city of Cincinnati and more time experiencing it” is what I thought of myself.  

What a novel idea, Willie. Full transcript and audio at the link below. 

Over-the-Rhine 

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MEANWHILE: Ongoing demolitions threaten Downtown Cincinnati historic districts Urban Cincy 

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DESTINATION: GRADUATION PROFILE

Another soon-to-be-graduate from Holmes High School. From Covington Independent Public Schools: 

That empathy and kindness will help Jabriesha as she pursues a degree to become a nurse practitioner. She plans to attend Eastern Kentucky University this fall. Her plans include getting a good-paying job that she enjoys and having two children. “You need a good-paying job to be successful,” she said.
Jabriesha has taken to heart lessons she’s learned from being involved at school. She was part of the Covington Mentoring Program starting in sixth grade. Her mentor taught her how to save money, but also how to give back to the community. As a high school student, Jabriesha participated last year in a one-on-one tutoring program with an elementary student. She went twice a week and read to a student and helped her with her grammar.
“She got all excited when she learned words,” Jabriesha said.From her involvement in Holmes’ International Baccalaureate program, Jabriesha learned time management and not to procrastinate, she said. The IB program offers a challenging curriculum that is recognized at leading universities across the world. 

Read more about Jabriesha here. 

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FIGHT PLASTIC BAGS IN COVINGTON!

Keep Covington Beautiful shares this information: 

Plastic Bags are blighting our city and polluting our waterways. During my routine run I collected 3 plastic bags from the Roebling bridge. Support the elimination of single use plastic carryout bags. 

KCB has started a new page on Facebook called "Bag It Town NKY": 

Bag It Towns are municipalities that systematically reduce the collective consumption of single-use disposable bags.Bag It Town requirements (must meet one):
- Voluntarily ban the free distribution of plastic and paper single-use disposable bags at grocery stores or town-wide.
- Pass ordinance applying a minimum fee of 10 cents per single-use disposable plastic and paper bags at all grocery stores or town-wide.
- Pass ordinance banning plastic bags completely and apply a minimum fee of 10 cents on all single-use paper bags at all grocery stores or town-wide. 

Click here to follow.

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HAVE YOU BEEN WATCHING THE HATFIELDS & MCCOYS MINISERIES?

The three-part series last night ended after breaking ratings records for cable programming and it may boost tourism in Kentucky. Here's a rundown on all the news: 

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Epic ratings for Hatfields & McCoys The New York Times 

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Hatfields & McCoys could boost tourism in Pike County 84 WHAS 

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Commonwealth of Kentucky invites you to visit the site of the Hatfields & McCoys feud press release 

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SEE ALSO: Kentucky also invites you to retrace the journey of Daniel Boone press release 

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SPEAKING OF FEUDS...

The Kentucky-Indiana basketball rivalry reached another level of drama Wednesday... 

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Report: UK rejected IU scheduling compromise Herald-Leader 

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Statement from UK Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart UK Athletics 

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Matt Jones: Breaking Up With Past Hoosier Love Kentucky Sports Radio 

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Columnist: UK, don't even think of ending rivalry with UofL Courier-Journal 

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Lost in neutral court debate is effect on local economy Herald-Leader 

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SEE ALSO: Coach Cal's letter to players in the off-season KSR 

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SEE ALSO: Anthony Davis is likely headed to New Orleans (again!) Courier-Journal 

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STOLEN: DONATIONS FOR ONE-EYE, NO-TAIL, NO-MEOW, DIABETIC CAT!

Who would do such a thing? WKYT reports: 

With most things back in place,something meaningful to English and the rest of the Century 21 staff was not returned. "It's Albert's money that we lost and we didn't get it back," English says. Albert, the only witness to the crime is the real victim.
"Because he's so sweet and we all all love him," adds English. "He has one eye missing, his tail is missing, his little "meower" is missing. And then he was diagnosed with diabetes," English says. Two things are still missing, candy from the candy jar and Albert's money. 

An arrest has been made. Watch here.

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COVINGTON'S BROTHERHOOD SINGERS WARM UP BEFORE WXIX APPEARANCE

From WXIX