360 Fireworks Party

360 Fireworks Party

Thursday, July 12, 2012

HOUSE GIVES FAMILY SECOND CHANCE AT HOME

THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE
| 
|
by Michael Monks 
Email Michael
|
After a dispute with neighbors in Newport that led to her house being shot up, police suggested that Merlyn Mabrey move her family from that street. The divorced, single mother says the shooting instilled fear in her three young children. "I got my kids out, they were scared to be there," Mabrey said. Housing Opportunities of Northern Kentucky (HONK) contacted Mabrey and told her that they may have something for her. The faith-based non-profit has rehabbed seventy-five homes and built thirty-six in Northern Kentucky over the past twenty years and on Wednesday unveiled its latest completed project on Cavanaugh Street near Linden Grove Cemetery in Covington.
|
HONK offers prospective home buyers who need a little more time to fix credit scores or save cash for a down payment to participate in its lease-purchase program, as Mabrey and her kids are doing. Not only is Mabrey's family getting a second chance at home, the house offered a second chance at life for several youths, too. HONK collaborates with Youth Build, a program that is run out of the Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission to help young adults (ages 16-24) to earn their GED, enroll in college, and earn a carpentry certificate.
|
“YouthBuild does such great work and this project has been no exception,” says David Hastings, HONK’s Executive Director. “The prior owners used the house as a good rental property for many years. Our goal was to take it up a notch and make improvements that would provide a quality homeownership opportunity to a local family.”
|
The house on Cavanaugh was purchased by HONK last November and since then, young workers from Youth Build upgraded the kitchen and bathrooms, carved out a third bedroom, installed new ceilings and ceramic tile, painted the interior, and refinished the hardwood floors. Hastings calls the HONK/Youth Build partnership a great model to transform lives and improve the community at the same time. 
|

|
Mabrey, meanwhile, expects to finish her master's degree in business by the end of the year and hopes someday to open her own bookstore. She has spent the past seventeen years as an instructor for children with behavior problems at Sixth District Elementary School in Covington. Looking around her new home, many visions for the future emerge. "I'm very excited," she said. "My kids have been through so much. This house has been a blessing."
|
PHOTOS FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE BELOW, JUST CLICK THE LINK!
Click Here For More
Posted by at No comments:
More Stories About: , , ,

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

NEWS ROUND-UP -- WEDNESDAY EVENING 11 JULY


THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE
| 
|
by Michael Monks 
Email Michael
|
COVINGTON COP SAVES 3 PEOPLE, ANIMALS FROM BURNING HOME
One of our police officers is credited with helping to save three lives, alerting people inside a burning home to get out. He also saved the dog and three birds. Meanwhile, a man inside the home says he was targeted by an arsonist. Full story at the link.
|
SCHOOL DISTRICT CHOOSES SHERIFFS OVER POLICE TO SAVE MONEY
EXCLUSIVE: The Covington School Board will save more than $100,000 by using the Kenton Co. Sheriff's Office instead of the Covington Police Department to provide school resource officers. The vote put a dent in the City's budget, but that may already be accounted for, and on the upside, more officers are coming to the streets. Full story at the link.
|
COVINGTONIANS RETURN AFLOAT "RAFTER CLYDE"
Here is a great story about riverboat captain Don Sanders, a Covington native and river dweller, who has purchased a small steamboat and journeyed down the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, documenting the trip on Facebook. Via WKRC:

Don Sanders's brother Bob Sanders has a law office in Covington and his nephew Rob Sanders is the Kenton County Commonwealth's Attorney.
Follow the Rafter Clyde on Facebook Click Here 
|
DON'T MISS THIS MORNING'S NEWS
Firefighters blame budget cuts for delayed response to overnight fire in Covington; Transportation officials say Covington's "last chance" exit would cause crashes; WCPO anchor and Covington resident Katherine Nero announces she has breast cancer. Plus, a Kentucky woman sues porn companies over alleged extortion. Those stories and much more at the link.
|
CAN CITY DWELLERS HAVE NICE THINGS?
Recently, The River City News published this photo:
Those discarded cigarette butts litter the sidewalk near a bus stop on one Covington's most important thoroughfares, Pike Street. Trouble is, the photo could have been snapped on many blocks around town where people who don't seem to give a damn just throw their trash on the ground for others to pick up. Others rarely pick it up. Covington is filthy. But, it's not alone:
The other day I was down at the beach in Coney Island. The tragedy of the commons was all around me – evidence aplenty that we cannot, in fact, have nice things. People were tossing their trash right next to their beach towels, and as the tide came in, the garbage was swept into the water, where it bobbed alongside all the little kids and old folks and parents and teenagers who were splashing in the waves, finding relief from the brutal heat.
No one besides me seemed to care about the trash. Everyone else appeared quite happy with the way things were. I picked up what I could, clearing a little patch of beach around myself and my son, because I really couldn’t bear to see the detritus get sucked under into the only Atlantic we have. I felt like a chump. That is part of the tragedy of the commons – that stinging sense of embarrassment at trying to make something nice when no one else gives a damn.
I’m familiar with this feeling from a lifetime of living in cities and being a total civic nerd. Fortunately, it doesn’t really bother me any longer.
Halfway up the beach was a corral full of garbage cans, with signs telling people not to litter, admonishing visitors to keep “your beach” clean. I dumped a couple of bags of garbage in those cans, wondering if and how more people could be convinced to do the same, how the sweating masses of New York could come to feel that “their beach,” and their ocean, should not be filled with junk.
I’ll confess: It wasn’t a high point for my relationship with my hometown.
Raise your hand if you've had a similar experience in Covington.
READ THE FULL STORY: Can City Dwellers Have Nice Things?
|
QUICKIES
|
Former state legislator, teacher dies one year after head injury suffered while breaking up a fight cn|2
|
Kentucky ends fiscal year with $83 million left over Herald-Leader
|
KY falls to 36 on CNBC list of best states in which to do business Business Courier 
|
Government contract review examines if Kentucky is getting biggest bang for its buck cn|2 
|
Attorney General Jack Conway's cyber crimes unit turns 4 press release 
|
Kentucky's Department of Financial Institutions turns 100 press release 
|
PREGNANT LESBIAN AND PARTNER BOOTED FROM KY PARK AFTER KISS
A Kentucky woman and her female partner are expecting a baby in September and like many of their heterosexual counterparts, hired a photographer to take maternity pictures. After a gatekeeper at the park witnessed the couple kiss, they were ordered to leave:
“They were a little reluctant, and they kissed so quickly that I wasn’t even able to take a picture of it,” she said.
After that, the park gatekeeper approached them again.
“He said that we had to leave and that it was inappropriate,” Miller-Poole said.
Miller-Poole’s husband accompanies her on all photo shoots, she said.
“He talked to the man and said that if it was because they were two women, that he wanted to know,” Miller-Poole said. “The man said, ‘Those type of people were not welcomed there,’” she said. “My husband ended up getting very angry and had to walk away.”
Miller-Poole said she conducts photo shoots at the park frequently and was trying to understand if she was banned from the park permanently or just with same-sex couples as clients.
“The man said, ‘If you come back and bring those type of people, you will be removed from the park,’” she said. “I never understood why people make such a big deal about being treated differently until I was actually in the middle of it and witnessed it firsthand. It really bothered me and upset me to witness someone be so cruel.”
Full story: Richmond Register/Ronica Shannon
|
THE PLOT THICKENS IN THE CHANNEL 5/INSIGHT/TIME WARNER DISPUTE
After being unable to reach an agreement, Time Warner/Insight yanked WLWT from the cable line-up, but decided to air a station out of Terre Haute in its place. Time Warner did something similar in Louisville and Orlando where they were also unable to reach agreements with local stations owned by Hearst, which owns Channel 5 here. Trouble is, the owners of the stations airing in place of the local ones never gave permission. Via Ad Week:
"We believe Time Warner on an unauthorized basis in an illegal manner misappropriated our signals from three markets. Nexstar intends to pursue all legal and regulatory remedies to cause Time Warner to cease and desist misappropriating signals," a Nexstar spokesperson said in a statement.
However, Time Warner sees this as a legal loophole. "We are acting well within our rights, as we have in the past, in trying to help our subscribers through this," said a TWC spokesperson. 
But the drama doesn't end there. Via John Kiesewetter:
Time Warner has been forced to block afternoon programming on Terre Haute NBC affiliate WTWO-TV — which replaced WLWT-TV Tuesday — because a Cincinnati station has exclusive syndication rights to the shows. Time Warner can’t show “Divorce Court” now (2 p.m.) or “People’s Court” (3 p.m.) from the Terre Haute station because WSTR-TV (Channel 64) has rights to those programs here. Channel 64 complained after seeing the shows on Time Warner yesterday.
If you're keeping score, Time Warner is now blacking out programming on the replacement channel it is (possibly) illegally broadcasting in place of the local station that it is blacked out.
|
LOL: RATINGS UP AS TIME WARNER REPLACES WLWT WITH TEST SIGNAL
From the humor guys at Derf Magazine:
Due to a contract battle with WLWT’s parent company, Time Warner Cable dropped Channel 5 from it's cable lineup. Time Warner replaced the Channel 5 signal with a test pattern, which resulted in a significant viewership spike. Neilsen officials say the Channel 5 test pattern popularity has nearly exceeded that of the rotating hot dog machine on a closed circuit TV at a local UDF.
More LOLz: Derf Magazine
|
AWWW...
Watch champion filly Zenyatta's baby grow:
Many more awwwdorable photos here: Zenyatta 
Posted by at No comments:
More Stories About: , , , , ,

OFFICER ALERTS TENANT TO FIRE, TENANT SAYS HE WAS TARGETED

THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE
| 
|
by Michael Monks 
Email Michael
|
Jerry Black (L) and Covington Police
Officer Mike Lusardi
Jerry Black had just popped a Xanax for his bipolar disorder putting him into a deep sleep when his wife shook him awake after hearing loud knocking at the door. Outside, Covington Police Officer Mike Lusardi, who had just pulled up to Black's home on Wood Street, was trying to alert anyone that may be inside that the house was engulfed in flames. Lusardi had just assisted in an arrest nearby when the call went out that a house was on fire and he was the first on the scene along with his new partner of six days, Ernie, the department's newest K-9.
|
Back inside, Black, his wife, and another female finally rose from their slumber, heeding Lusardi's call to make a quick exit and to seek safety across the street. However, there were still a dog and three birds inside so after helping the people reach a safe distance from the flames, Lusardi assisted Black in saving his pets. The Covington Fire Department responded moments later, sweeping through the rest of the house and extinguishing the fire. 
|
The house, a duplex with one vacant half, is mostly lost. Black had hoped to own the property but said a deal fell through and that someone else also had his eye on the building and Black believes that's the man police should be looking for in this case that is being investigated as arson. "He wants to turn it into a drug house and a whore house," Black said Wednesday afternoon. He is also convinced that this man is the same one that stopped by just hours after the fire and taunted him, promising to torch Black's other house on Banklick Street, a building that is not fit for living yet. "He said, 'I'm a get you white boy'."
|
"What am I supposed to do? Sleep there?" Black asked. In the meantime, he will be sleeping at the Marriott for the next two nights and then with friends until a suitable home is found. No arrests have been made. 
|
As for Lusardi, being the first on the scene of a fire and alerting the people inside is just another day on the job. "I feel like I did my job at night. People's lives were in danger," Lusardi said. He has no trouble explaining situations like the Wood Street fire at home. His wife Sarah Lusardi is also a Covington Police officer. Together they have a 9-month old son, Levi. Ernie, the K-9, is the newest member of the family and after rescuing Jerry Black and his two companions from the burning home the officer and his dog hit the streets to respond to more calls, including the busting up of a drug deal at 9th & Main Streets.
|
Ernie is not ready for drug busts yet, but Lusardi has the K-( in narcotics training starting Wednesday so that he is prepared for future runs. Lusardi, meanwhile, is busy learning his new dog's full German name. "I had to write it down," he said, taking out his smart phone. Ernie Von Diamant Grenze. He'll respond to Ernie, though. Lusardi, however, won't respond to "hero". "I was just doing my job, nothing outrageous."
|
Investigators believe this is an arson case. If you have any information, call Covington Police at 859.292.2222 or Crime Stoppers at 513.352.3040. 
|



Posted by at No comments:
More Stories About: , , ,

SCHOOLS CHOOSE SHERIFFS OVER COVINGTON PD TO SAVE MONEY

THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE
| 
|
by Michael Monks 
Email Michael
|
When students return to Covington Independent Public Schools in August, they will not see Covington Police officers serving the district. Instead, the Covington School Board voted to accept a bid from the Kenton County Sheriff's Office to provide for school resource officers. SROs have been provided by Covington Police since the 2002-03 school year when the program was first implemented through a federal grant. The change is an unexpected hit to Covington's budget in the amount of $150,000, but that fiscal hole may already be more than accounted for with the retirement of two officers Tuesday night, according to City Manager Larry Klein, who explained that those positions will not be filled.
|
The school board's decision was based on saving money. Covington offered to provide three officers at a cost between $200-$225,000 annually while the sheriff's office offered the same at $118,500. "I feel for those (Covington) officers because they've been very committed to the district and the kids and staff, but it was in no way a quality of service issue," said Ken Kippenbrock, Director of Pupil Personnel at CIPS, and a former Covington Police officer who was the first SRO assigned to the district. "To be able to save just shy of a hundred thousand dollars, it was just too much for the Board not to do that and we're grateful to the Sheriff's office for agreeing to work with us. They are not benefiting from this in any way financially."
|
The huge difference in the amount for each department's bids is at least partially the result of a clause in the contract between the City and the Fraternal Order of Police which forbids the hiring of any part-time police officers. Any Covington officer working as a school resource officer is a full-time employee of the city with a salary, health care benefits, and a pension contribution. The sheriff's office, on the other hand, can employ retired officers to work 1,200 hours per year at six hours and forty-five minutes a day for 177 days. That makes those officers exempt from hazardous duty pension contributions and health care costs.
|
Kippenbrock explained that a school resource officer's day is broken into thirds. After being trained by the National Association of School Resource Officers, an SRO spends a third of his or her time in a classroom talking about the law or government, or teaching subject-specific police-related material. Another third of the day is spent counseling students who may be vulnerable to criminal activity. The other third is spent performing traditional law enforcement duties on campus. The Covington School Board is expected to approve the specifics of the contract between the district and the sheriff's office at its next meeting, July 26.
|
On the upside for Covington, there will be more police officers on the street. "Our goal is to put more of a police presence out in the public, so we'll redeploy them to the neighborhoods," said Chief of Police Spike Jones. "We certainly enjoyed being able to provide services and the interaction between us and the students." Additionally, when Covington's 911 emergency dispatch center closes later this year, two officers assigned there full-time will also return to patrolling the streets, according to City Manager Klein.
Posted by at 1 comment:
More Stories About: , , , , ,

NEWS ROUND-UP -- WEDNESDAY MORNING 11 JULY


THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE
| 
|
by Michael Monks 
Email Michael
|
UPDATE: WKRC reports that the fire may be an arson case WKRC
|
BROWNOUT BLAMED FOR DELAY IN RESPONSE TO COVINGTON FIRE
A house on Wood Street in the Eastside burned overnight displacing one family and leaving the Covington Fire Department to blame budget cuts for a delay in response time: 
The residence is about a half mile from a Covington Fire Department station that would normally dispatch crews, however, because of recent budget cuts, the engine was dispatched from Covington's much farther Station 8.
The nearest station to the fire was located at Station 1, 100 East Robbins Street -- a distance of .4 miles from the house, according to Google Maps. Station 8 is located at 3315 Church Street, a distance of 2.1 miles, according to Google Maps. Check maps below to see the distances between the stations and the house. 
No one was hurt.
Full story: WCPO
|
COVINGTON MURDER VICTIM'S SISTER: 'I HOPE YOU DIE IN THERE'
The man convicted of beating to death another man inside a Covington home was sentenced to prison Tuesday:
“I should be able to beat him in the way that he beat my brother to death,” Tammy Callen said at Leslie Haun’s sentencing on Tuesday in Kenton Circuit Court.
Haun, 47, of Covington received a 20-year sentence after previously pleading guilty to murder. He used an aluminum bat and table leg to beat to death his Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor, Shain Pierce.
“I hope you die in there,” Callen yelled at Haun.
Cincinnati Enquirer/Jim Hannah
Leslie Haun
|
COVINGTON CITY COMMISSION RECAP
How the City is preparing to help Lewisburg recover from any damage caused by the Brent Spence Bridge project; The trailer involved in the backhoe accident involving a city employee in Devou Park will be sold; Plus, check out the new mural going up in Latonia. Click the link!
|
More on the proposed changes to the Brent Spence Bridge project:
Thursday’s gathering in Covington Commission Chambers, 638 Madison Ave., will deal with concerns over the proposed “last-chance” exit from southbound I-75 to Covington. The city earlier feared that without the exit business would be lost. But officials have been moved by designers’ arguments that the proposed plans would give southbound I-75 motorists plenty of opportunity to exit to Covington.
Kentucky transportation officials also have made arguments that Covington’s proposed “last-chance” exit could cause wrecks for exiting vehicles.
Full story: Cincinnati Enquirer/Mike Rutledge
|
WCPO ANCHOR, COVINGTON RESIDENT ANNOUNCES SHE HAS BREAST CANCER
Katherine Nero, the longtime morning anchor at WCPO (Channel 9) and Covington resident, explained her two-week absence Wednesday morning in a teary commentary announcing that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Via WCPO:

|
KENTON COUNTY COMMISSION HEARS OBJECTIONS TO 911 FEES
As the Kenton County Judge-Executive and the Fiscal Court try to figure out a way to pay for a merged 911 emergency dispatch center, residents are objecting to the proposed $6 fee on electric bills:
“I just don’t believe it’s right for our government to expect a business to collect the fees for it...’’ said Independence resident Margaret Cook. “I just don’t think we should be expecting a private company to do something for the government.” Kenton County Commissioner Jon Draud asked: “Are you aware of the fact that school taxes are on utility bills right now?” “That doesn’t make it right, Mr. Draud,” Cook responded.
Duke Energy also opposes the additional fee to electric bills. Full story: Cincinnati Enquirer/Cindy Schroeder  
| 
Meanwhile... Duke Energy seeks a rate hike for its customers in Ohio around Cincinnati WLWT  
| 
SEE ALSO: Duke Energy to North Carolina regulators: CEO's salary is not guaranteed Cincinnati Enquirer  
|
HANDS PIKE FROM TAYLOR MILL ROAD TO CLOSE FOR 30 DAYS From the City of Covington:
Construction continues on Taylor Mill Road (KY 16) between Sunbrite Drive and Kleete Road. Traffic patterns have been shifted to temporary alignments, use caution and watch for flaggers and construction traffic entering and leaving the roadway. The speed limit throughout the project is reduced to 30 MPH. A signed detoured is in place for the Oak Ridge Baptist Church to use Clubhouse Drive. Beginning at 7:00 am on Monday July 16, 2012, Hands Pike (KY 1501) will be closed at its intersection with Taylor Mill Rd. (KY 16). The closure will last for 30 days. Traffic detours will be posted using Senour Rd. (KY 2047 ) and 3-L Highway (KY 17).
| 
QUICKIES 
| 
Cincinnati Mayor works to remove anti-streetcar language from transportation bill WXIX  
| 
Video: Rep. John Yarmuth blasts GOP over health care reform repeal vote YouTube  
| 
The case for health care reform in Kentucky KY Forward  
|
Toyota Camry, made in Georgetown, is deemed "most American made" USA Today  
| 
Column: Dangers of mountaintop removal Daily Independent  
| 
Dry Ridge company helps bust its employees for drug use, trafficking WKRC  
| 
Charter schools raise educational standards of vulnerable children The Economist  
| 
KY Democratic leader's role in hiring of state prison worker questioned Herald-Leader  
|
Kentucky man arrested after threatening people with a machete at WalMart #SRSLY Courier-Journal 
|
State recommends ways to conserve water during dry spell press release  
|
Secretary of State helps register a 105-year old Kentucky voter press release  
| 
DON'T MISS TUESDAY'S NEWS 
The City Commission is honored tonight for allowing same-sex partners to have access to health care; The state is looking for a man who bailed on his parole and could be hiding out in Downtown Covington; Plus, 1,000 baby chicks die from heat in a Kentucky mail processing plant. Those stories and more at the link!
|
NEWLY REHABBED HOUSE OPENS FOR TOUR TODAY IN COVINGTON
Check it:
Click to enlarge
More info here.
|
COVINGTON AFTER HOURS WEDNESDAY EVENING
Join the Friends of Covington, the Mainstrasse Village Association, the Latonia Business Association, and the Center for Great Neighborhoods at the Children's Home of Northern Kentucky from 5:00-7:00PM for the monthly Covington After Hours. 
|
COVINGTON SHOP OWNER OFFERS FASHION ADVICE
In his regular monthly column for Cincinnati Profile, Jerod Theobald, owner of flow - a shop for men on Scott Boulevard, tackles clothing maintenance:
Although the weathered-look is trending, it’s important to remember that this look isn’t appropriate in formal settings. Therefore, be sure to keep your go-to lace-ups looking shiny by polishing them whenever necessary. If you wear the lace-ups more than three or four times a week, I recommend polishing them every other week. If you wear them less often, polish them as needed. Never polished a shoe? No worries. Follow the few short steps below and I promise your shoes will look as good as they did the first time you pulled them out of the box.
Check out the full column: Cincinnati Profile
Jerod Theobald
| 
SEE ALSO: Covington's Fabulous Furs is hiring a seasonal showroom sales associate Fabulous Furs  
| 
KY WOMAN ACCUSED OF ILLEGAL PORN DOWNLOADS FIGHTS BACK As music, TV, movie, and yes, even pornography, companies fight the illegal downloading and sharing of their products, it appears that it is possible to overreach:
Jennifer Barker picked up her telephone in May 2012 to find, on the other end of the line, a woman who said her name was Stephanie Hansen. Hansen was calling to settle a lawsuit against Barker—all over the illicit downloading of pornography via BitTorrent back in December 2011. Barker had heard nothing about any lawsuit; indeed, she said that she had never downloaded pornography from the 'Net and had no idea what this "BitTorrent" even was. Hansen nevertheless wanted a payment; if none was forthcoming, Barker might well find herself facing up to $150,000 in damages under US copyright law. And her name might be publicly linked with pornography. Barker refused to pay, so Hansen called back, allegedly leaving multiple voicemails and even calling Barker at work. Barker, fed up, believed she was being extorted. She went out and found a local Kentucky lawyer, Kenneth Henry of Louisville, and together they devised a legal strategy to fight back. Yesterday, Henry filed a federal lawsuit on Barker's behalf in Louisville, targeting five pornographers who seek to "extort money from individuals they claim have downloaded pornography from the Internet." The suit further seeks class action status on behalf of "individuals throughout the United States who have been subjected to the unlawful extortion attempts of the Defendants herein." Henry estimates that this class exceeds 200,000 people.
Full story: ARS Technica 
Posted by at No comments:
More Stories About: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

COMMISSION RECAP: 10 JULY

THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE
| 
|
by Michael Monks 
Email Michael
|
The Covington City Commission convened for its regular legislative meeting on Tuesday, July 10, 2012. Here is what went down"
|
Facade grants for Lewisburg for when new bridge is built
The Commission unanimously approved authorizing the mayor to enter a memorandum of agreement between the City of Covington, the federal highway administration, and the Kentucky state historic preservation officers with concurrence by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet regarding the adverse effects expected to hit the Lewisburg neighborhood when the Brent Spence Bridge project begins construction. City Manager Larry Klein explained that $420,000 will be placed into a fund for facade grants to be used specifically in that neighborhood to counter the adverse effects, though it could be several years before construction on the new bridge begins. The agreement is good for ten years and has a clause that it can be revisited at the time of its expiration. Mitigating the effects to Lewisburg was one of Covington's top concerns as a final design for the new bridge is selected. "This helps strengthen the neighborhood by reinvesting in it," Klein said.
|
Backhoe trailer involved in accident to be sold
The trailer that flipped over with a backhoe on it (and a city employee inside the backhoe) will be sold as surplus property. (SEE: Employee pulled from backhoe that flipped in Devou Park) "This is way to get some salvage out of the damaged piece of equipment," Klein explained.
|
Two Covington Police officers retire
Dennis Wesseler and Dennis Sparks each started at the Covington Police Department in 1990 and now they leave together, each having his retirement approved by the city commission. Wesseler arrived in Covington from Cold Spring's police department. Chief Spike Jones said Wesseler was a "rock star" in South Covington. "He has a huge following out there," Jones said. 
Dennis Wesseler
|
Sparks arrived in Covington fresh off the mission in Panama that helped bring down former dictator Manuel Noriega. He won two life-saving awards in Covington and was described by Chief Jones as the best administrative lieutenant the department has ever had. "I came here tonight to be honored but it's been my honor serving the citizens of Covington and this is very hard for me," Sparks said.
Dennis Sparks
|
OTHER NOTES: 
  • The City will purchase a new Caterpillar steer loader in the amount of $74,645 as the current one is four years past its shelf life according to city engineer Tom Logan. Half the cost will be paid for through the Devou Trust Fund, a fifth from the Drees Pavilion allocation for equipment, a tenth from the Devou Trust for tree removal, and a fifth from the City's capital improvements fund. Half the time, the new piece will be used in Devou Park where it will play a major role in combating invasive species, as it also will along the Licking River Greenway & Trails when being used by the Cuty for other purposes the other half of the time.
  • The Covington Human Rights Commission presented a framed certificate to the City Commission thanking them for extending health care benefits to same-sex partners of City employees.
  • The asset forfeiture fund at the Covington Police Department will pay for $85,500 worth of new laptops for the department
  • The contract of Dr. Paul Spellman was renewed for services for the Covington Fire Department.
  • Guidelines were approved for the City's home buyer assistance program. $139,000 is available in individual opportunities to have $5,000 put toward lender-required down payments.
  • Eight firefighters, two EMS workers, and two police officers were given pay increases.
  • Jennifer Stein of Kenton Hills was appointed to the Devou park advisory committee.
New mural for Latonia to be hung in school
Artist Tammy Stephens, well known for her work on the popular mural in Helentown, showed off a new mural for Latonia. Though much smaller in scale compared to the one in Helentown, it was created in the same spirit by bringing together local children to help. Much of the work was done during the Latonia children's festival. It will be displayed at Latonia Elementary.
Posted by at 1 comment:
More Stories About: , , , , , , , , , , ,

NEWS ROUND-UP -- TUESDAY MORNING 10 JULY

THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE
| 
|
by Michael Monks 
Email Michael
|
WELCOME TO YOUR NEW GOVERNMENT
A nice piece explaining how public-private partnerships are working in other cities, and worth reading as Covington moves toward the creation of something similar:
But what are the stakes of ceding public sector work to non-profits? Some argue that if private organizations like this one aren’t making sure trash is picked up and the neighborhood is promoted as a positive place to invest, the jobs won’t get done — and neighborhood will languish. On the other hand, communities cede a certain amount of accountability when private hands, whether a community development corporation like Midtown, Inc. or a for-profit company, take charge of public services.
Is there a risk when common-good public services are — at least some of the time — defined by neighborhood borders rather than city ones? De facto or otherwise, will cities be less likely to make high-quality services and innovation available to all its neighborhoods, or will some be left (perhaps all too literally) in the dark?
(snip)
The growing influence of today’s CDCs, particularly those in cities that are strapped for cash, speaks to larger trends of governments outsourcing what had once been their own jobs. There is some precedent for this: For years, non-profit conservancies have “adopted” city parks in Detroit in order to provide consistent maintenance and programming that City Hall could not, unintentionally resulting in a diffused system of authority for parks and recreation in the city.
FULL STORY: Next American City/Anna Clark 
|
COVINGTON CITY COMMISSION TO MEET TONIGHT
Two Covington Police officers will have their requests for retirement accepted at Tuesday night's Covington City Commission meeting. Captain Dennis Sparks is set to leave the department August 1 while Officer Dennis Wesseler's retirement officially took place July 1. Other items of note on the agenda for Tuesday night:
  • The City is to renew its contract with Dr. Paul Spellman for services for the Covington Fire Department
  • For consideration, the approval of a "state bid" proposal from Ohio Caterpillar for the purchase of a new 299D XHP skid steer loader in the amount of $74,645 (50% payable from Devou Park Trust Fund, 19.3% payable from Drees allocation for equipment, 9.3% payable from Devou Trust tree removal allotment, and 21,4% from City capital improvement funds
|
New piece of equipment will look similar to this
  • Consideration for approval of $85,500 for new Panasonic toughbook computers, payable from asset forfeiture fund
  • Promotions for several employees in the police and fire departments
  • A presentation on the Latonia Banner
|
TO BE ADDED TO THE AGENDA: The Covington Human Rights Commission will honor the City Commission for its move to offer health insurance benefits to the same-sex partners of city employees.
|
NOTE: The Kenton County Fiscal Court meets Tuesday (today) morning at 9:00AM. The merged 911 dispatch center is part of one item on the agenda. To see the full agenda, click here (PDF)
|
COLLEGE GRADUATION GAP WIDENS FOR LOW-INCOME KENTUCKIANS
While more Kentuckians are earning degrees, the gap between graduation rates of middle to high income students has widened eight percentage points over low income students:
In those two years, the graduation rate of low-income Kentucky students fell from 46 percent to 35 percent, according to an annual accountability report from the Council on Postsecondary Education. In comparison, the graduation rate of moderate- to high-income students dropped four percentage points, from 57 percent to 53 percent.
The gap between graduation rates for rich and poor students increased from 10 percentage points to 18.
The gap is connected to a bad economy, higher tuition rates and less state aid, and it's a big problem, according to one expert on the economy and higher education.
FULL STORY: Herald-Leader/Linda B. Blackford 
|
MEANWHILE: Kentucky shows gains in degrees and credentials press release 
---------------------------------------------------
PREVIOUSLY AT THE RIVER CITY NEWS:
|
CITY RESPONDS TO RACIST FLYERS POSTED AT CITY HEIGHTS
"In order for the white race to survive, race mixing must be stopped!" Racist fliers posted around Covington's City Heights public housing community triggered a meeting there Monday with neighbors, the Covington Human Rights Commission, and the Chief of Police. Full story at the link.

|
HELP IDENTIFY TROUBLESOME INTERSECTIONS IN COVINGTON
Ever been stuck on Greenup Street waiting for that annoyingly long green light on Eastbound 20th Street to change? And then when it does, Greenup's green light is less than 10 seconds long! Help The River City News select Covington's most annoying, dangerous, ridiculous, and/or most troublesome intersections. Check out the link and then weigh in!
|
MONDAY MORNING HEADLINES
Our City shows off its best traits for the international stage; State Rep. Simpson (D-Cov) fights for alcohol sales on election day; Kenton Co tweets more about beer than church, but Boone is the opposite (chart); Plus, two Covington places will now be serving gourmet hot dogs. Click the link!
--------------------------------------------------------
|
MAN SOUGHT ON PAROLE VIOLATION MAY BE IN COVINGTON
Keep an eye out for the fellow:
Kevin Meade
Kevin Meade is wanted by the Parole Authority of the Commonwealth of Kentucky for absconding (fleeing) parole. He is believed to have been hanging out on the 700 block of Madison Avenue in Covington. He is about 5'7" and 165 pounds. If you see him, call Police (911) or Crime Stoppers at 513.352.3040. Meade was convicted of possession of a forged instrument, receiving stolen property, theft, and bailjumping.
|
UNION NEGOTIATOR HOPES TO BRING KY GENERAL ASSEMBLY TOGETHER
One of the Commonwealth's new state representatives that will take office next year is a former union negotiator who hopes to smooth over the notoriously dysfunctional General Assembly. Via cn|2:

|
QUICKIES
|
Housing Authority of Covington seeks HOPE VI appraisers Building-Cincinnati 
|
New gambling venues net Ohio $23.5 million Cincinnati Enquirer 
|
Raising the minimum wage: help or harm? WFPL 
|
Rep. Geoff Davis: Poor reports indicate need for new jobs bill Geoff Davis 
|
Why is Sen. Mitch McConnell so nervous? The New York Times 
|
CVG offers upgraded terminals Cincinnati Enquirer 
|
Wiseguy Henry Hill (of Goodfellas film fame) hid out in Independence, KY Cincinnati Enquirer 
|
Energy efficiency grants for local KY governments announced press release 
|
NEW KENTUCKY LAWS GO INTO EFFECT THURSDAY
Want to see all the new laws that go in effect on Thursday after being passed this year by the General Assembly? Click Here 
|
1,000 BABY CHICKENS DIE FROM HEAT AT LOUISVILLE MAIL CENTER
One fifth of the 5,000 chicks mailed from Iowa through Kentucky died from what postal officials as heat exposure:
Shipping live animals via mail is common, Walton said. Chicks are usually shipped in cardboard boxes with breathing holes cut out.
The shipment was carried by truck, Walton said.
When the chicks arrived Saturday in Louisville, workers at the USPS processing plant on Gardner Lane noticed that the chirping common from the boxes was absent in some, Walton said.
Courier-Journal 
|
COVINGTON POLICE HOST BLOOD DRIVE
On Monday, the Covington Police Department welcomed the Hoxworth Blood Center to its headquarters to collect blood:

|
CHECK OUT THE COMPLETED DEVOU PARK CONCESSIONS STAND
The new concessions/restroom facility debuted in Devou Park Saturday night during the World Choir Games concert at the Bandshell:

MORE QUICKIES
|
Got 4 hours to spare during a layover at CVG? What would you do? Here's a take from some outsiders who passed through YSNP 
|
John Calipari's future with Dominican Republic team up in the air ESPN 
|
Interesting: 5 UK players drafted in the NBA in the last few years were signed by former UK coach Billy Gillespie SRSLY Herald-Leader 
|
LOL: Photos: 1990s problems
More 1990s problems: Huffington Post 
Posted by at No comments:
More Stories About: , , , , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)