NEWS ROUND-UP -- THURSDAY EVENING 29 DEC

by Michael Monks 
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FOMER COV-CIN SUSPENSION BRIDGE PRES, DOO WOP STAR DIES

Bob Armstrong died Tuesday afternoon at his Milford home. He was 67:

Bob Armstrong, also known as T-Bob, was born on May 12, 1944 and lived around the Cincinnati area all his life. In his early days Armstrong was a musician and played the Hammond B3 organ. One of his highlights was playing for The Casinos, who traveled and opened with The Beach Boys in the late 1960’s. He also received a Gold Record with The Casinos for the song “Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye.”

Armstrong continued his music passion and played locally over the decades. He was a Professional Engineer and worked around Cincinnati and Dayton with his own and other electrical companies. That passion led him to become an integral part of the Covington-Cincinnati Suspension Bridge Committee in the 1980’s. He held two separate terms as the CCSBC President.

Armstrong's most recent contribution to the Roebling Suspension Bridge included spearheading the donation drive to raise $450,000 to replace the structure's lights. More at the link.
FOX 19/Richard Todd  
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The Casinos, a late 1960s doo wop group from Cincinnati for which Armstrong was the keyboardist, had a top 10 song with this recording:

You may be more familiar with Eddy Arnold's 1968 version which topped the country charts or Neal McCoy's top 10 country version in 1996.

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STATE REP. ADAM KOENIG WON'T RUN FOR CONGRESS

Instead, the former Kenton County Commissioner will run for reelection to the 69th House District:

“Serving the people of the 69th District as their member in the Kentucky General Assembly is truly an honor,” Koenig said in a statement. “I’m eager to continue tackling the tough issues facing our state, such as balancing a budget that is short on revenue, cutting back on regulatory red-tape businesses face and increasing our economic opportunities through tax and pension reform.”

Cincinnati Enquirer/Scott Wartman  
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WEBB-EDGINGTON RELEASES CAMPAIGN LOGO
The Republican State Rep that is running for Geoff Davis's seat wants you to take a look at this:

Nice.

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GOV. BESHEAR TALKS GAMBLING WITH STATE SEN. DAMON THAYER

The Republican legislator from Georgetown (and whose district includes South Covington) met with Democrat Beshear at the Governor's request:

Thayer said he met with Beshear at the governor’s request to discuss several issues for the 2012 General Assembly session, but expanded gambling got the most attention. Thayer said he had a “very frank and open discussion” with Beshear, who won re-election in November and said he would push for a statewide vote on expanded gambling with an emphasis on assisting the horse racing and breeding industry. “It’s going to be a challenge but we pledged to work together in a good-faith effort to come up with ballot language that can pass the House of Representatives and Senate,” said Thayer, who chairs the Senate State and Local Government Committee. “The governor has met one on one with other legislators such as Senate President (David) Williams but wants me to play a major role (on this issue).

Blood Horse  
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FIRE BURNS VACANT BUILDING ON BANKLICK STREET
The 1300 block was busy for a spell at around noon when flames were seen inside the 3-story structure. No one was hurt. Photos available at the link.
NKY Spot 
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COVINGTON LIBRARY BUSY IN SPITE OF MESS
This is such a great development for Downtown Covington. A bigger, better version of an already top-notch library right across the street from what will be a growing urban campus for Gateway College all adjacent to an historic neighborhood. Great stuff:

“Circulation is down a little bit, but not as much as we anticipated, and electronic resources are being used about the same,” said Dave Schroeder, executive director of the county’s library system.
(snip)
The project includes: turning the basement into the new children’s department and staff offices; installing a sprinkler system; turning the garage into office and storage space; fixing the foundation on the east side of the building; a new entrance pavilion, public restrooms, circulation department and drive-thru window; raising the ceiling in the main reading room, creating a clerestory and allowing more natural light into the room; and the installation of emergency stairwells.

Cincinnati Enquirer/William Croyle  
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COVINGTONIAN TO OPEN COFFEE SHOP IN FORT THOMAS
Fort Thomas has a neat little downtown called the Historic Midway District. A Covington woman is ready to add her touch to it:

For the past few months, Covington resident Eden McDermott has been working with the Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission to develop the business plan for a new coffee shop she plans to open in the Midway in the spring. McDermott said the idea for the shop came to her after she was laid off from her marketing position around Memorial Day. “I sat down one day and tried to figure out what I wanted to do with my life,” McDermott said. “I’d always wanted to own a small business, so I started looking into it.”

She wants to call it "Eden Perk". Love it.
Cincinnati Enquirer/Amanda Joering Alley  
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HOLY CROSS'S ROAD TO THE STATE FOOTBALL TITLE
Tri-State Football takes you week by week on the Indians' historic gridiron journey:

GAME #10 – HOLY CROSS 41, HOLMES 0: The 2011 “Battle of Covington” between Holy Cross and Holmes ended prematurely during the third quarter when Tom Ellis Field succumbed to a power failure. The end of the game for the Bulldogs happened as soon as it started as Holy Cross bludgeoned Holmes 41-0 at the time the game was called. Fuller destroyed the normally stingy Holmes defense passing for 304 yards and throwing four touchdown passes. Fuller also led the rushing attack with 100 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns. Beal accounted for 110 yards of total offense (55 yards rushing and 55 yards receiving) and one rushing touchdown. Walker caught four passes for a whopping 165 yards and scored twice through the air. The Holy Cross defense forced three turnovers, an interception by Beal and two fumble recoveries by Lampone, while Kyle Fischer tallied seven tackles.

Tri-State Football  
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JOBLESS CLAIMS RISE BY 15,000 IN DECEMBER
:-(
Business First 
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ANTI-STREETCAR GROUP: DON'T BUILD TRACKS OVER SEWER LINES
Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes (COAST) has been a loud-mouth opponent to progress in Cincinnati, taking particular aim at the city's planned streetcar. Now apparently a sewer line is in the way:

The letter to City Solicitor John Curp calls the approach “an impermissible interference upon the rights of the county commissioners, for the rights attendant to their ownership of the sewer lines to operate, access, maintain, repair and repair those sewer lines to keep them operational.”

Maybe COAST is angry because its base of supporters is made up of sewer rats?
Business Courier  
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"That wasn't nice, Michael."

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YEE-HAW! SOMEONE IN CARTER COUNTY HIT A MEGAMILLIONS WINNER!
$250,000. Nice.
WKYT 
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in case you missed...
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THIS MORNING'S NEWS
A national media outlet takes note of the real reason that fans haven't gone to Bengals games this year; Newly elected Agriculture Commish joins chorus of calls for legalizing hemp in KY!; Local author Rick Robinson takes aim at 'government funded comedy' on national site; Holiday party tips from... the KY State Police?; And George Clooney sightings make "Worst of 2011" list. Those stories and more at the link!

News Round-Up -- Thursday Morning 

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LAMB BORN AT KROHN CONSERVATORY NATIVITY SCENE GETS FULL TIME GIG

Appearing at the Nativity forever and ever.

FOX 19 

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WYNONNA IS ENGAGED!

Love, love, love this woman -- and any woman with the last name Judd! 

The Grammy Award winner will wed fellow musician Cactus Moser, the drummer for country group Highway 101.

WKYT
Wyononna and a dude from Highway 101. What a concert that would be. In honor of it, here's the best love song ever - which just so happens to be one of Wynonna's...

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BAD SNOW-MANCE

A snowman modeled after Lady Gaga will be on display at Rah-Rah-Ryle High School:

Students worked in groups to make 33 snowmen – a few were traditional, but most were made with themes like Yoda, Lady Gaga and others.

Click the link to see the pics. I hear it was born that way. Zing!
Cincinnati Enquirer/Justin B. Duke 
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99-YEAR OLD MAN TO DIVORCE WIFE OF 77 YEARS FOR AFFAIR IN '40S
Damn:

Notwithstanding the time that had elapsed since the betrayal, he was so upset that he immediately confronted his wife of 77 years, named as Rosa C, and demanded a divorce. Guilt-stricken, she reportedly confessed everything but was unable to persuade her husband to reconsider his decision. She wrote the letters to her lover during a secret affair in the 1940s, according to court papers released in Rome this week.

Doesn't anyone stay together anymore?
Daily Telegraph