OMNICARE? WHAT OMNICARE? COVINGTON MOVES ON

by Michael Monks
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The confetti is still falling at Atrium One in Downtown Cincinnati where Omnicare CEO John Figueroa and a sparkling, unlikely duo of Ohio Governor John Kasich and Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory announced their job redistribution plan of taking more than three hundred positions from the edge of the Ohio River in Covington and placing them on the other edge in the Queen City. Though the distance is essentially the equivalent of an Olympic-size swimming pool, the financial ramifications for Covington are closer to the equivalent of the Olympic Opening Ceremonies.

But don't cry for The Gateway to the South. "Covington's been around for two-hundred years, through civil war, martial law, and floods," said City Manager Larry Klein. "We'll get through this. Hang with us." The rosy, unphased optimism was evident up and down the commission chairs at Tuesday night's meeting, even with one of those chairs noticeably vacant. Mayor Denny Bowman, effective September 30, resigned his seat as the elected leader of Covington for the second time in eleven years and was absent.

2 ARRESTED IN TUESDAY MORNING HOMICIDE

by Michael Monks
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Robert J. Haun, 20

At around 8AM Tuesday morning, Covington Police responded to 1330 Scott Boulevard to find Shain T. Pierce, 54, dead. Lt. Col. Spike Jones tells The River City News that Pierce died from blunt force trauma to the head.

Police swiftly arrested two men in connection with Pierce's death. Leslie J. Haun, 47, faces one count of murder while Robert J. Haun, 20, faces a murder charge and a count of tampering with physical evidence. Both suspects and the victim are from Covington.



Leslie J. Haun, 47



Covington Police continue to gather evidence in the case and are actively interviewing witnesses. If you have any information that may be helpful, call Covington PD at 859.292.2222.

THE NEW REGIONALISM: CINCINNATI POACHES HUNDREDS OF JOBS FROM COVINGTON

by Michael Monks
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UPDATE: 5:45PM I just spoke with Covington City Manager Larry Klein. "There's no doubt that this (Omnicare's departure) will have repurcussions on the budget," Klein said. "With the pending loss of Nielsen, we'll have to revisit our budget again. We've yet to be successful on labor contracts. Once again there's only one place to look and it's personnel costs." Klein remains optimistic about Covington in spite of Omnicare leaving. "I think there's a lot of good things we all see over the horizon. They're not going to be next week or next year. When you look at the Gateway project, convention center expansion, IRS beginning to make some movement, it all bodes well," Klein said. "There's light at the end of the tunnel, it's just a rather long tunnel."
ORIGINAL POST:
The long rumored move of Omnicare from Covington's riverfront to that of Cincinnati is now the reality. A press conference Monday afternoon sealed that deal as Ohio Governor John Kasich, Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory and Omnicare CEO John Figueroa shook the hands of one another and smiled for cameras and reporters on a high floor of Atrium One, Omnicare's new home, that offers a view of Covington, the city on the other side of the river, and on the other side of this "good news".

"This was an easy decision because it does involve a national headquarters and a great number of people," Kasich said. "It represents a company that has a great growth potential." The pharmaceutical giant was looking for new digs to accomodate a planned move to bring all of its area employees under one roof. Though Omnicare was courted by Covington and Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear with a hefty incentive package to stay, Kasich's offer was higher and more aggressive.