THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE
|
|
by Michael Monks
|
EXPECT BIG NEWS OUT OF COVINGTON CITY HALL TONIGHT
Tonight's Covington City Commission meeting could be longer than its short agenda suggests. The meeting starts at 5:00PM instead of the usual 6:00PM. Here is the agenda:
- First reading of the proposed budget ordinance for the 2012-13 fiscal year (no vote will be taken). Read about some of the details within the budget here: Long Night at City Hall Includes More Talk of Layoffs
- Purchase of services from Mobilcomm to narrowband the public safety communication towers ($22,858.58 from general fund)
- Purchase of two street sweepers ($351,512 from capital improvements fund)
- Rescinding the approval of a bid from Heitzman Construction to perform roof work on 118 and 120 East Fifteenth Street (original bid was awarded for $89,750)
- Executing a contract with Entryway, Inc in the amount of $66,000 for the rehabilitation of a single family home in Newport (938 Hamlet Street) as part of the Home Consortium's efforts in the river cities
- Approval of the authorization of other city employees to execute documents in the Neighborhood Stabilization Program
- Various appointments and reappointments to city boards, and the resignation of a police dispatcher
|
DEVELOPER OF PROPOSED WALGREEN'S MEETS WITH PRESERVATIONISTS
Plans to tear down the former Bishop's mansion across from the Cathedral Basilica on Martin Luther King, Jr Boulevard were originally met with resistance from local preservationists. On Monday evening, members of Progress With Preservation met with developer Anchor Properties to discuss modifications to the design plans for the Walgreen's that first surfaced in mid-February. Michael Ricke, executive vice president of Anchor Properties, explained the updated design which will look less typical and be more complementary to its prominent and important neighbors.
|
"We're not trying to make the building look like the Cathedral, we're trying to be compatible with it," Ricke said. To that effect, a new plaza area will be featured at the sidewalk on MLK with benches for sitting and taking in the view of the Cathedral. The new structure will use materials that complement the nearby Cathedral buildings in color and texture. On one side, the store will be enclosed by a concrete wall that resembles a stone wall while another side will have an attractive wrought iron fence. New trees will be added along the sidewalks. Other changes to the original concept include more windows on the second level of the building to give the impression that it has a second floor.
|
"We're not trying to make the building look like the Cathedral, we're trying to be compatible with it," Ricke said. To that effect, a new plaza area will be featured at the sidewalk on MLK with benches for sitting and taking in the view of the Cathedral. The new structure will use materials that complement the nearby Cathedral buildings in color and texture. On one side, the store will be enclosed by a concrete wall that resembles a stone wall while another side will have an attractive wrought iron fence. New trees will be added along the sidewalks. Other changes to the original concept include more windows on the second level of the building to give the impression that it has a second floor.
|
|
As for the Bishop's mansion which was built in the 1870s by a lawyer named Cleary who was also a veteran of the Confederate army and which is owned by the Diocese of Covington, it will be razed to make way for the new Walgreen's. Anchor Properties had offered to make the building available for moving but at Monday's meeting it was suggested that the price could be around $250,000 for such a move.
As for the Bishop's mansion which was built in the 1870s by a lawyer named Cleary who was also a veteran of the Confederate army and which is owned by the Diocese of Covington, it will be razed to make way for the new Walgreen's. Anchor Properties had offered to make the building available for moving but at Monday's meeting it was suggested that the price could be around $250,000 for such a move.
|
In the meantime, Anchor is waiting for proposed Covington zoning changes to go through the Kenton County Planning Commission and then through the Covington City Commission before presenting its designs to the Covington Board of Adjustments and Urban Design Review Board. That would likely put them on the agendas for both boards in September.
In the meantime, Anchor is waiting for proposed Covington zoning changes to go through the Kenton County Planning Commission and then through the Covington City Commission before presenting its designs to the Covington Board of Adjustments and Urban Design Review Board. That would likely put them on the agendas for both boards in September.
|
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
Michael Ricke offered a tour of Anchor Properties before the meeting began. The company is located at the foot of the Roebling Suspension Bridge in the building that was once the bridge's toll house. Check out the photos:
 |
| Former safe has been opened up as a kitchenette and stairway |
 |
| Officers where there used to be an attic that you could only access from a ladder |
 |
| Conference room in addition put on building |
 |
| Deck with view of Cincinnati |
|
MAILMAN ACCUSED OF DELIBERATELY KILLING DOG IS SUSPENDED
The mailman accused of deliberately running over and killing a family's dog in Kenton Hills is off the job today. A video report is at the link.
|
NO BAKERY/GUNSHOP FOR MAINSTRASSE
A sign at a prominent Mainstrasse corner reads: "Coming Soon - Aunt Norma's Bakery & Gunshop - We'll clean your gun while you eat!" So, what's the deal? Well, it appears to be a very creative joke.
|
GOVERNOR BESHEAR BREAKS GROUND ON WIDENING OF KY-16
Taylor Mill Road (KY-16) is undergoing the long process of widening and Governor Steve Beshear joined local officials including a couple Covington City Commissioners, State Reps. Arnold Simpson & Thomas Kerr and State Senator Damon Thayer for a ceremony at Scott High School. From a press release:
“For the thousands of motorists who travel through here, and the hundreds of students who attend school here, this project will result in a safer, less congested Taylor Mill Road,” Gov. Beshear said.
The project covers 4.2 miles, from Interstate 275 to Klette Road. Construction is in progress on two sections – on the north end near I-275 and the south end near Klette Road. Construction on two middle sections is expected to be let to contract in the fall.
The improved corridor will have two lanes in each direction with center turn lanes at intersections. A raised grass median will complement the roadway to provide for safety and aesthetics. The road also will have curbs, gutters and 7-foot-wide sidewalks. The alignments and safety of the intersections of Senour Road and Hands Pike will be improved.
To date, design, right of way, utilities and current construction of the Taylor Mill Road project is $55.2 million. Construction of the remainder, which will be accomplished in two projects, is estimated at $22 million. Taylor Mill Road carries more than 30,000 vehicles a day.
 |
| Photo from the City of Taylor Mill |
This project has been in the works for a long time, I served on the Citizens Adivorsory Committee starting in fall of 2003 (3 1/2 years before being a City Commissioner). I remember going to Covington asking them to attend the meeting because a lot was being planned that would affect the future of South Covington, it appeared there was no interest at all. After becoming Covington City Commisioner in 2007, I requested again for Covington to work with the City of Taylor Mill on the future of Taylor Mill Rd., again there was no interest, even with the City of Taylor Mill asking.City Commissioner Steve Casper was also in attendance.
Things have changed since then, Covington is now more regional in its thinking but what a shame it did not happen sooner. Out in South Covington, we have streets that are still on septic system (not connected to sewer) and still depend upon propane gas. If Covington had been involved in the process back in the early stages, extending sewer and gas lines to homes without would had been more doable. - Not giving up, maybe there is time to at least get needed utilities stubbed in.
|
MORE FROM THE GOVERNOR & FRANKFORT HEADLINES
|
Governor tours renovated Kentucky Speedway:
"But I believe with all the improvements the state has made and all the improvements in parking that the Speedway has made that whatever delays will be very reasonable that any NASCAR fan would expect when you are trying to get 100,000 people into one place on race day."Herald-Leader/Jack Brammer
|
Beshear signs bill extending protections to emergency room workers Press Release
|
Beshear signs career pathways bill Press Release
|
Kentucky House Democrats prepare to play defense in November cn|2
|
Kentucjy GOP to raise $750K for House races cn|2
|
Sen. Damon Thayer: Too soon to talk about David Williams returning as Senate President cn|2
|
Terror suspect isolated in Kentucky for a year AP
|
Insurance companies will keep part of Obamacare Cincinnati Enquirer
|
C-SPAN filming documentary on Louisville history 84 WHAS
|
DEMOCRAT ADKINS RACKS UP ENDORSEMENTS FROM JUDGES-EXECUTIVE
Williamstown attorney Bill Adkins, the Democrat running to represent NKY in Congress has the support of several County Judges-Executive in the 4th Congressional District:
The list includes Adkins’ home county, Grant Judge-Executive Darrell Link, former Boone County Judge-Executive Bruce Ferguson, Trimble County Judge-Executive Randy Stevens, Mason County Judge-Executive James “Buddy” Gallenstein, Pendleton County Judge-Executive Henry Bertram, Owen County Judge-Executive Carolyn Keith, Greenup County Judge-Executive Robert Carpenter, Carroll County Judge-Executive Harold Tomlinson and Jefferson County Judge-Executive Brian Matthews.Bill Adkins
|
COVINGTON SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE LAUNCHES WEBSITE
Kerry Holleran, a mother with a child that attends John G. Carlisle, has launched her campaign website and shares her story of how she ended up in Covington:
The mother of a biracial child living in rural Kentucky, Kerry decided to relocate and chose to live in Covington for its diversity. She was concerned about many questions her daughter asked her as a student in a school with little to no minority representation. Kerry chose Covington because it was an affordable community with diverse schools.Read more at the link.
The first day she drove Aryah to fourth grade, Kerry cried when she left the parking lot. She feared that moving her daughter away from her family and her friends was a bad decision. But within a week, Aryah had made friends. In the diverse atomosphere of CIPS, Aryah quickly began to understand that all children are different and that differences make us special, not odd.
Kerry Holleran
|
KY HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION TO HOST WORKSHOPS ON GAYS IN HOUSING
From a press release:
The workshops will provide stakeholders and all members of the public an opportunity to learn about housing discrimination and about the recent HUD rule that provides certain discrimination protections for HUD housing and financing program applicants and residents who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, and their families. The workshops will offer helpful guidance to housing communities on how to follow the rule.For more information, click here.
|
WHAT IS AWESOME ABOUT COVINGTON?
Tons, right? So share what you think is awesome about our city at The Awesome Collective's online "index of awesome".
|
SPORTS
|
Still plenty of bad streaks for UK football to break Herald-Leader
|
Check out the championship rings ordered by UK for its basketball title Kentucky Sports Radio
|
COVINGTON RANKS SIXTH IN AREA FOR ADULTERY, SAYS WEBSITE
Ashley Madison, the online "dating" website that encourages users to have an affair, has ranked the communities of Greater Cincinnati that have the most adulterers seeking to stray on its site. Covington ranks sixth.
Cincinnati Enquirer
|
|
BATS SHOOED FROM NATION'S WATERSLIDES IN ANTICIPATION OF SUMMER
LOL:
"Go on, scram," the nation's broom-wielding water-park employees said to the bats, which took up residence in the dim fiberglass tubes shortly after Labor Day last year.The Onion
No comments:
Post a Comment