FRANK PLEADS GUILTY, PAYS FINE; CRUISER CAM LOCKED UP BY JUDGE

by Michael Monks
mmonks@deanmproductions.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-River-City-News/244172412265645

Commissioner Steve Frank pleaded guilty to operating a motor vehicle under the influence and disregarding a stop sign in an early morning off-docket appearance at the Kenton County Justice Center. The first term Commissioner paid a fine of $784.00 and will be on nonsupervised probation, meaning that if another offense is committed over the next two years, Frank, 55, could serve seven days in jail. Frank's license is suspended for sixty days (a request for "hardship" can be made after thirty days) and he will also attend alcohol treatment classes.

Frank was arrested early Saturday morning after a Covington police officer claimed to have seen him run a stop sign, prompting a stop. The Commissioner spent eight hours in the Kenton County Jail before being released.

Crusier cam video of that arrest will not be released following an order by the presiding judge who honored a request to keep the video sealed. A clerk at the courthouse did not know who made the request. The judge describes the video as "confidential" and has ordered the Covington Police Department never to release the footage regardless of the request, unless used in a confidential, official manner.

SEE COMMISSIONER FRANK'S STATEMENT BY CLICKING THE LINK BELOW

COVINGTON'S RON EINHAUS HONORED WITH STREET NAME

David Street in Botany Hills is now officially "Ron Einhaus Way", named for one of Covington's most active citizens who died late last year. About thirty people gathered Sunday morning outside St. John Congregational Church for the unveiling of the new street sign.

"He was a tremendous man, he loved Kentucky, he loved Covington, his neighborhood, this church and his family," said Ray Kingsbury of Botany Hills. "Above all, he loved a celebration. Today we celebrate the life of Ron Einhaus and the dedication of Ron Einhaus Way."

Mayor Denny Bowman brought to the ceremony multiple photographs taken by Einhaus over the years and discussed them briefly before the crowd. Einhaus's photography was well known within the community and he could be seen all over town, particularly during events, capturing shots of his beloved Covington.

"Ron Einhaus will be taking aerial photos today," added Kingsbury.


David Street is now Ron Einhaus Way in Botany Hills


Dustin Einhaus spoke of his father on behalf of the family. "His name will be remembered for generations to come and we hope it inspires more people to become involved in their communities," Einhaus said. "He didn't like pomp and circumstance, he preferred a supporting role, but he would take the lead on important issues."

Visit www.roneinhaus.com for some of Ron Einhaus' photography and more. More photos from Sunday's street name unveiling courtesy of Barry Johnson are available by clicking the  "Click here for the rest of the story" link below.

COMMISSIONER FRANK ARRESTED; "I WILL ACCEPT WHATEVER JUDGMENT"

by Michael Monks
Email Michael
The River City News @ Facebook

Commissioner Steve Frank was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence early Saturday morning near his home in Covington's RiverCenter. An officer spotted Frank allegedly run two stop signs, prompting the stop.

Frank, 55, refused a breathalyzer at the scene and was transported to Kenton County Jail where he was released in the early afternoon after approximately eight hours behind bars.

Frank released this statement on the incident upon release:

A Farewell to Covington's Retiring Employees (& Other Notes From Tuesday Night)

by Michael Monks
Email Michael
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-River-City-News/244172412265645#!/pages/The-River-City-News/244172412265645

In his first full Covington City Commission meeting since officially assuming his new job as fire chief, Chuck Norris was met with the difficult task of announcing that eleven members of the department would be leaving.
"This is 241 years of experience," Norris said, choking up when referencing the retiring Dale Brown whom the chief described as the brother he never had, and who was also the only one of the eleven absent.

The announcement comes after months of bitter back and forth between the fire department's union, Local 38, and city administration/commission. When a projected $4.0 million budget deficit led the city administrators and the four commissioners to demand concessions in health care benefits for public employees, Local 38 was the most visible and outspoken union.



http://www.theavenuelounge.com/

  Mike Holtman, as president of the union was often its most public face and was also among the eleven firefighters retiring. He served the City for eighteen years. Others from the fire department to retire (with years served in paranetheses): Captain Todd Whitaker (24), Lieutenant Dale Brown (25), Lieutenant Paul Fangman (21), Lieutenant John Glueck (27), Lieutenat Paul Ober (16), Lieutenant Donald Studer (22), Engineer James Wagner (25), Engineer David Winterman (23), Lieutenant/Paramedic Chris Van Meter (20) and EMT David Hodge (20).

LONG LIST OF GOODBYES: Death, Layoffs, Mass Retirements At City Hall

by Michael Monks
Email Michael
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From the moment Commissioner Sherry Carran wept during the opening prayer, it was clear that Tuesday night would be no ordinary Covington City Commission meeting. Once all the shuffling of employment situations, including retirements, layoffs, eliminations, a demotion, a termination, a resignation and an unexpected death, the meeting lived up to that unordinary expectation.

Eleven members of the fire department, three members of the police force, two employees from the finance department, and two from public improvement announced their retirements. All were accepted unanimously save for the two longer serving employees from public works, whom Mayor Denny Bowman did not vote to accept their resignation.


International Style on Covington's Main Street
Ottoman Imports - Click Here


"This is not Tom's choice to retire," Bowman said, referring to Tom Overbay, who's served the City since 1973. "You weren't ready yet," the Mayor continued, addressing Charlie Menke, who's been with the public improvement department since 1972. Bowman indicated that he believed both men were forced to retire because of a budget deficit that the Mayor still believes could have been avoided.

OKAY, COVINGTON, WE'VE AIRED OUR DIRTY LAUNDRY. NOW, LET'S WASH IT.

by Michael Monks
Email Michael
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-River-City-News/244172412265645



http://www.stevebeshear.com/



Finally, this divisive budget battle in Covington is over and we can all start to -

Wait, what's that? It's not over? What's that? We're going to court now?

Oh, for the love of William Goebel! You're killing me, smalls!

Has there ever been an issue more difficult to understand than the one our City has spent the past six months debating? There are Michener novels less challenging to follow.
I've gone to the Commission meetings. I even sat in on almost every line-by-line budget analysis in which I was convinced that Gateway College's urban campus had already opened, inside City Hall, and the commissioners and administrators were the wide-eyed freshmen filing in for Accounting 101 praying to God that Professor Bob Due wouldn't call on them.



I've talked to union members facing health care and worse, job cuts. I've listened to their confusion over how the people who patrol, respond to and improve our streets found themselves as the villains in this overwrought play.
I've done all of this for months now.
AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN MY HOMETOWN!

AS HEAT INDEX PUSHES 110, EMERGENCY SHELTER'S A/C BROKEN

by Michael Monks
Email Michael
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UPDATE Monday July 25: Per community activist and volunteer Candance Witte, Kenton County Judge-Executive Steve Arlinghaus has taken swift action. Shelter administrator Rachel Winters confirms that a new air conditioning unit will be installed immediately on the roof of the Scott Boulevard building.

ORIGINAL STORY:

The Northern Kentucky Emergency Cold Shelter keeps its guests warm in the winter, but very hot in this brutal week of summer. The Kenton County-owned building's air conditioning unit broke down last summer and has been since using a portable one.

LEAK AT CITY HALL LEADS TO BOILING CONFUSION

by Michael Monks
Email Michael
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The Covington public workers facing layoffs as early as Wednesday via the recently passed budget contigency plan learned their fate last week. That is earlier than most of the city administration had planned. Following an executive session between the mayor, commission and city administration Tuesday where an actual list of names selected for layoff was presented, the contents of the list got out to the three public unions.

That prompted a special meeting the following day, Wednesday, between city administration and members of AFSCME Local 237.

"Certainly, the negotiation team for AFSCME Local 237 was surprised last Wednesday to be notified that certain positions covered under our working agreement were slated for layoffs, as we continue to meet weekly and exchange proposals, including multiple healthcare proposals, in an effort to stave off these union-busting job reductions," said Michelle Robinson-Wilson, a member of the AFSCME negotiating team.

SHOOTING IN MAINSTRASSE "UNUSUAL"; SEVERAL SUSPECTS CONTAINED

by Michael Monks
Email Michael
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-River-City-News/244172412265645

Just as bars were letting out around 2:30 Monday morning, a man was shot at the corner of 7th & Main Streets in Mainstrasse. An off-duty officer was nearby at the time of the shooting and responded to find a sole victim lying in the street with a gunshot wound to the back. That victim was sent to University Hospital in Cincinnati.

Covington Police had a foot patrol near 6th & Bakewall that spotted a car believed to be involved in the shooting and when the officers approached, multiple suspects fled the vehicle on foot into the 5th Street center parking lot. Those suspects then ran into more Covington Police officers who were on bar-closing duty. Each fleeing suspect was apprehended and the vehicle was taken into custody.

As for the shooting, it is "very unusual" for such a crime to occur in the popular Mainstrasse entertainment dustrict, according to Lt. Col. Spike Jones of the Covington Police.

If you have any helpful information about this shooting, call Covington PD at 859.292.2222 or Crimestoppers at 513.352.3040.

Episode 2! The River City News video newscast

In this edition, we hear from the Commissioners following the approval of a contentious budget plan; Plus, we go to MainStrasse for a makeover using only local businesses!
NOTE: Our editor did a beautiful job with the makeover package, but did make one glaring error. We hope that Kim Maius of Ottoman Imports and Noah Kidd of Noah's Art will have a good laugh when Kim's husband is seen on video when we talk about Noah and his salon. Enjoy!