Fort Thomas Drug Center. FTM file. |
The Kentucky House of Representatives passed a measure aimed at providing additional oversight and ensuring cost savings in administering pharmacy benefits for Medicaid recipients in Kentucky.
Fort Thomas Drug Center. FTM file. |
Bluebirds Own Six Straight Wins |
PHOTO: G. Michael Graham, Fort Thomas Matters. Highlands junior guard Leyton Read brings the ball up the court in a recent game. |
18 N. Fort Thomas Ave. Located in the Hiland Building. |
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Merk & Gile Injury Attorney. 526 York Street, Newport. Free consultation 513-713-0862. |
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Dr. Laura Koehl, a Fort Thomas resident, will assume a leadership role in new national organization. |
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Barre3 Ft. Thomas. Located at 90 Alexandria Pike. |
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Rep. Patti Minter, D-Bowling Green. |
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Over 50 years experience in NKY. Call now, mention FTM. (859) 287-2499. |
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John Wood, CPA, CVA, Principal at Rudler. Provided. |
Orangetheory Fitness, Newport Pavilion. |
Highlands Wins Fifth Straight |
PHOTO: G. Michael Graham, Fort Thomas Matters. Highlands junior guard Leyton Read inbounds the ball in a recent game. |
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The economic impact of COVID-19 has affected people all over the country. Fort Thomas residents owe close to $200,000 to just two area utilities, but a federal program offers help. (FTM file) |
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After six years of no action, it appears McDonald's is considering building on property in Cold Spring it has leased since 2014. |
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Meet Jessica, click here! |
by Robin Gee, city council beat editor
Although McDonald’s has leased the property at 3720 Alexandria Pike in Cold Spring since 2014, it is only recently that they have begun to make moves towards building on the site, although details have not been shared at this point.
Campbell County officials confirmed that the company submitted a building permit request in November 2020, but has not yet provided details about construction. In February, the company was set to present at the county Board of Adjustments with a request for a variance regarding placement and size of its sign, but that meeting was cancelled and has not yet been rescheduled.
The Burger King was located on the site, which sits across from the DAV property and in front of Furniture Fair, but the spot has been empty since 2015. The property is owned by Cold Spring Land Company, LLC, associated with Bellevue-based developer Brandicorp.
Fort Thomas Matters reached out to Brandicorp to ask about McDonald's move. Company officials confirmed that McDonald's has had the lease, but they had not been informed about any plans by the company.
Before the variance meeting could be held, Cold Spring Council Member Lisa Cavanaugh shared news of the move on social media, "I just got word that McDs (sic) is planning on coming into the old Burger King location in front of Furniture Fair...They've had first rights/option on that property for awhile."
At press time, no news was available, but Fort Thomas Matters will report developments as they unfold.
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Satellite view of the property leased by McDonald's at 3720 Alexandria Pike. The company submitted a request for a new building permit in November. (Google Maps) |
40 years in the business! Home building, room additions, deck building, roofing, structural work, concrete, painting. (513) 205-4020. |
Faulkner started all 23 games for NKU, leading the team in scoring with 381 points. He averaged 16.6 points per game while shooting 41 percent from the floor and 79 percent on free throws. Faulkner also grabbed 5.4 rebounds a game, distributed 2.5 assists and swiped 1.5 steals per game. The native of Harrodsburg, Kentucky, registered six 20-point performances on the year, including a career-high 28 points at Kent State. Throughout the course of the season Warrick started 21-of-23 games for the Norse, averaging 15.9 points per game on 46 percent shooting, 37 percent from beyond the arc and 82 percent from the free the line. He also averaged 2.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists per contest. Warrick elevated his play in League competition, ranking fifth in league-only games at 17.5 ppg. He maintained his impressive shooting by making 47 percent from the field, 39 percent from long range and 83 percent from the charity stripe. The Lexington, Kentucky, native had nine 20-point outings this year and his seven Horizon League Freshman of the Week honors tied for the third-most in league history. |
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Local restaurants like Padrino Fort Thomas had to get creative during 2020. The newly opened restaurant is located at 14 N. Grand Ave. |
Newport Aquarium. |
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2000 Memorial Parkway. |
Kentucky has its share of rather colorful and influential characters in its political past and a number of them served as state senators. Some have been pretty shady while others achieved remarkable accomplishments of national importance. All of that is now available in a one volume history written by Fort Thomas resident, Paul Whalen.
He wrote the book because one did not exist. Whalen says that the last book written about Kentucky senators was publish in 1976 so he revisited the idea and put his own touch on understanding our past. The result is Profiles of Kentucky’s United States Senators 1792 - Present published by Acclaim Press.
RELATED: New book by Fort Thomas resident highlights Kentucky's Senators
Whalen became interested in history at a young age. He says, “I became interested in history during elementary school. I started reading Augusta Stevenson's biographies of famous Americans. I also recall reading about Abraham Lincoln and learning that he was born in Kentucky.” His family often took him to historic sites and his interest grew from there. Knowing our past helps us appreciate our present and can help us plan for the future.
Whalen retired from the federal government after 32 years of service working for in various legal capacities. But he is not one to rest. He says, “As of July 2020, I am now an Administrative Law Judge for the Kentucky Department of Workers Compensation. I am one of 15 judges state wide that adjudicates Workers Compensation Claims.”
As a nation, we love numbers and this one is particularly telling. Whalen says that, “Between 1792 and 1820, Kentucky had over 18 different people serve as US Senators in part due to resignations. [But] between 1992-2020, Kentucky has only had 4 different US Senators.”
Whalen tells the story of Alben Barkley who helped push most of the New Deal legislation through Congress when he served as Majority or Assistant Majority Leader. Whalen says that Barkley “is responsible for the Rural Electric Co-ops which started appearing in the late 1930s which made electricity available for most farm families. It should be noted that Alben Barkley was a US Congressman (from the Paducah area) for 14 years. One of the last things he did before going across the hall to the Senate in 1927 was pass legislation which built the bridge across the Ohio River from Paducah to Illinois.” One story has it that Barkley also created the “Veep” term to describe FDR’s vice-president. And he has a lake named in his honor. The book has many other interesting stories of our senators.
And the book is full of names you know but may not know much about. People like Henry Clay, John J. Crittenden, John G. Carlisle, Alben W. Barkley, A. B. “Happy” Chandler, and Jim Bunning. The book is full of fascinating and influential people who seem larger than life but ultimately offers a perspective of who we are as Kentuckians. “We are not makers of history. We are made by history,” wrote Martin Luther King, Jr. Paul Whalen’s book reminds us what we are made of.
You can find the book in the following places:
-The Blue Marble bookstore will have autographed copies. Call the store at (859) 781-0602 to order.
- Directly from Acclaim Press, the publisher: https://www.acclaimpress.com/books/profiles-of-kentuckys-united-states-senators-1792-2020/
- Roebling Books in Covington
- Carmichael Books in Louisville
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2000 Memorial Parkway. |
40 years in the business! Home building, room additions, deck building, roofing, structural work, concrete, painting. (513) 205-4020. |
Campbell County Dispatch and OEM has received many calls asking why our Outdoor Warning Sirens went off this morning. ...
Posted by Campbell County KY Office of Emergency Management on Monday, February 22, 2021
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Yikes! City Administrator Ron Dill shared photos of ongoing demolition inside the city building. He assured council it looks like chaos, but indicates good things are underway. |
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Demolition work underway, the main lobby of the city building is unrecognizable. |
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Scrap metal from columns in council chambers on the second floor. The contractor is working with a nonprofit to salvage materials from the demolition. |
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A view of second-floor council chambers as demolition underway. |
Bluebirds Defeat 10th Region Opponents |
PHOTO: G. Michael Graham, Fort Thomas Matters. Highlands seniors Emma Riccobene (31) and Kate Vaught (5) close in on defense in the win over Scott on Saturday. |
Bluebirds Finish 3-0 in District Seed Play |
PHOTO: G. Michael Graham, Fort Thomas Matters. Highlands senior Luke Muller (left) and Will Herald look to trap the ball in a recent game. |
The Highlands Bluebirds boys basketball team (12-4 overall) had to beat another district opponent in three days to take the top seed in the 36th District Tournament in March.
The Bluebirds started off fast and cruised to an 83-45 victory Friday. They finished 3-0 in district action and will not play the Dayton Greendevils during the regular season.
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Leaky roof? Call Tip Top! Over 50 years experience in NKY. Mention FTM. (859) 287-2499. |
Orangetheory Fitness Newport Pavilion. Start burning! |
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Wilder City Administrator Terry Vance addresses a recent planning meeting. City development projects are underway, and the city hopes to add the Newport Central Catholic ball field to the mix. |
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Looking for a local, efficient, reliable electrician? Call Adam with AJR Electric. (859) 628-8304. |
City of Wilder officials have planned all along to replace the city’s Little League field that was removed during construction and expansion of the park that runs behind the city building. Yet, when it became clear that Newport Central Catholic High School (NCC) was continuing its search for a new home field for their baseball program, an opportunity arose.
Why not build a ball field that serves local Little League and city recreation needs but also one that is big enough to accommodate a high school team? That question may be a good one, but it comes with its own set of challenges
"We are excited for the opportunity to work with NCC, but we have to find a location that meets their needs as well as ours," said Wilder City Administrator Terry Vance.
The NCC project comes to Wilder after first being considered by the city of Southgate. Plagued with flooding issues in the public field they were using in Silver Grove, school officials approached Southgate with a proposal last fall. The school would upgrade the city’s ball field located near the city community center in exchange for access to the site for practices and games, as the school’s home field.
The high school offered to improve the field and add amenities such as batting cages, dugouts, bleachers with concrete pads, fencing and more, as well as baseball clinics for area youth and a commitment to maintain the field year-round.
Some residents, however, expressed concerns over potential traffic safety issues and conflicts that could arise with events being held at the community center. The city decided to put their decision on hold, but opposition continued to grow, especially on online forums.
Just before a new public hearing was to be held to revisit the potential project earlier this month, school officials decided to rescind their offer to Southgate, stating it was not their intention to cause division among city residents.
Following the school’s decision, Southgate Mayor Jim Hamburg blasted local residents for social media posts that certainly influenced NCC’s decision.
RELATED: Newport Central Catholic Rescinds Southgate Baseball Field Proposal
RELATED: Southgate Officials Blast Social Media "Frenzy" for Loss of Ball Field Opportunity
While Southgate offered an existing ball field, Wilder had removed the city’s field in anticipation of its city center development plan that included construction and improvements for a new fire station, amphitheater and recreation area. A new ball field was to be included in the recreation development projects.
The city received a $250,000 grant from the governor for construction of the amphitheater at Frederick’s Landing. At the time, city officials said they hoped some of that money might also go to a possible boathouse along the Licking River and to a new ball field.
RELATED: Wilder City Council Prepares for City Center, Firehouse and Other Projects
Wilder officials are enthusiastic about the NCC opportunity. Yet, so far, the challenge has been to find a site big enough.
High School sports regulations, set out by the Kentucky High School Athletics Association, requires 300 feet out to left field, 300 feet to right field and 350 feet to center field. Some leeway is allowed between 275 and 350 feet in the outfield if a ten-foot wall can be built within that range to compensate for the shorter distance.
Wilder looked first at a site near the popular Frederick’s Landing but found there were issues, not only with outfield distances, but also they discovered a problem with utility wires running overhead, not permitted by KHSAA regulations. Vance said the cost of building a retaining wall to keep fill in would also be prohibitive.
Finding the right location remains a challenge, but city officials have not given up. They have been exploring a second and even a third location, and right now are working through the necessary requirements and cost issues, said Vance.
"We want to work with them [NCC} because we feel this will bring something special to the city. And, we needed to replace the old ball field... We thought, we plan to spend the money for a smaller field, why not build one that can accommodate NCC as well? But, that’s the hard part — making it bigger."
Again, he said, the city is committed to replacing its field and trying to find a solution that could bring the NCC field to Wilder.