FORT THOMAS MATTERS

Fort Thomas Midweek News Update

2012-05-30T22:45:00.001-04:00

The biggest news of the day was the Fort Thomas Police Department's notice that someone tried to pick up a child walking from school. Here is the text of the news alert:

A middle school child reported today, that while walking home from school Tuesday, May 30th, a male subject whom the middle-schooler described as younger (age range 18 to 30) in a gray, Ford Mustang GT pulled over on Newman Avenue and rolled down the passenger window and asked if the student needed a ride. The student crossed the street and the person then asked again from the driver's side. The student had no idea who the subject was. When the student put his hand in his pocket as if to retrieve a cell phone he reports that the car sped off.

Subject: White Male, age range 18 - 30 years, black hair cut in a military style and was wearing sunglasses. Car: A gray, Ford Mustang GT, unknown year, assumed newer model and unknown license plate.

Highlands Baseball is on the brink of the 9th region baseball championship. The game is Thursday night at 7pm. For all the latest follow @nkysportsblog. If the Birds win the region they actually have a decent shot at the state title. A recent post by @MikeFieldsNotes indicates that No. 1 LexCath, No. 2 Eastern, No. 4 CovCath, No. 5 Lafayette, No. 8 Madison Cent, No. 10 Apollo are all out of the baseball playoffs.
Speaking of accomplishments at Highlands, congratulations to Tyler Felts for winning a Cappie award for 'outstanding critic'. For more on the Cappies you can see my previous post.

Cash Mob Time at the Blue Marble

2012-05-23T10:50:00.000-04:00

We've mentioned it before on this blog. The cash mob is a concept where everyone in the community shows up and spends $20 to show their support of a local business. Recent examples in the Cincinnati area include Murray Brothers and Park + Vine and we want to bring it to Fort Thomas in support of a community institution - The Blue Marble.

The Blue Marble celebrates their 33rd anniversary in two weeks and what a way to kick it off. They recently expanded their branding and have indicated they will order any book for the whole family - not just kids.

For this cause we are asking everyone to show up between 3pm and 5pm on Saturday June 2nd. It just so happens that during this time Blue Marble is featuring sibling team Judy Burris and Wayne Richards talking about their nature books. They will be blown away by the interest in their books. We don't have to tell them we are there to voice our support for the store, not necessarily nature books.

Go to our Facebook page and join the movement by accepting the Cash Mob event.

Tuesday Pre-Hump Day Notes

2012-05-22T07:47:00.004-04:00

- Andrea Conners has to love the fact that Sarah Jones is taking her spotlight for the moment. Jones' case was spotlighted on The Today Show's opening hour this morning, as she and her attorney asked the judge on the case for leniency on her texting restrictions.It's been out for a while, but her resignation letter is below.

- The Highlands softball teams plays in the District Semifinals today at 5:00 at Newport Stadium against NCC. The Bluebirds (10-18), who won the District Championship last year, will be playing the 'Breds (16-13) for the fourth time this year, losing the previous three meetings.

You know what they say though, "fourth time's a charm." Or something like that. Go support the Lady Birds and Coach Jake Donelan.

- A new website for the Merchants and Music festival has been created. You can find that here: Merchants and Music.

- Our guys at Kentucky Sports Radio recently featured a video about HHS QB and UK Commit, Patrick Towles, and his grandfather, Sen. Jim Bunning. The video features Patrick talking about the criticism his grandfather received as a political figure, and how that will help him as he takes on the role of the highest profiled position on Kentucky's banner institution.

Patrick Towles' article.

He's the man.

Keeping Fort Thomas Streets Clean

2012-05-21T23:05:00.000-04:00

There have been some good conversations on Facebook lately focused around two pictures that were taken in the last couple weeks.

The first picture I took on a weeknight with the kids eating ice cream at the clock tower and I posted on the Fort Thomas Matters Facebook page. The second picture was taken by Tim, the owner of the Midway, a couple nights ago outside his bar and reflects the decorative flower pots being used as an ash tray.

There was some good conversation about the first picture regarding the lack of respect of the area kids to leave the central business district in such a mess and the second picture gave all of the Midway fans a chance to lobby to bring back the guacamole.

Regardless, there is a common denominator here and that is the lack of cleaning the city is doing in their nicely renovated business districts. I hear regular complaints about how infrequent the city empties the trash cans around town and now we have two recent examples where our beautiful town is trashed.

I could use this post as an opportunity to bash the city for not cleaning up more often but I have to ask a question - whose responsibility is this? Should regular citizens take more responsibility? Many of the comments noted that it is hard to blame the kids at the clock tower when there is no place to put the trash but why couldn't there be a group of citizens that act as ambassadors and sweep the common areas and empty the trash more regularly. Downtown Cincinnati has employed this very successfully and it has gone a long way toward changing the perception of downtown for the better.

I think the city should organize such a civic opportunity - what do you say?

Highlands Students Need Your Help

2012-05-18T21:35:00.001-04:00

A group of four high school students need your help with a national competition. One of the students is Madeline Anderson and here is there story from her point of view:

National History Day (NHD) is a nationally acclaimed, academic enrichment program that promotes the study of history in our schools. HHS did not have an NHD club until this year. One of my classmates, Max Freyberger, approached a Social Studies teacher at Highlands and asked him to sponsor this club. Mr. Zach Deaton became our group leader and has helped us achieve our goals.

We had ten students join NHD in the fall. All of us competed at the regional competition with seven advancing to the state competition. Four of us will be moving on to the national competition, which will be held at the University of Maryland June 10-14, 2012.

The theme for this year is “Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History”. We each chose a topic that we wanted to research and then present in the form of an exhibit, performance, documentary, paper, or website. Rebecca Thome and I are in the group performance category presenting a piece about the Harlem Renaissance. Allison Camm performs in the individual category. Her piece is titled, “Classy Vaudeville”. Max Freyberger created a documentary about Indian Independence.

We believe that participating in the NHD contest will contribute to our education in a way that nothing else can. Not only is this experience giving us a chance to do something we love, it is also allowing us to tour Washington D.C. and meet other NHD students from all over the country. We are proud to be representing Highlands High School and the state of Kentucky.

The state is paying for our registration fee and HHS is generously covering the cost of our transportation. We are responsible for our lodging and meals, which will be $1340.00 for the four of us. We are asking for your help in sponsoring our group. We will be grateful for any monetary donation that you can make.

If you are able to contribute, we would appreciate your donation by June 8^th. However, we do realize this is short notice and will happily accept your donation even after the trip has taken place. Please make the check payable to Ft. Thomas Independent Schools and put “NHD trip” on the memo line. You can send it to the address above, to the attention of Beth.

If you have questions, please feel free to contact Mr. Zach Deaton at zach.deaton@fortthomas.kyschools.us. You can also learn more about National History Day at www.nhd.org.

Fort Thomas Coffee Opening This Summer

2012-05-17T22:28:00.001-04:00

As I mentioned last week, a new independent coffee shop is opening in Fort Thomas. Good friends of my family Lori and David Valentine are opening Fort Thomas Coffee in the former Three French Hens space at 118 North Fort Thomas Avenue this summer.

Fort Thomas Coffee, which will feature gourmet coffee and full espresso bar as well as breakfast, lunch and snacks, was created to serve as a community hub for the city.

"Our mission for Fort Thomas Coffee is about more than just coffee," said founder Lori Valentine. "We want to deepen community in Fort Thomas by providing a place that encourages connection and creativity. We will be a true neighborhood coffee shop."

Lori and David, who have children in Fort Thomas schools and have lived in the city for 12 years, want to integrate the coffee shop into the community, supporting local schools, organizations and neighbors with a special focus on creative endeavors.

Menu items from Fort Thomas Coffee will range from breakfast options like muffins, bagels, and otameal, to chicken salad sandwiches and soup for lunch. A variety of sweets and snacks will also be available. But the star will be the coffee... the coffee and the community.

For more information visit their Facebook page.

Weekend FT notes

2012-05-12T10:46:00.003-04:00

- The Andrea Conners story is dominating the news, but not to the extent that similar cases around the area have garnered recently.

Stacey Schuler at Mason High School, received a lot more local and national attention. Sarah Jones, the former Ben Gal, Eric Deters' client against The Dirty.com , and former teacher at Dixie Heights is in an ongoing dual pronged legal battle, fighting similar charges that Conners is facing.

Conners' attorney, Rob Dziech, said as much in an article on Cincinnati.com:

“We are hoping to deal with this in the courtroom rather than in the papers and on TV. We are trying to make it least traumatic for everyone involved."

Perhaps the Jones case is overshadowing Conners' case. Maybe it's because the story is still developing and details are just now starting to creep out - seemingly more so through the Facebook and Twitter feeds of HHS students more so than Ft. Thomas Independent Schools and staff. But either way, you just get the feeling that new Superintendent Gene Kirchner is doing all he can to keep a lid on this story.

Kirchner, who took over for John Williamson as superintendent in March of this year, will now face his first crisis since taking over as head of Fort Thomas Schools. Welcome to the Fort Thomas, Gene!

Luckily for him, this is definitely out of the norm, but you know John Williamson is breathing a sigh of relief from his office at The College Board in New York City.

- A few other notes if you are still reading:

- Mayor Mary Brown has proclaimed May 2012, Building Safety Month. So... there's that.

- Don't forget to put out canned food items today for your mailmen. All the items will go directly to The Brighton Center's food bank.

- Still working on some of the Fort Thomas Police reports from last year. But I now have the General Services report, as reported to council by Ron Dill. Should be fun to recap everything they accomplished last year - which included a lot of work on city parks. Thanks to Tom Lampe, for giving FTM his copy.

- Speaking of General Services, go to our Facebook page (and like it) to see a photo that people are commenting about how General Services can be improved.

Additional Items of Interest

2012-05-10T23:05:00.002-04:00

The news seems to be coming fast and furious these days. A few more updates:

1. While all the attention has been on Andrea Conners a highlight for Fort Thomas schools went un-noticed. US News & World Report ranked Highlands as the fifth best high school in the state and perhaps more importantly #431 nationally.

2. Speaking of Andrea Conners, she was formally charged today. Here is a rundown of all the coverage from area media. It is basically the same story so click on one and you pretty much know the latest.

3. With all the construction going on around 471 it has likely given you a headache at some point over the past couple weeks as you have attempted to get around Northern Kentucky. But there is some good news to all this road work. In addition to getting a quieter highway they are also planning to add an additional late to the southbound ramp to 275 West. This should alleviate some of the backups going south in the afternoon.

Fort Thomas Mid-week News Update

2012-05-09T21:05:00.001-04:00

With the Andrea Conners situation grabbing all the attention this week there are other news stories to discuss...

1. A new coffee shop is coming to town. A lease has been signed on the old Three French Hens location. Fort Thomas Coffee will be a very exciting concept that will be owned and operated by a Fort Thomas family. I will have a full press release to publish next week but this should be a great new gathering spot for the community.

2. There was a profile of Trinity's football team on ESPN and Highlands got a shout out in the piece as "Another Kentucky Team to Watch". The brief post discusses the prospects for the 6th in a row.

3. The Farmer's Market started back up today - any thoughts from readers on new options or the turnout for the first market of the year?

4. I have had many comments about the 'butchered' trees along Memorial Parkway. I assume this is just the normal spring trimming but the city or state did a real number on the trees. Turns out we are not the only community that got a little "ambitious" as Boone County residents feel their regular maintenance went a little too far as well.

5. Don't forget the Texas Hold'em Tournament at St Thomas to benefit the school this Saturday.

HHS Teacher Andrea Conners Resigns

2012-05-08T19:13:00.008-04:00

Andrea Conners in the Highlander Yearbook

On National Teacher Appreciation Day, one Highlands High School teacher can no longer claim to be apart of Highlands' esteemed teaching corp.

Andrea Conners abruptly submitted her letter of resignation last Thursday and hired an attorney Saturday. No one is saying a word. No one has to.

The local news outlets, the school, nor Conners are commenting directly on the allegations swirling around the streets of Fort Thomas, but the details will be forthcoming. And the residents will eat them up like a pack of jackals. Early reports have Conners resigning due to an alleged sexual relationship with a student(s).

Highlands has been so tight lipped about the situation, teachers at the school were not even told the teacher's name.

Conners, who has taught business at Highlands for the last 8 years, has by all accounts been a good teacher. Here's her profile on ratemyteacher.com. On a scale of 1-5, she is rated 4.1 on the easy scale. That's pretty easy, if you ask me. (hat tip to CM Tomlin on that joke).

When I was looking up ratemyteacher.com, I took this screenshot:

In the wake of all these teacher scandals, perhaps the brain-trust at ratemyteacher.com may want to change the wording here.

Channel 12 coverage.

Fox 19 coverage.

Exclusive to FTM Readers: Discounted “Mommy and Me” class at Kaleidoscope Dance Company

2012-05-07T08:28:00.002-04:00

Mama on a Budget Series - by Jessica Duke

Supposedly for little boys, a background in dance can help footwork in football, soccer, basketball, or a myriad other “manly” sports. For my son, it seems to help his spirit more than anything! Sure, he has a mean right arm with both a baseball and football and has already perfected the drag back turn and step-over soccer moves, but when it comes to dancing and movement, he has an irrepressible and natural love. That is why last spring, Knox and I took a “Mommy and Me” dance class at Kaleidoscope Dance Company (KDC) in the Midway district in Fort Thomas and why we are signing up for the session beginning this June 9 (Saturdays 10-11 am).

Prior to my first class, I expected an hour of loud music and flash-dancing but this was really not the case; in fact, I left my first class slightly disappointed because there was minimal time to allow the children to creatively dance on their own. Classes focus on learning to walk on tip-toes, crab walk, pencil rolls, learning to point toes alternating between right foot and left (and even learning the difference), and other movement and mechanics.

When I got home, I switched to Insight Channel 867 (Dance Clubbin’) and Knox and I danced our hearts out vowing not to go back. Until, I saw him walking on his tip-toes and pencil rolling proudly and I realized the importance of learning different types of movement in an enjoyable class format.

The class size is typically about five moms and their children and is limited to age six months to three years. Obviously, this is a big age gap but since mommies (or daddies) are always present, it does not overwhelm the younger children. There is one KDC instructor who was very effective in leading the class and making it enjoyable for everyone involved.

The price for the six-week session is $40 but Lindsey Smith, the owner, is offering a special for FTM readers for the class for $30, just mention FTM. In addition, KDC, which began in 2005 offers numerous other classes including a FREE Zumba class for adults, Wednesday nights 7-8 pm (just pre-register by June 2). To view their entire class schedule ranging from summer dance camps to “Senior Dance and Fall Prevention” classes, go to www.kaleidoscopedancecompany.com. Hope to see you on your tippie-toes!

More Ft Thomas News for Your Weekend

2012-05-03T14:58:00.000-04:00

Mark had a few good notes yesterday and you can scroll down to read about them, a few extras as you get ready for the weekend:

1. Ginger Webb from Beechwood High School has been unanimously selected from nine candidates to assume the Assistant Superintendent position. Beechwood is a great school system as well and she must have been head and shoulders above the other candidates. Should be a good add to the school system.

2. Blue Marble is changing their name (only slightly) to drop the emphasis on Childrens book and broaden their appeal to teens and even adults. They are offering to special order any title for their customers. I understand the name change and broadening of their market and I hope it works out for them.

3. Expect to see a new electronic sign go up at the YMCA this weekend. The Y is updating their signage to correspond with the branding change from some time ago and it should help freshen the outside of the building up a bit.

4. The Kentucky governor made some appointments to posts and commissions this week and a Fort Thomas resident made the cut. Joan Gregory of Fort Thomas, a retired teacher, was appointed to the Kentucky Commission on Women. She is part-time coordinator of the International Baccalaureate program at Holmes High School. Her term will expire Jan. 17, 2016. Joan was the only appointment from Northern Kentucky

Fort Thomas Hump Day Notes

2012-05-01T18:13:00.003-04:00

- Free Dog Wash And yard sale this Saturday at Dirty Hairy's at 18 N. Fort Thomas Ave.! All proceeds benefit Stray Animal Adoption Program. See the flyer above for details.

- Beechwood High School Principal, Ginger Webb, will become assistant superintendent of teaching and learning at Fort Thomas Independent Schools. via nky.com.

- Today marks the 10th annivesary of Craig and Carolynn Reis' purchase of Best Furniture. They have the blueprint for how to run and maintain a successful business in our community. Congrats to them!

- The Fort Thomas Farmer's Market is opening tomorrow. Via Renaissance Coordinator, Debbie Buckley:

This Wednesday, May 2 from 3:00-7:00 begins our Fort Thomas Farmers' Market for 2012. Come renew acquaintances with your favorite farmers and vendors from previous years! Rain or Shine!!!

The Camp Springs Vineyard

Salatin Farms

Lobenstein Farms

Doc's Dressings

Bean Haus Breads

Breezy Acres

Greg Gayle Honey

Ohio Farm Direct

AND meet our new vendors, including The Flying Olive, The Farm at Holiday Harbor, Little Organics, and Overlook Farms! We have wonderful new surprises for you.

Additionally, we are adding local artists who will be showing off their talents this year. Come watch them at work! You'll also be able to purchase pieces of their talent. The Children's Art Academy owners, John and Cyndi Mendell, are bringing artists from their Cincinnati college, and local artists are joining them as they set up along S. Fort Thomas Avenue.

This year we are also happy to add musician, Robbie Tieman, to our market. Robbie's known around the Northern Kentucky for his special musical talents. We're glad to welcome him to Fort Thomas!

Fort Thomas Real Estate - Steady and Bouncing Back

2012-04-30T15:22:00.000-04:00

A story in the Enquirer this weekend highlighted the fact that Fort Thomas is one of the most stable real estate markets you can find. While the past three years saw the total sales decline the prices have held up well and there appears to be a modest surge happening.

According to Enquirer data Fort Thomas home values (measured by median sales price) only dropped 1.3% since 2008 and is up 6.7% over last year.

Based on even more recent data the market is actually on a bit of a hot streak. I receive weekly sales reports from Robinson Realty in Cincinnati where they show the stats of home sales for neighborhoods all over the region and Fort Thomas was the third hottest market in the region for March with sales of 24% of the current real estate inventory (22 sales on 93 listings).

This isn't just numbers either as I am seeing first-hand experiences that reflect this as my brother-in-law just contracted a house that had sat vacant for three years. He plans to invest a lot to bring it back up to par and will only serve to stabilize prices on his street.

Fort Thomas Weekend Notes

2012-04-29T14:32:00.000-04:00

A few things over the past couple weeks that may be of interest to you:

1. Some Highland Ave residents are upset at paying for resurfacing. It is a rite of passage for all Fort Thomas homeowners to split the cost of resurfacing every 20+ years (I was unlucky to get the bill three years after moving to Lumley) but these residents make a great point. Should those on heavily traveled primary thoroughfares be required to bear the full cost of resurfacing those roads?

2. Highland United Methodist Church is hosting an event on Thursday for the National Day of Prayer. The event will bring together 11 area churches and will be held at 7pm on the front plaza of the church.

3. I went to Mio's on Friday and I spoke with Mark Fowler the owner. He understands that there were some service issues the first couple weeks but feels confident he has them worked out. There were a couple things as he showed me around that I thought you may be interested in. First, they do have wi-fi and there is a good chance you can access it from the front patio. Secondly, I was surprised by how much parking exists behind the building (pic below). Swing by when you get a chance you won't be disappointed - especially on the patio on a warm summer day.

FTPD Annual Report Stats: Non Traffic Charges

2012-04-25T16:33:00.004-04:00

(Click the chart to view it larger)

Last week we dissected the traffic charges given out by FTPD. Some of the highlights:

Of the 1480 citations were issued. 2600 written warnings were given.
Only 354 citations were issued for speeding. Anecdotal evidence would suggest more.
106 DUIs were issued.

Non-traffic citations. Again, going back to anecdotal evidence, I expected to see more burglary and theft citations issued. Looking back on it, however, it seems as if those are the only crimes that routinely get reported through "old school" news. In total, only 24 citations were issued for theft and burglary.

By far, drug and alcohol related citations made up the majority. Of the 749 charges, 357 were drug and alcohol related. 241 warrants were served which made up another big majority.

Mama on a Budget: Cat in the Hat Story Time

2012-04-25T16:18:00.003-04:00

The last time I met a nearly seven foot tall ‘Cat was after a UK basketball game. This time around was quite a bit less exciting: at a Barnes and Noble with my two children and husband (if only he were that ‘Cat from college, “meow”). Actually, though, this much more wholesome experience was really entertaining, family-friendly, and well-organized.

Every ~~Caturday~~ Saturday, Barnes and Noble hosts a family-oriented story time in their upstairs children’s area. It is free of charge, although I am sure they would appreciate it if you bought something (I suggest a non-fat, no foam, chai tea latte from the café!). This past Saturday was hosted by the cat in the hat and the children were read Green Eggs and Ham. However, a character does not always come to story time and the times vary, so be sure to check their website before heading out.

The only issue was someone must’ve been taking a catnap because they were about 10 minutes late to start which is an eternity for the nearly thirty children age four or five and under. But otherwise, the event was purr-fect (eh, eh). The cat allowed all the children to give it hugs and take pictures with it, and was lively and animated during the reading of the book. The host also gave each child one lollipop to ensure there was a little quiet while the book was read.

When finished, they had a craft table (make your own bookmark) and a tattoo station; Knox still has his kitty-cat tattoo on his arm. Representatives from the local library branches were also there signing people up for library cards.

Be sure to check out their schedule of events online. John Lomax from local channel 12 will be there this Saturday in support of child abuse awareness month.

Fire on the Avenue Tonight

2012-04-20T21:37:00.000-04:00

I had to park on Fort Thomas Ave tonight as the street was shut down due to a fire in the old 3 French Hens building right next to the city building.

Thankfully no one was apparently hurt but the main street in town was blocked for a couple hours. I did speak to one of the residents who lived there. She was not home at the time but her daughter was and she indicated it took 20 minutes from the call until water was applied to the fire despite being next door to the fire department. I doubt she had an actual timer but she was clearly not happy with the response.

The picture above is of a fire truck parked behind the structure from an entrance on Lumley Ave. The picture below is of an officer directing foot traffic around the site and the bottom picture is a close-up of the roof after the fire was doused.

UPDATE - the fire was apparently started by a cigarette, which may have had something to do with the resident's perception of the time it took to apply water to the fire.

FTEF Awards Grants

2012-04-19T22:17:00.000-04:00

This year all 5 schools in the Fort Thomas Independent School District will have over $56,000 in additional funds to purchase new technology and supplies due to the Fort Thomas Foundation Foundation’s teacher grant program. This amount represents the most monies awarded by the Foundation in its history. Since 2001, the Foundation has awarded over $422,000 in teacher grants for items that are above and beyond the district’s operating budget. Money raised through the Foundation’s Tailgate Club, annual appeal, dance and employee giving drive help support the teacher grant program. Among this year’s grant awards are:

iPads for a pilot program for the elementary schools to Jon Stratton, principal of Johnson Elementary, Jay Brewer, principal of Moyer Elementary, and Keith Faust, principal of Woodfill Elementary, for a total of $25,160;
Musical instruments for the music programs to Mary Scaggs and Dave Rockel, music teachers at Johnson, Moyer and Woodfill Elementary Schools for a total of $10,000;
Seven (7) document cameras to Jon Stratton, principal of Johnson Elementary, for a total of $2,793;
Eleven (11) document cameras to Jay Brewer, principal of Moyer Elementary, for a total of $4,389;
Two (2) classroom sets of the Smart Response XE interactive response system for a pilot program in the Math Department to Stephanie Ewald of Highlands Middle School for a total of $4,798;
Video camera, software and equipment for a middle school broadcast news program to Lisa Birkley of Highlands Middle School for a total of $2,953;
Video/digital camera and podium for a public speaking class to Dianne Yelton of Highlands Middle School for a total of $842;
Buzzers for the HHS Quick Recall Team and 8^th grade science class to John Warford of Highlands Middle School for a total of $580;
Five (5) digital cameras for the middle school art program to Collin Shadwell of Highlands Middle School for a total of $1,030;
Digital camera for the high school art program to Kristine Donnelly and Andy Eckerle of Highlands High School for a total of $625;
Physics cart and ramp system for the Physics Department to Tim Auch of Highlands High School for a total of $3,500.

FTEF Chairperson Beth Hudepohl is pleased with the success of the teacher grant program. She stated, “It was great to feel the excitement and appreciation from the students and the teachers as we presented the recipients with their Foundation Grants. We thank all the supporters of the Foundation who enabled us to make a huge impact this year by fulfilling the largest monetary requests ever distributed in one year.”

Superintendent Gene Kirchner added, “The FTEF grants are a wonderful investment in the future of our children and represent the true spirit of our community.”

Formed in 1992, the Fort Thomas Education Foundation, a 501(c)(3) separate from the district, believes that the education of our children is of paramount importance to the future of Fort Thomas. The mission is to provide funds beyond the operating budget for educational programs and activities for students and staff. Foundation funds may be used to facilitate student and staff excellence, provide equipment and capital needs and expand community resources through the active involvement of individuals, businesses, and civic organizations.

For more information on how to donate to the Fort Thomas Education Foundation or for information about how to leave the Foundation in your will or estate plans, please contact Jennie King at 859-815-2004 or jennifer.king@fortthomas.kyschools.us

Fort Thomas Police Annual Report (Traffic Charges)

2012-04-16T20:29:00.004-04:00

(Click on the image to see it bigger)

Last year was the first year that we looked at the Fort Thomas Police Department's Annual Report. As always, Chief Daly and Lt. Fecher did a great job on the presentation. As we try to look for trends, we'll begin to delve into the report by putting them into graphs.

Ask any outsider and they will tell you not to speed in Fort Thomas. Our police department has a reputation of enforcing our speed limits extremely closely. It's no wonder that of the 1480 traffic citations, speeding was the largest portion of all the citations.

There were also 106 DUI citations issued.

While there were 1480 citations issued, there were 2600 written warnings.

Van Damme It's Friday Links

2012-04-14T09:33:00.003-04:00

- A few notes to rehash from Ben's council notes last week. The Grand Opening for Rossford Park was yesterday. The city did an amazing job revamping the park. It's user friendly, with lots to do, and has a nice, modern flow to it. Kudos.

- On top of that, a Reforestation effort is happening Saturday morning, from 10-1. They need volunteers to help replant trees at Rossford Park. Brochure is here.

-HHS 2002 grad, Tony Jansen, now a Highland Heights police officer, recently put his life on the line to save another. He was honored by the city. Ben will have a more in-depth story on this soon. Via our friends at NkySpot.com.

- Now that Lent is over, we can resume (and conclude) our Nky's Best Pizza Quest at Mio's Pizza. My bride and I gave it up for 40 days and 40 nights, and I've been waiting to try Mio's pizza, as of now - only had their beer and wings. We'll let you know when and where. Also, tried some of Larosa's new apps last night - thanks to Ryan Henry for letting us try them. Good stuff.

- Some information on the HHS Alumni Dinner via their FB page:

Highlands High School Alumni Association Annual Dinner

Welcome Back to the Nest

Highlands Country Club

Saturday, April 28, 2012
Cocktails: 6:00 Dinner: 7:30
Buffet with Cash Bar

Speaker: Mickey Foellger
Alumnus of the Year: Clem Fennell
Highlands Teacher of the Year: Susan Skinner
Outstanding Middle School Teacher of the Year: Rhonda Shriver
Outstanding Elementary School Teacher of the Year: Mary Kinsella

Cost $30 pre-sale $35.00 day of the event
Sponsorships welcome!!

For ticket and information, please contact:
Linda Stapleton Slone, 859-750-9532 or at
The Bank of Kentucky, Inc., at 859-441-3302

Visit our website: highlandsalumni.com
or mail reservations to:
HHS Alumni Dinner
P O Box 75159
Fort Thomas, Ky 41075

Everyone is invited!!

Northern Kentucky and UK Basketball

2012-04-12T21:25:00.001-04:00

As many of you know Mark and I are big UK basketball fans and if you are too then you may be familiar with the uproar that started today when Coach Calipari and a bus full of staff started a tour of the state of Kentucky to show off the National Championship trophy. To see more about this tour including pictures from today's stops visit the following links on Kentuckysportsradio.com:

Here
Here
and Here

How does this apply to Fort Thomas and Northern Kentucky you might ask? When the schedule was announced Northern Kentucky was mysteriously absent from the list. Stops in Lexington, Louisville, Eastern Kentucky, and Western Kentucky were included but nothing north of Lexington.

I didn't think a lot about it when I saw the list initially but then a crescendo started to build throughout the day. First I noticed it on comments on KSR, then I started reading Twitter messages with comments such as "Northern Kentucky is Big Blue Nation too". Then on my drive home Mo Egger was imploring Coach Calipari to call in and add a tour stop in NKY from his 3PM radio show on 1530.

Even Jared Lorenzen got in on the act:

While I would love to be able to swing by and touch the trophy or even get my picture taken with it I am not ready to jump on that bandwagon. I count myself satisfied that we have a coach that gets it enough to spend a few days driving around the state making himself and the trophy accessible to everyday Kentuckians.

Besides, I believe that if a stop were added in... say Florence.... I would wager a guess that only a few hundred would show up. We are too busy shuttling our kids to practice or working late to take the time to wait in line and possibly still not get a one on one interaction with the coach. Contrast that with mountain towns (of which I came from one) where literally three thousand people showed up and it is clear they lack the access that many of us in Northern Kentucky have the resources to provide on our own.

I do however, think this is about more than basketball and it just happens to be the flash point that many Northern Kentuckians have decided to dig their heels in on. Everyone here has spent decades being the red-headed stepchild to Cincinnati, getting the shaft from Frankfort, having to pay more for education as we pay for the rest of the state. We are tired of being forgotten, getting no news coverage from the area media, and getting the jokes from our snobby Cincinnati suburban co-workers.

What do you think - is this the hill we should die on or do we pick another fight?

Fort Thomas Mid-week News Update

2012-04-10T22:54:00.001-04:00

I am a little late on this update and I started writing this while in New Orleans watching UK bring home their 8th championship. Obviously I was distracted so here they are:

1. There have been rumors of a possible move of DEP from the Fort Thomas Plaza to the old Moore's Hardware store on the east side of 471. While it would give them more control over the space and larger space I wonder how the parking and entry and exit will be.

2. Sanitation District 1 has a rate increas that goes into effect on May 1st. It should add about 17 cents / day to your bill on average.

3. There was a cool story in the Enquirer about Route 8 with cool stories about those that have been inspired from the highway. Have you had any inspirations from a drive down Route 8?

4. Local realtors Comey and Shepherd have added Fort Thomas to their annual luxury homes market analysis. This is a bit of an endorsement of our real estate market and provides additional visibility that could come in handy for sellers. They define luxury in Cincinnati as anything over $500K. Interestingly, there were 8 such sales in 2011 with a median price of $700K.

Council Meeting Notes 4/2/2012 (by Ben Petracco)

2012-04-07T13:29:00.002-04:00

The meeting had a rushed agenda because everyone in attendance was distracted by the hopes of the University of Kentucky bringing home number 8, so like the meeting, my article will be brief and to the point.

A resident from Overlook Drive was back to thank that council for paving parts of the street which leveled out some un-even patches. The resident again inquired about the pine trees lining the back yards on the street that are on the Fort Thomas Plaza’s property. Council members said they had someone working on the tree problem and that they were in communication with the Fort Thomas Plaza representatives.

City Manager, Don Martin addressed the deer issue in the city, saying that the infrared surveillance would have to be postponed until early 2013. The warm weather and early budding of the trees has made it impossible to use the equipment necessary to locate and count the deer.

Without the usual media outlets at the meeting Mr. Martin wanted us to get the word out that there are some important events coming up in the city. The dedication of the new Rossford Park is on Friday April 13 at 5:30. The dedication will include the following events: Highlands High School Concert Band, Essay Contest winners from Johnson Elementary 5th grade will handle the dedication ceremony, Highlands High School women’s ensemble will sing the National Anthem and have a 1st pitch ceremony, and there will also be youth baseball exhibition games. The flyer for the dedication can be viewed here:

http://www.ftthomas.org/FormsBrochures/Rossford%20Park%20Dedication%20Flyer.pdf

There will be a reforestation at Rossford on April 14th, the morning after the dedication from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The plan is to plant around 1800 trees and volunteers are encouraged to come to the park and enjoy a fun morning of planting trees. The flyer for the event can be seen here: http://www.ftthomas.org/FormsBrochures/reforest%20Ft.%20Thomas%202012.pdf

Finally to wrap up the meeting Fire Chief, Mark Bailey, presented the annual fire department report. The council sincerely enjoyed the presentation and said Chief Bailey and his department are doing an outstanding job.

Saturday Morning Hot Links

2012-04-07T13:07:00.006-04:00

- The FTITB winners, the Olde Fort Pub is hosting a benefit for victims of the recent tornadoes in the counties. The Sleeping Dogs are providing entertainment. Raffles, door prizes, etc. Should be a really great time for a great cause.

- Talk around town on the first few weeks of Mio's being open and the opinions are mixed. I have been talking with one of the owners, Allen Harless, who had this to say, "We have just been so busy and had a few hiccups along the way. Each day is getting better. (We) need a couple more weeks of training and organizational projects to iron out all the kinks in the building."

Let's hope they get the service/kitchens issues ironed out sooner, rather than later.

- The Summer Entertainment series has been out for a while and FTM has reported on it. Here' s a little more information on these events.

Carwash.org [Digg]

2010-09-27T17:24:24-07:00