FORT THOMAS MATTERS

Mama on a Budget: Lowe's Build and Grow (by Jessica Duke)

2012-02-18T12:15:00.002-05:00

What an ingenious marketing ploy the Highland Heights Lowe's has. They call it “Build and Grow” and it is a Saturday morning session a few times per month for children over two where you get to actually build different projects; this week was a Valentine’s Day card box. Of course the evil corporate genius behind this idea thought about it economically: 50 kids means 50 parents who may not have otherwise come to Lowe’s. Sheepishly buying in, we literally bought in and purchased stuff from Lowes we otherwise wouldn’t have. But we totally owed it to them, we got an awesome box!

Truthfully, though, it is a neat (and free) Saturday morning program. Knox was given an apron with his name on it, his own hammer, and the box kit. He really enjoyed using his “boom-boom” (hammer) just like “Bahdabudder” (Bob the Builder). It was really rewarding watching him work with his hands, practice fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, and to watch his eyes light up when he realized he got to keep what he had built (and decorate it with stickers!).

Also, upon completing the project, he was given a certificate (now in the trash, honestly) and an iron-on patch with the name of the project on it. There were children at the workshop with close to twenty or thirty patches ironed on to their apron. Knox has been proudly wearing the apron and brandishing the hammer since arriving home and even helped Daddy check a box off his “honey-do” list.

Although Dad ended up doing most of the build and the Lowes-provided “helper” really just stood off to the side, and although the workshop area was a stack of lumber and not the easiest area to build in for adults (perfect height for children), it was a really enjoyable Saturday morning.

To find more information on these workshops, go to http://www.lowesbuildandgrow.com/Home.aspx. The next session is a “Rumblin Race-Car” on February 25th followed by a “Carnival Hoop” on March 10.

Gripe of the Day (Guest Post by Marc Roth)

2012-02-18T09:30:00.000-05:00

What are we teaching our kids today?? I’m amazed each morning that I’m either dropping my son off at Highlands Middle School or driving past one of the elementary schools and I get stuck behind parents that insist on stopping in the middle of the road to let their kids out. Never mind that there are ALWAYS parking spots that the parents can swing their car into for 15 seconds to let their kids out and the cars behind to pass!

One morning this past week I had two cars directly in front of me stop in the middle of the road by the HMS crosswalk, let their kids out and waited for them to cross the street in front of them before continuing on. NOT ONE…TWO! After the first stopped and let their son out…they departed. Then the second pulled up to the same spot and continued the process. (Mind you, there were no other kids in the crosswalk at that time…it was just “more convenient” for the parents) This worries me as it doesn’t teach the kids the discipline of understanding their surrounding and recognizing there are other people behind them.

What’s next?? Perhaps they can also teach their kids to stand on the moving walkway at the airport and not “allow people to pass you on the left.” Or…teach them to not know that someone is coming behind them on the highway and just hang out in the left lane.

I need some ibuprofen!!

Fort Thomas Superintendent Accepts Position with The College Board

2012-02-17T16:43:00.002-05:00

Via Fort Thomas Independent School website. Hat tip Jess Duke.

Fort Thomas Independent Schools’ superintendent, John Williamson, today announced his decision to retire as superintendent effective March 12, 2012. Williamson is leaving to take a position with The College Board in New York City where he will lead an innovative new national AP program that focuses on 21st century learning skills.

Williamson has been employed with the District since 1999, first as assistant superintendent for teaching and learning. He was named superintendent in 2007. During his tenure, the District has continued to be ranked as the top-performing K-12 district in Kentucky, with three schools being named as National Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence. Williamson has implemented many innovative programs, provided a stronger fiscal stability and modernized the physical infrastructure of the District. Additionally, he is credited with marketing the District which has resulted in a dramatic increase in tuition students as well as adding a chef and nutritionist to the cafeteria program.

“Although this is a great opportunity for John, it is a loss for our District. The experience, leadership and vision John brought will be difficult to replace. However, we are committed to finding the best candidate to continue leading our District forward,” said Karen Allen, Fort Thomas Board of Education chairperson.

“I have been blessed to work with such a professional, talented, giving team of Board members, administrators, teachers, parents, students and, most importantly, community members,” said Williamson. “Our work together has enabled students to achieve at greater levels, helping to continue the rich tradition of educational excellence in Fort Thomas.”

The Board of Education intends to appoint Gene Kirchner, current assistant superintendent for teaching and learning, as interim superintendent, and immediately initiate the superintendent selection process.

Fort Thomas News Mid-week Update

2012-02-16T20:53:00.001-05:00

1. Reser's bike shop is hosting a NKY Bike survey. The survey is presented by Queen City Bike and the Kentucky Bicycle and Bikeway Commission - if you are a cyclist in the area go complete the survey as it can help shape future amenities.

2. The Highlands Band is holding a Texas Hold Em tournament on February 25th at the VFW hall in Southgate. They need a successful fundraiser to cover basic expenses and could really use the help of all of you future Phil Ivey's.

3. AJ Jolly just received funds for a new paved trail. This is the second year in a row they won funds for expanded trails. While I am excited that the park has won funds since the trail is in the county and area but I think it would be even better if Fort Thomas recreation submitted for these funds for Tower or other surrounding parks.

4. We have commended the Fort Thomas Police Department before for utilizing new technologies for communicating with citizens. They continue to find new ways - a point underscored by a recent Facebook friend request I received from them. That is right - they are making a push to get residents to friend them on Facebook so that they have yet another way to reach citizens - go friend them now - Fort Thomas PD, Not Fort Thomas Police.

I Get To Eat 13 of These

2012-02-16T17:27:00.003-05:00

A baker's dozen. Grilled. Cheese. Donut.

Sunday, 2:00 Tom + Chee at Newport on the Levee. Tom + Chee is located on the Riverwalk level next to Cold Stone Creamery, Sports Depot and across from Barnes and Nobles.

I'll be taking on Mo Egger from ESPN 1530. Also, I'll be with Mo in studio tomorrow talking about Mark vs. Food - so if you're stuck at your desk Friday afternoon, or you're driving home, start your weekend off by making fun of me stumble my way through the interview.

Ft. Thomas City Council Notes (by Jessica Duke)

2012-02-15T20:18:00.003-05:00

A new feature of Fort Thomas Matters going forward will be a summary of the newsworthy items from the Fort Thomas City Council meetings. I have lived in Ft. Thomas for 26 years and, prior to Monday February 13, had never attended a council meeting, all of which are open to the public and quite informative on the different issues facing Ft. Thomas government and residents. The full minutes are posted on the city website (http://www.ftthomas.org/Council.html) so only a few of the more noteworthy items will be summarized below:

1) Each session begins with an opportunity for residents to address the Council. Sue Morrow, whose story was written on this site a few days ago, was the only resident choosing to do so.

2) The public works committee, headed by Councilman Eric Haas, reported that the city has purchased property on which they intend to build a storage shed for offseason storage of road salt. Currently, the city has excess salt remaining from the mild 2011-2012 winter but in many years, the city has to purchase additional salt mid-winter at substantially inflated costs. The storage shed will allow the city to purchase salt in the offseason at a greatly reduced cost and store it for the coming snowy months.

3) Don Martin, City Administrative Officer, provided a written report prior to the Council meeting. His report is not actionable items but items of note that occurred in the time since the last Council meeting and items that warrant being brought to Council’s attention. Contained therein were the following:

a. Drainage issues on Grant Street (Sue Morrow, resident, as previously discussed)

b. A resident had expressed concern regarding the condition of the roads on Churchill Drive.

c. New Garden Restaurant opened and Mio’s will be opening soon

d. Safe Routes to School and Transportation Enhancement Funds federal grant program had been eliminated. Funds were considering being used for sidewalk on N. Ft. Thomas Ave.

e. 911 system failure on Tuesday February 7th, made the system inaccessible for two hours.

f. Precious Metals/Use Property Ordinance- County Attorney Steve Franzen is working on an ordinance which would address the growing problem of theft of personal property in order to sell it at a pawnshop. This would be a countywide ordinance not requiring approval of the cities but Martin and city attorney Jann Seidenfaden have the opportunity to review and provide feedback from the city.

4) Mio’s has applied for a liquor license and the Council did the first reading of the application.

5) The City voted to approve a Resolution written in support of the Ft. Thomas Post Office. For those who may not yet know, the United States Postal Service is considering closing many branches across the country and centralizing their service. The Ft. Thomas Post Office is one of those under consideration for closure, leaving the Newport branch as the closest option. The Council adopted a Resolution to support the Post Office and keep it open.

6) A great deal of discussion centered on a proposal, originally presented at the meeting by Martin, to conduct a survey of the deer population within city limits. A similar survey was performed in 2010, finding 205 deer, and again in 2011, finding 132 deer. The cost of the survey is approximately $8200, although it varies based upon numerous factors. '

In 2011, the city found a city in Indiana willing to do the same survey and was able to negotiate the cost down to $6700. The discussion centered on the reliability of the survey, the cost involved, and the fact that no other city was willing to participate this year.

Councilwoman Lisa Kelly recommended completing the survey again in 2012 to have three years worth of results and determine if there are any trends. Councilwoman Jill Steller was against this, citing the cost as a primary concern. Councilmen Rob Peterman and Eric Haas, after much discussion, agreed with Kelly and when put to a vote, the measure passed with urging to Martin to negotiate cost.

The next meeting will be held on March 5 at 7:00 pm at the city building.

____

via Don Martin:

I read your post this morning. I wanted to clarify that the city did not purchase property on which to locate a salt storage facility. The facility, if built (still lots of steps to go through) would be built on property already owned by the city. Additionally, the city would pay for the facility through a substantial savings in the current budget year (a lot less overtime spent for snow removal due to mild winter)

Mark vs. Food, featuring Mo Egger this Sunday!

2012-02-15T14:50:00.004-05:00

The challenge is a Baker's Dozen (13) grilled cheese donuts. And yes, they are amazing. This Sunday at 2:00 at Newport on the Levee. Come watch us make idiots of ourselves.

Also, if you'd care to bring a donation for The Brighton Center, that would be awesome. Omega Processing will be this week's corporate sponsor, but anything you can add to it would be amazing.

Rain Dampens Ft. Thomas Couples' Retirement (Guest Post by Ben Petracco)

2012-02-14T21:49:00.002-05:00

Editor's Note:

Before we get to Ben's article, I just wanted to point out that FTM will be covering council meetings going forward. With a stable of talented and competent writers at our disposal, Darrin and I don't have to be everywhere at once. With that, this week Jessica is compiling a list of noteworthy items from the meeting on 2/13. Ben is covering just one item in depth. Without further adieu, here's Ben.

- Mark

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Sue Morrow has lived on Grant Street near Woodfill Elementary School for years without any problem or a complaint. With the building of the new Woodfill and the subsequent hill created by the construction, which funnels rainwater toward her house, those years are over. She has an incessant build-up of rainwater and mud that has brought her to her current dilemma.

The Morrows have two properties on Grant Street: one primary residence and a second that they bought as investment property.

The main problem the Morrows are facing is insufficient drainage from their two properties into the sewer system and this has cost them dearly. The constant flooding has cost them two tenants in the rental property, and the cost of having their basements fixed after both houses flooded.

The city of Fort Thomas and the Sanitation Department suggested different ideas to rectify the drainage problem. One of the remedies, given by the city, for redirecting the overflow of rainwater to their backyard did not help. In fact, the Morrow's claim this solution proposed to help the drainage problem has cost the family an additional $2000, and has resulted in the same messy, muddy quagmire.

Initially the Morrows had city engineers and sanitation representatives come and survey the property to see if additional assistance should be provided. City officials examined the property in a steady rainfall to gather proper information on the draining issue. They concluded that there wasn’t anything additional that should be done and the Morrows were denied in their plea for assistance from Fort Thomas.

Monday night, Ms. Morrow supplied the City Council Board members with pictures and statistics of current rainfall that has resulted in standing water in her yard. She explained the water is not reaching the sewers that are on the street, and instead it collects in front of her house. The members of the board acknowledged that the pictures were a great help and would result in the city reconsidering their plight.

Mayor Pro Tem Eric Haas said, “When the team went to the property the problem was not as bad as the pictures had depicted.”

Mayor Brown concluded that something should be done to fix the problem, preferably before the next really bad rainfall.

The Morrows were instructed to continue to take pictures of the affected area and that a second team would be sent to re-examine the street and see if something can be done to channel the water away from the property towards the sewer drain.

Everyone has had problems with water and knows how irritating it can be. If this problem was a fault of the property owner it would be one story, but a logistical problem with water flow should not plague the lives of the property owners. Fort Thomas Matters hopes the Morrows do have their situation re-examined, and the correct decision is made to assist them in living the rest of their retirement with a routinely dry yard.

Blighted Properties in Fort Thomas: Roll Call

2012-02-13T20:45:00.002-05:00

In light of last week's $25 billion nationwide mortgage foreclosure settlement, that could send millions to the region to help tear down blighted, vacant properties across local neighborhoods hit hardest by the foreclosure crisis - I wondered what steps our city is taking to remedy the problem in Fort Thomas.

Fort Thomas has not been immune to the mortgage crisis. Off hand I know of a few abandoned properties just in my subdivision on the north end of town. On Monday in Cincinnati, Ohio's Attorney General, Mike Dewine laid out a $75 million plan ridding communities of decaying, abandoned properties that bring down neighborhood home values and fuel crime.

In an article in Monday's Enquirer, Dewine said:

“If we look at the victims of the mortgage crisis, some that have not been talked about much are the people who played by the rules and paid their mortgage on time,” Dewine said. “Yet in their neighborhoods are these abandoned properties that are depressing the value of their homes....In essence by tearing these properties down, we’re building up these neighborhoods.”

Now obviously, Fort Thomas does not have near the problem that Price Hill has, where Dewine held his press conference, but I would like our city officials to look into getting a chunk of this $25 billion handed out by the federal government. Within the next 30 days, Cincinnati will begin crafting a plan to apply for these funds.

If our city can get even a sliver of this mortgage foreclosure settlement, Fort Thomas will be better off. There are houses in our city that simply do not need to exist anymore. I'll be posting some pictures of a few examples of these houses on our Facebook page here. Feel free to email me a picture or address of an abandoned house near you. Maybe if we get enough our council will listen.

Ft. Thomas Connection + Man Show on Radio = Entertainment (Guest Post by Ben Petracco)

2012-02-12T12:34:00.001-05:00

The University of Cincinnati has a student internet radio that is offered online called Bearcast. The site is located at bearcastradio.com, and it provides a valuable platform for many students to get their message on the airwaves.

Many students have varied time slots, but I focused on a program on Friday nights from 6-8; the program is called Hammertime Radio and it is hosted by four UC students. Caleb Moore, of Ft. Thomas, Mason Quick, Justin Roy, and Connor Inglis are the names behind the voices and the men who give life to Hammertime Radio every Friday night.

I contacted to Caleb Moore to get some more details about their segment and what was the catalyst that started Hammertime Radio.

Caleb explained, “We started the show because we constantly get in arguments about certain topics. When we looked at these discussions from an outside perspective we saw the potential for an audience that would be entertained by our banter. For example we had a full segment on the importance of ice in a drink- commodity or necessity?”

With the male dominated panel Caleb did admit that sports do get brought up a lot, but they strive to maintain a balance between sports and other topics (see afore mentioned ice debate). It is, after all, a radio station so the guys do play music. Requests are taken as long as they don’t interfere with the Guilty Pleasure Song of the Week. Who doesn’t like a little “Bye Bye Bye” now and again?

Hammertime is broadcast from the Jack and Joan Strader Studio on the main campus of The University of Cincinnati, and as Caleb explained, “We try to keep the show relaxed and up beat to ensure the listeners have a good time and want to listen again and again.”

It is always great to hear that Ft. Thomas citizens are being successful, and in this case making internet radio a little more enjoyable 2 hours at a time. I have tuned in and it really is an enjoyable broadcast.

Hammertime Radio is on Facebook (facebook.com/hammertimeradio), Twitter (@HammertimeRadio), email (hammertimeradio@gmail.com), and you can call the show to chime in on the discussion or request a song (513-556-4529).

Ozzy Sheehan to UK

2012-02-12T11:42:00.002-05:00

Austin "Ozzy" Sheehan announced his college plans last night via Facebook. He'll join his teammate, Patrick Towles at the University of Kentucky. Sheehan had offers from Ohio State, Arkansas, Cincinnati, Eastern Kentucky and multiple full scholarship offers from Division II schools.

Ozzy Austin Sheehan

I finally made my decision. I couldn't give up my blue and white colors. I am going to be a Kentucky Wildcat.

Sheehan is the next Dickie Lyons Jr. Mark it down.

Mark vs. Food - Part Deux

2012-02-10T21:18:00.008-05:00

Yup, this ^ is the kind of thing I do on a Friday night. Actually, if you must know I'm hydrating in preparation for Cincinnati Beerfest tomorrow night. Can't wait.

So, we raised $250 for The Brighton Center at our first Mark vs. Food event at Raniero's Pizzeria in Cold Spring. That's on target of what I'm looking to do each time, but I still would love a corporate sponsor to match the money we raise to give them something significant.

Jeff Ruby, Andrew Whitworth, Omega Processing, Kroger, Remke/Biggs, Castellini, Hosea... I am looking at you! I have proposals into all of these people but haven't been able to break through. If our readers have a contact or suggestion, email me at marklcollier@yahoo.com.

Our next installment of Mark vs. Food is next Sunday, February 19th at 2:00 at Tom + Chee at Newport on the Levy. I am challenging Mo Egger of ESPN 1530 to the Baker's Dozen grilled cheese doughnut challenge.

Should be a good time again, and I'd love to have you there! If you'd like to bring a personal donation to help me get to my goal this week, show up to Tom + Chee, eat a sandwich with me and drop a check. You'll be helping an organization that helps our community's needy.

Rossford Park Update (guest post by Stephanie Class)

2012-02-10T16:12:00.005-05:00

Growing up on the mean streets of South Central Ft. Thomas, Rossford Park was often off my radar. We typically gravitated toward Highland Park or Tower Park to meet our outdoor needs. However, Rossford Park is quickly shaping up to be another great asset to our town’s park system. Don’t be surprised if you see folks from other parts of the city making their way to Rossford Park for some time in the great outdoors.

Here are some of Rossford’s latest updates:

When you first arrive at the newly improved park, you will notice a new parking lot. The lot has tripled in size and also allows for better traffic flow thanks to the circular drop-off area in the back of the lot.

The front entrance of the park (from the street) now boasts a shiny, new pavilion. This area includes bathroom facilities and benches. The design of the park’s various structures (bathrooms, shelters, dugouts, etc.) are similar to that seen in Highland Park and Tower Park, thus linking the city’s parks together.

Along with the pavilion area, the baseball fields now have new dugouts.

The park includes a paved path around the premises of the property, which is perfect for those looking to exercise outdoors.

The exercise junkies out there will love the new path as well as the abundance of stairs throughout the park. Those of us who believe you only need to run when being chased, the stairs may prove to be problematic. There is an off-street entrance in the front of the park, but is not directly accessible from the parking lot. The shelter entrance is easily accessible as well.

Need a place to gather up your friends or family for a picnic? Well, Rossford’s new shelter is sure to be one of the city’s hotspots once the park is complete. The shelter is quite large and sits adjacent to both the parking lot and the new playground equipment. Parents can enjoy time with other adults while also keeping an eye on their kids as they play.

It will be interesting to see if the park is indeed complete come fall, but either way, it is certainly a great addition to the city.

More pictures after the jump...

Fort Thomas News - Midweek Update

2012-02-08T23:14:00.000-05:00

1. Today was the grand opening of the New Garden - see previous post that includes the menu. This continues the renaissance of the Midway district and is a nice addition to the dining options the exist in the middle of town. Over the past couple of years we have a new streetscape, a Farmers Market, a renewed Nevada Building, and now additional dining options. Now if we can just get the public housing out of the Midway and converted into retail that would be a nearly complete transformation. Anyone visit the New Garden today? We would love to hear your thoughts....

2. With new beginnings come endings as well. Cake Towne has closed their Fort Thomas location. It is a sad, and rather abrupt end to a promising business in the Inverness District. Cake Towne had brought a fair amount of positive attention to the Fort Thomas retail scene through participation in Groupon and other avenues and filled a need for a bakery in the area. Personally, I enjoyed being able to pick up cake balls for events or a cake for occasional birthdays but this apparently wasn't enough to keep the business open. In a response from Cake Towne via Facebook they had the following to say:

It was a bad location. We were too far off the beaten path. We kept our Butler location though

3. Apparently there was a vacancy on the Fort Thomas School Board and apparently the state Department of Education had the authority to appoint someone to the open position. The DOE appointed Lisa Duckworth who seems to have strong qualifications for the job. According to the linked article:

Previously, she served on the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) boards at Moyer Elementary and Highlands High; served as PTO President at Moyer Elementary; served as a member (nine years total) of the Site-Based, Decision-Making (SBDM) councils at Moyer Elementary, Highlands Middle and Highlands High; and has also served on the Fort Thomas Local Planning Committee (LPC). Most recently, she has worked coordinating the annual community teacher appreciation breakfast.

4. And in a cool Fort Thomas resident making it big note - Fort Thomas resident Connie Hall has had a third book published and now available on Amazon.com. The book titled "Bible Bugs... Play Ball" can be found at the following link.

Nky's Best Pizza Quest: Toppers

2012-02-08T14:41:00.005-05:00

I feel like all I do is write about pizza these days. For that reason, as soon as Mio's in Fort Thomas opens, we will bring this feature to an end and focus on Mark vs. Food (which will be Saturday, February 18 - details to follow on Friday).

Toppers, located in Highland Heights in the same shopping center alongside of Chipotle and Smashburger, is obviously catering to the college crowd at NKU.

Atmosphere (1-10 scale): 3.5

The atmosphere at Toppers is virtually non-existent. A glorified waiting area. The owners obviously are trying to capture most of their sales via delivery and carry out. There are two areas to sit. A few couches in front of 4 TVs on the right, with a four-top table alongside of a few barstool seats on the left. Extrapolate the current layout into an entire dining room, and they may have something, but until they rent a bigger space, you literally cannot go to Toppers to eat in comfort. We had to take our pizzas back to the house. The pictures below are literally the only places you could sit and eat. Non-smoking, however.

Overall Pizza Taste/Selection: 7

Pizza is best when you get to eat it right out of the oven. The cheese doesn't have time to congeal on the way home, the crust is still warm, and the sauce almost still bubbly. Maybe that's why Domino's created the heat wave delivery pouch. I digress.

We ordered three different pies this time. And when I say different, I mean Bizarro World different. Three "myza" pizzas were $6 each and is the current special Toppers is offering. A myza, is just a small, rectangular pizza, cut into four medium sized pieces. It was perfect for what we wanted, basically a small sample size pizza.

Usually if a pizzeria has smaller size pizzas, you are relegated to ordering cheese, pepperoni or in some cases a supreme. The cool thing about Toppers is that they put on restriction on what you can order. Their selection of pizza was by far the most different and diverse than anywhere we had been.

There are 18 "House Pizzas" - which include The Hangover Helper, Buffalo Chicken Topper and Cool CBR (Chicken Bacon Ranch). At this point in the pizza challenge, we've pretty much tried everyone's best version of a unique pizza. With that in mind we ordered the Mac N Cheese, Taco Topper and Potato Topper.

The thing that struck me about Topper was the fact that all three of the pizzas we tried didn't necessarily scream pizza. They were all on a crust, had a base sauce and toppings, but biting into the three pizzas we ordered, we could have just as easily been eating a side of macaroni and cheese a taco salad and a potato skin. The Taco Topper and Potato Topper even came with sides of sour cream and salsa.

Probably my biggest pet peeve when it comes to pizza is simply placing toppings on top of a pizza, and not incorporating them into the cheese or sauce. The 915 had this issue with it's Ceasar Chicken Salad pizza, and Toppers had this same issue with their Taco Topper. There were so many loose tortilla chips, olives, and taco meat, I literally had to shake the loose items into a bowl and make a taco salad out of it.

All in all, the different selections were welcomed and the Mac N Cheese was surprisingly delicious.

Extras: 5

We didn't try any appetizers or sides because we didn't eat on site, but Toppers did have the normal "extras" fare: wings, cheese sticks, grinders, etc. No beer or wine though.

Service: n/a

Overall, Toppers is probably best suited for college kids. Don't try to take your family here, but if you want to try a really "out there" pizza, or maybe trying to pick something up to please everyone, Toppers may be up your alley. If we were solely rating the taste of the pizza, like so many others do, Toppers may be higher up on the chain. Unfortunately for them, FTM grades on the pizza "experience," and at Toppers, there is little to speak of.

TOTAL SCORE: 5.12

Running Tally:

Running Tally:
1) Buona Vita - 8.15
2) Pepperoncini's Pizza 8.03
3) Newport Pizza Company - 8
4) Raniero's Pizzeria - 7.8
5) Dewey's Pizza - 6.15
6) 915 Pub and Grill - 5.75

7) Pasquale's - 5.5

7) Fort Thomas Pizza - 5.375

8) Toppers 5.12

New Garden to Open Tomorrow

2012-02-07T18:15:00.005-05:00

It's been a long time coming. Our first post on the Japanese/Chinese restaurant was almost a year ago, which includes comments from soon-to-be councilman, Ken Bowman.

Tomorrow at 11:00, New Garden Restaurant will open its doors in the Midway District, in what used to be Klingenberg Hardware. Let's welcome them right, Fort Thomas. Stop in for dine in or carry out. You can check out the menu below:

5 Things to Know about Extreme Couponing

2012-02-03T00:00:00.000-05:00

Nathan Engles, a 2000 graduate from Highlands High School, is the King of Coupons. Actually if you Google him, you'll find his moniker is Mr. Coupon, but let's not get picky. Dude knows his coupons.

In a Fort Thomas Matters throw-back series, Nathan and his website www.weusecoupons.com are the subject of this week's feature of 5 Things to Know. (If you want to see other 5 Things to Know segments, click on the tab at the top of the page.)

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#1 - Coupons truly makes a big difference. Coming from someone who does not fit the mold of a traditional couponer, (29 year old male) trust me when I say that those little pieces of paper that you find in the newspaper, if used correctly and strategically, make a HUGE difference for your grocery bill. I know, four years ago I was starring down $80,000 in combined debt (excluding the house), and now I only have around $18,000. Is that all coupons, no. But they have made me realize the value in what I buy and have helped lead me into a solid life of frugality.

#2 - Coupons aren't rocket science. People sometimes make mountains out of molehills! Couponing is like learning to ride a bike, once you've learned, you're set! Coupon forums like WeUseCoupons.com can get you started. It does take a little time, but the time invested is worth it.

#3 - Coupons are online! You can print coupons on the internet now, but beware. Many sites offer 'coupons' but require you to give your email, sign up for things, and put you through the ringer. Safe approved coupon sites are: coupons.com, smartsource.com couponnetwork.com and redplum.com. These sites will never ask you for your personal information, and the only thing required to print the coupons is a quick plugin to download their printer software.

#4 - Extreme Couponing isn't all that extreme. If you saw me on TLC's Extreme Couponing, you might think I'm a hoarder! But in reality couponing, or 'extreme couponing' as many call it is a very simple idea. Why pay for something tomorrow when it's free or cheap today. For example, when you start couponing, every six months you will find toothpaste for free (with a coupon). When this happens, I get 10 tubes, not because I'm trying to hoard toothpaste, but because I know I will use them. I liken this concept to a financial concept that millions of Americans are very familiar with: 401K. There is no real reason to have hundreds of thousands of dollars sitting in a 401K, but you know that one day you will retire and NEED IT. Stockpiling is the same way, I don't need those 10 tubes of toothpaste now, but eventually I will, and why pay full price tomorrow, when it's free today?

#5 - Beginning Couponers need to be ORGANIZED. This is my absolutely number one tip for anyone who is interested in starting out. Get organized. How many times have you taken the time to clip a coupon, and then arrived at the store, only to realize the coupon is still sitting on the bar. That's like forgetting money!! Get organized!!

If you are interested in starting to coupon, extreme or not, WeUseCoupons has hundreds of articles and resources that are all FREE to use. Our virtual coupon classes are a great starting point and our YouTube channel delivers coupon content every week!

Xanadu Skates onto the Stage (Guest Post by Stephanie Class)

2012-02-02T21:01:00.002-05:00

The Fort Thomas Community Theatre’s third production is bringing all your roller disco dreams to the stage with Xanadu. Director John Williamson has gathered some of the area’s top talent for this hilarious musical. When I was invited to attend one of the show’s rigorous rehearsals, I was impressed with the level of talent that has been assembled for the show.

The Fort Thomas Independent Schools’ website provides us with an insight into the musical’s story. “The story of the musical focuses on a Greek muse, Clio, who descends from Mt. Olympus to Venice Beach, California, in 1980 on a quest to inspire a struggling artist, Sonny, to achieve the greatest creation of his life - a roller disco. But, when Clio, disguised as an Australian roller girl named Kira, falls into forbidden love with the mortal Sonny, her jealous sisters take advantage of the situation, and Clio risks eternal banishment to the underworld.” Greek muses, 1980s Venice Beach, roller discos...what’s not to love?

Just because you are seeing the show in the Highlands High School auditorium and not off the Times Square - 42nd Street subway stop in New York City, doesn’t mean you will miss out on any of the show’s unique elements. Williamson is embracing the original Broadway production’s more unconventional aspects. The Community Theatre’s show will include a roller-skating cast as well as on-stage seating. Yes, you read that right - you can see all the roller disco action close-up from an on-stage seat.

When initially hearing of the organization’s choice to perform Xanadu, I was surprised since I had never heard of a community theater production of the show. Little did I know, that was due to the fact that the rights were just recently released to Xanadu. Williamson was quick to jump on the opportunity to direct Xanadu as soon as it was legally possible to do so. After first seeing the musical in New York City, Williamson was interested in bringing the show to Ft. Thomas. “I thought it was really fun when I first saw it on Broadway years ago, and since the rights were just released, it would be new, fresh, and different,” gushed Williamson at a rehearsal.

Xanadu consists of 15 cast members, some of which have Ft. Thomas roots, while others are from various places in the area. Many of the crew members are also Ft. Thomas folks, and I was lucky enough to chat with Stage Manager, Whitney Brindle, about the production. According to Brindle, the cast has been rehearsing up to four times each week since rehearsals kicked off in mid-December. I was also joined by Vickie Pelgin, one of the show’s Producers, who spoke highly of Xanadu’s musical numbers and the family friendly appeal of the show. Both Brindle and Pelgin were quick to comment on the production’s lovable cast. They often discussed how enjoyable the cast and crew are, and their admiration for one another was easily seen throughout the rehearsal. According to Brindle, Xanadu will offer up some “great laughs and cheesy, corny, ‘80s fun.”

You can catch a performance of Xanadu on the following dates:

Thursday, February 2: 7:30 PM

Friday, February 3: 7:30 PM

Saturday, February 4: 7:30 PM

Sunday, February 5: 2:00 PM

Performing Arts Center

Highlands High School

2400 Memorial Parkway

Fort Thomas, KY 41075

Patrick Towles Signs with UK, Austin Sheehan Talks Recruitment

2012-02-01T19:31:00.004-05:00

Patrick Towles, headlining one of Kentucky's best recruiting classes in the last 15 years, signed this afternoon in Highlands' media room among friends, family, football comrades and out of shape journalists. Fort Thomas Matters was there. Of Towles, Coach Dale Mueller said, "A lot of people consider Patrick to be the best football player that's ever been in the history of Highlands. He's won more awards than anybody else. I would fit right in with that group. I just don't think there's been a better football player."

My apologies for the amateur video footage. Don Weber of Northern Kentucky High School sports lore kept pushing his ginormous head into my shot.

I also was able to talk to Austin "Ozzy" Sheehan about where he is in his recruitment. Sheehan, a 5'10", 2-star WR, had all but sewn up his recruitment in June when he was offered, and accepted, a preferred walk-on spot at Kentucky. Austin said, "It would be great to go down to Lexington and continuing to play with Patrick. At this point, there are other schools that are definitely coming a little bit harder."

Sheehan has about 2 months to decide where he'll head to school in the summer, but at this point the offers are coming fast and furious. Recently Ohio State, Arkansas and Cincinnati have offered the same preferred walk-on spot on their teams. Not to mention scholarship offers from Eastern Kentucky and a slew of Division II schools.

"Recently, UC has been showing me a lot of love. One of the (UC) coaches was up here for (UC commit) Drake (Bruns) and his brother, Devin. He brought me out of class and talked to me a little bit. I'm going to try to get there next week, after the dead period to try to talk to everyone, to see what it's like and what plans they have for me."

Ozzy, a lifelong UK fan, visited Kentucky during the win vs. Tennessee this year. "The locker room after the game was amazing. It was something I'd definitely love to be apart of. UK hasn't really been showing me that much love lately, though."

As a UK fan myself and Fort Thomas native, I'd hate to let his Dickie Lyons-clone escape the reaches of Big Blue Nation. If I could say anything to Kentucky coordinator, Tee Martin, it would be this: Show Ozzy some love! Give the kid a scholly!

Your Next Fort Thomas City Council

2012-02-01T11:46:00.000-05:00

The filing deadline for the city council race has come and gone and with six positions and six filers - I present to you your next City Council:

Tom Lampe
Eric Haas
Roger Peterman
Lisa Kelly

and drum roll please....

Ken Bowman
Jay Fossett

A nice upgrade to have a business owner and a former city manager in place of Doepker and Steller. What do you think?

Fort Thomas Mid-week News Update

2012-02-01T09:59:00.000-05:00

(how much do I love this picture? Austin even has an FTM sponsor jersey on)

1. An ESPN Patrick Towles article as a part of a larger commentary on recruiting High School football players. Anytime you can read about Patrick Towles and Wisconsin star Monte Ball in the same article makes you proud to be a Bluebirds fan

2. Keeping with the Highlands football theme - Austin Sheehan has gotten some interest from Ohio State recently. With signing down literally around the corner I am getting concerned that we will not be keeping the pass catching duo together at UK.

3. You have a few short weeks to go vote for Fort Thomas area businesses and landmarks in City Beat's Best of Cincinnati survey. Among the Fort Thomas places included in the poll - 915, Tower Park, and Bowman Framing. You have until February 19th to make your vote count.

This Party Scene is Gonna’ be Green (by Ben Petracco)

2012-01-31T08:00:00.001-05:00

There is a great opportunity coming up to support the local education foundation. On March 3rd The Fort Thomas Education Foundation is hosting their annual dance at the syndicate to support the Teacher Grant Program. To date, the education foundation has been able to award over $300,000 in books, technology, equipment, and programs through the money raised in the events like this.

The theme of the night is not only dancing and fundraising, it is also “Be Seen Green”. You are encouraged to dress in a creative “green” outfit. Let your imagination run wild; dress as a leprechaun, Kermit the Frog, a large ficus tree, or Prince Fielder’s exorbitant baseball contract! Anything green and you’ll fit right in.

The tickets are $30 presale and after February 24th they are $40. You can buy tickets by contacting the office at 859-815-2004, by contacting a ticket captain throughout the community, or go to the FTEF website (listed below). The list of ticket captains are the following:

Ticket Captains:

Sally Muehlenkamp

Beth Otto

Kierston Gray

Angie Simons

Mick Lewis

Becky Manyet

Holly Collinsworth

Jeanie Herndon

Lisa Orem

Karen Gates

Theresa Spiess

Allyson Jones

Dave Osburg

Vickie Pelgen

Kristina Muholland

Tonya Tulley

Pam Brenner

Debbie Messmer

DeDe McNeal

Carla Grimm

Bobbi Jo Kraus

Christie Hosea

Julie Steppe

Tonya Weyer

Nikki Fennell

Jaime Hochleutner

Jean Farley

Jason Burgess

Kara Schneider

Ann Snider

Jessica Duke

Danielle Donelan

Adam Donelan

Bob and Becky Donelan

Diane Beach

Katie West

Michael Ann Jurgens

Gina Traylor

Karen McIntosh

Jen Kohl

Elizabeth McDougal

Joy Layman

Megan Abner

Maggie Mason

Shannon Thomas

Amy Hills

Michelle Tinkler

Dawn Laber

More information can be found at the Fort Thomas Education Foundation website: http://www.ftef.org/

If you’re looking for a fun night out and a way to support a fantastic cause mark your calendar for March 3rd at 8:00 p.m. Start brainstorming a green outfit and dust off your dancing shoes. It is sure to be a great night.

Police Presence at Kroger Marketplace/Target

2012-01-30T20:03:00.001-05:00

It has happened to me a handful of times. I'm walking out of Kroger, maple turkey and Cheerios in tow, and I see someone waiting near the entrance, head down, hands in cuffs.

I guess its not necessarily surprising. Shrinkage in any retail situation is bound to happen. What struck me was, unless it was an uncanny coincidence, I have happened upon this scene about 5 different times.

I talked to a manager at Kroger's to cure my curiosity about how often this happens, what type of crime is occurring and if the police presence was having an impact.

According to the manager, there was an explosion of shoplifting when the store first opened. In her words, "they were catching people 4 to 5 times a week." Since then, Kroger has worked with Newport Police, who know have a car parked on the lot much of the time.

Kroger has also hired private security for every weekend and at night. Even with the security the company has hired, according to the manager "there still seems to be about one arrest a week."

The most interesting nugget from our conversation came when the manager told me the biggest issue, other than the shoplifting, was that the back parking lot was being used as a rendezvous point during drug deals. "Because of the proximity to the highway and the state line, the police told us our store was a convenient location. The police know the situation and seem to have it under control at this point."

Let's hope so. Has anyone else seen or heard anything like this?

The Downside of an Active Community

2012-01-29T22:55:00.000-05:00

I have mentioned many times about how I think it is great that we have such an active community. I love that there are always people out and about and I love that it reinforces a healthy and active culture.

However, I think it may be time for a refresher on etiquette of a healthy lifestyle and its collision (pun intended) with the rules of the road. Perhaps these will resonate with you or you have a personal experience with some of these:

Streets are for traffic or parking – I understand that asphalt is better on the knees than concrete sidewalks but please use the sidewalks or go grab a treadmill.
Be aware of your surroundings – running with traffic while wearing your headphones is a recipe for disaster. You may want to hear horns or sirens so you can get out of the way of them.
Visibility is key – Please wear reflective or light colored clothing. I admit that I like to get my workout in dur\\ing odd times which means early morning basketball / racquetball and even running if that is what I am into at the time. But if you are going to run at 5am or 11pm please wear clothes that allow others to see you.
Be aware of intersections – since we are talking about visibility, try running behind cars that are ready to pull of intersections instead of running in front of them and assuming that everyone can see you

I understand that it is the driver’s responsibility to watch out for pedestrians but when you are running in the street at 11pm in dark clothing with headphones blaring and expecting someone to see you who is pulling off a side street is akin to letting your drunk Uncle Bob from Eastern Kentucky try out his new bow and error by shooting an apple off your head.

My advise isn’t just for runners – I have a few pointers for those on bikes as well. Keep in mind that I have many
of these same conversations with many of my friends who are avid cyclists and many times we have to agree to disagree:

All rules apply equally - A common complaint of cyclists is that drivers do not respect them as equals on the road. However, if you are on a bike and you want to be treated equally then obey the same traffic signs and signals that drivers obey.
I know it is a lost art but there are actually hand signals that can used in luau of actual electronic turn signals and lights. This isn’t just directed at bikers but also younger drivers who are unaware that such signals exist. I have included a short video below as a refresher….

Van Damme It's Friday Links

2012-01-27T06:48:00.002-05:00

-Brian Robinson, the principal at HHS, provided Ben these videos to supplement his story about the time capsule unearthed in the renovation at the High School.

- Had an interesting photo posted on our Facebook page regarding the hypocrisy of our city officials who implore Ft. Thomas residents to shop Ft. Thomas businesses, then use companies outside of the city. I'll follow up with a post on this next week.

- A few new restaurants are/have opened. Mio's should be opening soon and The New Garden opened (I think) on Monday for the Chinese new year.

- The Griswold Decoration Challenge Winner is in (and yes, I know it's late January and we should have already posted it). Chris Lecky, c'mon down! You've won a 5-day supply of burgermania burgers from the 915! That's a long way to say you won a $25 gift card.

We hope as the holiday challenge gains popularity that more people will submit pictures and celebrate all the beauty that a decorated Ft. Thomas has to offer. Email me your address and let me know how I can get your prize to you.

Carwash.org [Digg]

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