FORT THOMAS MATTERS

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.)

____________

#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.

Which Store Would you 'Cash Mob'?

2012-01-26T22:13:00.001-05:00

Here is a great story out of Cleveland of how a community came together to support a small local retail store that had been open for 72 years but had struggled recently with a tough economy and large big box competition. Sound familiar? Watch the video (and / or read the article link above) and comment below with your pick of a Fort Thomas store to get ‘Cash-mobbed’

video platform video management video solutions video player

Back to Fort Thomas News - Midweek Update

2012-01-24T22:53:00.001-05:00

Mark vs Food wasn't the only thing that happened in the past week. Here is a quick rundown of all the other news around the area:

1. A Fort Thomas woman was caught in a wire fraud scheme from her business in Bellevue. According to the article, Jennifer Groneck, 47, of Fort Thomas, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. Groneck acknowledged that she stole a combined $645,904.27 from various banks and a mortgage lender.

2. There is a flurry of activity in Frankfort right now with the General Assembly in session - to keep up with the latest check out these resources:
- Bluegrass Politics (Lexington Herald Leader)
- Kentucky Politics (former Fort Thomas beat writer Scott Wartman)
- Kentucky Progress (conservative view)
- Barefoot & Progressive (progressive view)

3. It was rumored that the New Garden is opening this week. Anyone been by or actually try it out yet? Keep your eyes open and be sure to grab some takeout on your way home.

4. Also, speaking of new eating establishments in Fort Thomas it appears that Mios is only a few short weeks from an open. They have been cleared to open by the Board of Health and the Fire Department and are accepting applications on their Facebook page.

5. I am surprised at the poster child that Omega Processing Solutions has become in regards to Northern Kentucky's attempt at a technology hub. Don't get me wrong - I am excited to have an Inc 500 employer in our little community that was started by a Fort Thomas resident. I am just surprised that a credit card processor is held up as our shining example of what the College of Informatics can do.

My last mention of Mark vs Food from this weekend - here is a video of the entire event...

Mark vs. Food video from Fox 19

2012-01-23T20:41:00.002-05:00

If anyone can find any others, please let us know!

The Highlands & UK Quarterbacks

2012-01-23T02:00:00.000-05:00

Video of Will Chambers' interview with Patrick Towles and Jared Lorenzen. It is very cool to see the mutual respect between the two and Jared's willingness to impart his experiences and lessons as an NFL quarterback.

Mark vs. Food Recap

2012-01-22T20:35:00.011-05:00

Well, I'm never eating again. Had an awesome turnout for our first Mark vs. Food feature. Many, many thanks to Jared Lorenzen, Patrick Towles and Will Chambers. Also, Raniero's Pizzeria for opening up on a day they are normally closed, and welcoming us so warmly. Also, to BW3's who also gave 10% of their sales to The Brighton Center. Can't wait until the new place opens up next door.

The official results of Mark vs Food are as follows:

Both teams lost to the pizza, as we could not best the 24 inch pie in the 10 minutes allotted.
There is now a picture of Will, Jared, Patrick and I on the Wall of Shame.
In an upset of stunning proportions, however, Will and I ate 4 more ounces of pizza that the HHS/UK QB duo.

I'll take it.

We should hear the totals that we were able to raise for The Brighton Center within the week, and we will be posting some interviews that we were able to get soon as well. But as I sit here, sipping on a Pepto bottle through a straw, listening (yes listening) to my lunch being digested, I'll post some links from other media outlets that were able to make it.

Thanks again to everyone who helped spread the word: 700 WLW, Channels 5, 9, 12 and 19, The Community Press/Recorder, Nky Spot, sbnation.com, Kentuckysportsradio.com, Lance McAllister and countless of my friends and family. It was awesome and I can't wait to do it again.

Nky Spot (picture gallery)
Cincinnati Enquirer and Press Preps, via Adam Turner of Man vs. Food Nation
SB Nation
Kentucky Sports Radio
Fox 19
Kentucky Sports Radio College
Community Recorder

Make sure to look for us on all the local news outlets tonight as well.

Fifty Year Old Gift Un-Earthed (Guest Post by Ben Petracco)

2012-01-22T11:14:00.002-05:00

Highlands High School has been going through an extensive renovation. The end result will be a brand new high school for students to enjoy for years to come. And finally air conditioning. During these renovations an unexpected gift was un-earthed that would shed light on a life a half century old.

A time capsule was discovered while the south building at the high school was being renovated. I contacted Brian Robinson, the current principal of Highlands High School, to ask about the details of the capsule.

Robinson explained “The time capsule was found as we replaced the cornerstone during our current exterior renovation. It was found sort of by accident. Since it was found in the building that replaced the original we decided to open it on the 50th anniversary of the fire itself.”

The fire, which occurred in 1962, decimated the south building. The building had to be rebuilt and was replaced by the building that now stands on the Highlands campus.

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the fire a decision was made to open the capsule with the help of a special guest, former teacher and principal at Highlands High School, Mr. John Deering. Mr. Deering was on staff at the time of the fire, and provided unique insight for the students who interviewed him.

The capsule was opened on Friday January 6th in the theatre room at Highlands. The contents of the capsule included: pictures of students like Stephanie Meade Graves, a picture of the PTA, and other school related items from 1962.

Considering the capsule and its contents, the 50th anniversary of the school’s fire, and the backdrop of a freshly renovated high school; it puts it all in perspective. Highlands went through the fire, and emerged on the other side; emerging with pictures and keepsakes from a buried box to remind us of our treasured past, current accomplishments, and bright future.

If you would like to see the video of the time capsule being opened along with the interview of Mr. John Deering it is currently playing on public access channel 20.

Nky's Best Pizza Quest: Pasquale's

2012-01-20T16:42:00.003-05:00

Van Damme, it's Friday. Below is the video from our most recent pizza quest to Pasquale's in Bellevue. We've got a lot going on this weekend, including Mark vs. Food this Sunday at Raniero's and BW3's in Cold Spring, so I'll post the rest of the review next week.

See everyone there at 1:00.

Mark vs. Food, This Sunday!

2012-01-18T10:57:00.000-05:00

Just a reminder, all proceeds we raise will be going directly to The Brighton Center. We are still looking for a corporate sponsor for all 10 events this year (email me at marklcollier@yahoo.com for details). You will receive a year-long ad on this website, get to help an organization that helped over 75,000 local families last year and we will make ourselves look stupid for you, all in the name of charity.

Come to Raniero's Pizza this Sunday at 1:00 to watch a combined weight of 565 pounds in Jared Lorenzen and Patrick Towles take on a staggering 335 pounds in Will Chambers and myself.

Since Raniero's is typically closed on Sundays, afterward, Buffalo Wild Wings (right next door) is hosting an after-party playoff watch shindig, where 10% of all food sales will go towards our cause.

So come Sunday at 1:00, watch two University of Kentucky QBs destroy two skinny guys in a 24-inch, 15 minute pizza explosion. If you haven't completely lost your appetite, stay for wings at BW3's for The Brighton Center.

We will have vouchers to turn in to your servers at BDubs when you pay, to make sure The Brighton Center receives credit. We should have a great turnout, but we'd love to have you there as well!

Journey Stories (Guest Post by Stephanie Class)

2012-01-18T10:39:00.004-05:00

Hello! I'm Stephanie Class and I was born and raised in Ft. Thomas. After spending time working as a writer and filmmaker in Chicago and New York City, I am now back in town (sorry, but you couldn't get rid of me that easily). I often read Fort Thomas Matters when I was living in New York, and appreciated feeling connected to my hometown from miles away. I'm excited to be writing again and look forward to being part of the Fort Thomas Matters team.

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Are you looking for a cultural and historical experience but don’t want to leave the comfort of your hometown to find it? Well, no need to worry; Journey Stories has taken over the Mess Hall through January 21st.

Journey Stories is part of the Smithsonian Institutions Traveling Exhibition Service and “shows how our evolving mobility changed a young nation and how transportation made us grow.” The exhibit is made up of seven different stations, which each depict a specific era in American history.

You start your trek through Journey Stories by catching up with the country’s first settlers and travel all the way through to modern day travel. Along the way you will encounter the Underground Railroad, Oregon Trail, World War II era trains, the Civil Rights Movement, and the beginnings of airplane travel (did you know the first stewardesses were all also trained nurses?). Each station contains interactive elements, photographs and artifacts. Some also feature oral histories that allow you to listen to personal stories while browsing around the station.

Journey Stories also boasts a large display of quilts and other various textiles, which wraps around the perimeter of the Mess Hall. Each item is accompanied by a description that contains historical background information and the identity of each quilt’s owner. Many of the items found in this display are on loan from Ft. Thomas families. You can find everything from handmade quilts to blankets made out of old t-shirts. One of my favorites was a white throw blanket made out of strings collected from trips to a local butcher (before supermarkets, butchers would tie their meat in strings for customers to transport home).

Journey Stories is open everyday from 12:00pm - 4:00pm until January 21st, so make sure you check it out before it closes its doors to the public. There are signs throughout Tower Park for Journey Stories leading you to the Mess Hall, and make sure to use the main entrance of the Mess Hall to access the exhibit (the doors facing the Amphitheater since the side door near the parking lot will be locked).

Teeter Tots - Controlled Chaos (Guest Post by Jessica Duke)

2012-01-16T19:18:00.002-05:00

Everyone automatically assumes that if you have children it means you like kids. I like my kid, and I often, though not always, like other people’s kids. The screaming children at the Fort Thomas Recreation Department’s Teeter Tots, however, was nearly a Friday the 13th nightmare. That said, the chaos of the Fort Thomas Recreation Department sponsored Teeter Tots was relatively well controlled and generally positive.

Now that the Chicken Dance induced headache has subsided, I can calmly and coolly reflect on the positives. My son was able to exercise and develop his fine motor skills all the while interacting with other children in a comfortable indoor setting on a 22-degree day. He was able to dance, run, stretch, tumble on mats, play with bouncy balls, walk on a balance beam, and even play with a parachute. The music, although loud and echoing in that gymnasium, was age-appropriate and some of the older children were even singing along.

There were thirty or forty children plus their parents, and although the class holds up to 48, I do not believe it was full. But with only one teacher, she was essentially trying to herd cats. The skills of these children also varied widely (huge difference in motor skills between a two- and four-year old). The space where the class was held was certainly large enough since all three gyms were utilized for the ~~chaos~~ class.

Unfortunately, the chaos did not begin and end with the class itself, but seemed to be in the organization as well. Several good friends of mine (mothers of 22-month olds) were asked for their child’s birthday when attempting to register and were denied permission to join the class. However, on the day of the class, there were numerous children under two.

Likewise, I only recently heard about the class and it has been going on since September. That is not to say that they did not advertise well but as the stay-at-home mother of a 2 year-old, it would seem I am their target audience and I had not seen it.

That said, at only $18 for five sessions (you mean I have to go back four more times!?), the cheapskate in me appreciates the value. And, my son was quite sad to leave at the end of class, even waving goodbye to the bouncy balls through gritted teeth and a quivering chin. So, every Friday morning for the next four weeks I will be taking two Tylenol and taking my son to Teeter Tots. Hooray!

I’ll be sure to post a follow up after more classes.

www.ftthomas.org/Recreation/PDF/TTYearlySch.pdf

What's Happening in Fort Thomas (Guest Post by Beth Nyman)

2012-01-15T15:10:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone - my name is Beth Nyman and I've lived in Fort Thomas for 11 years. I've been reading Fort Thomas Matters for about six months, and I'm delighted to have found a blog that specifically addresses Fort Thomas issues and keeps me in the loop with community news and events.

I have 2 children, one at Johnson and another at Highlands. Over the years I have missed, forgotten, or never heard of many, many Fort Thomas events, both child-centric and not. I've seen photos in the local paper of fun events that had happened 2 months earlier (I'd never heard of them).

I've suffered the horrifying realization that I'd missed Touch-a-Truck for the second year in a row (nothing is more demoralizing for the mother of a truck-obsessed son to have to admit to that son that she missed Touch-a-Truck. Again.)

I've often wished there was a one-stop calendar for all things Fort Thomas, a place where event information has been consolidated and where I could check in periodically and keep track of upcoming local events. When Darrin Murriner posted a request for "a female voice", I decided that it was a sign, and I volunteered to create and maintain that calendar.

This Fort Thomas event calendar appears here on FTM at the bottom of the webpage or by clicking the ‘Calendar’ link at the top of every page. I will update it every Thursday by noon. You can also see the events coming up in the coming week on the right-hand side of the page – just below the ‘Recent Comments’ section.

It will include any news and information I can dig up, and of course, I enthusiastically invite all suggestions from readers. If you have an event coming up or wish to have something entered on the calendar, please email me at fortthomasbeth@gmail.com. Through the magic of the internet I hope you'll help me fill in the squares for 2012. Happy New Year and see you at Touch-a-Truck!

Cipher Recovery Wins 2011 Best of Cincinnati Award

2012-01-15T14:48:00.003-05:00

When our sponsors do well, our city does well. We try to keep our advertisers local and exclusive and Cipher Recovery is one of FTM's best supporters. (click the ad below to go directly to their company).

They were recently selected as the 2011 Best of Cincinnati Award in the business legal services category by the US Commerce Association (USCA).

The USCA "Best of Local Business" awards recognizes local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USCA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in the local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

The 2011 USCA Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USCA and data provided by third parties.

CONGRATS to our partner, Kevin Welsch Cipher Recovery.

Fort Thomas Weekend News Update

2012-01-14T13:32:00.002-05:00

1. The Fort Thomas Police Department late in the week issued an alert on catalytic converter thefts in Fort Thomas. The e-alert mentions three recent thefts but doesn't indicate the part of town the thefts occurred in. Be on the lookout for anyone working under a car in your area that seems suspicious. - UPDATE - I should have read Mark's post below. Must have been Gettysburg Square

2. Now that the state's General Assembly is back in session there is a lot of news coming out of Frankfort that could impact Fort Thomas. One of the biggest issues is the redistricting plan submitted this week and voted according to party lines.

An aspect of the plan that will help Northern Kentucky is more representation for the Boone, Kenton, & Campbell counties which means more political clout in Frankfort.

The other, and arguably more important to Fort Thomas, issue is the move of some Fort Thomas residents into Dennis Keene's district 67. While I haven't seen the actual streets that will be moving from 68 to 67, suffice it to say that if you live near or overlooking the river you will probably be in the new district.

3. I noticed this week that Red Ear Brewing, which started at Vito's here in Fort Thomas was involved in a collaboration brew with Rivertown, Mt Carmel, & Morlein. That is pretty good company to keep and while they have moved into space in Covington we still wish them the best since they are rooted in Fort Thomas. I have included a picture of the beer on our Facebook page which they are apparently reading for the Cincy Beer Fest in early February.