BY PATRICK CROWLEY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
PINER -- Gov. Paul Patton handed out money for local projects, met with business leaders and helped a fellow Democrat as he swept across Northern Kentucky on Wednesday.
From an early-morning town meeting at a crowded country market in this rural Kenton County city to a "power lunch" speech atop the region's tallest building, Mr. Patton dwelt on education and how his administration is trying to help Kentucky residents, towns and businesses prosper.
"We are trying to build a business atmosphere where businesses can be prosperous to create opportunities for people," Mr. Patton told a crowd of 125 Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce members and local officials during a luncheon at Covington's RiverCenter Tower 19th-floor Metropolitan Club.
Just two days ago, Mr. Patton was in the RiverCenter lobby to announce that Ashland Inc., the largest company in Kentucky, will move its corporate headquarters to the building this fall.
The governor called Northern Kentucky an "economic star" and "the area of the state where the optimism is the greatest." Mr. Patton stressed the need for education and improving the state's infrastructure, during town meetings at the Korner Market in tiny Piner, in far Southern Kenton County, and again at the Florence City Building.
As Mr. Patton washed down a donut with a hot cup of coffee, about 40 people jammed into the store, where a group of regulars - mainly senior citizens and farmers - gather daily to talk about the day's news and whatever else comes up.
"We're always talking about something in here," said store owner Jim Cook, who invited Mr. Patton to the market. "It's great to have the governor here because we can ask him about some of the issues we talk about."
In front of a wall covered with University of Kentucky basketball posters, pictures of Pete Rose during his playing days with the Cincinnati Reds and a couple of portraits of John Wayne, Mr. Patton took questions from people in the crowd.
Piner resident Marvin Mullins, 79, a regular at the store's morning bull sessions, asked Mr. Patton about the federal tobacco program.
"Tobacco is important to me," said Mr. Mullins, a tobacco farmer who still raises about 10,000 pounds of burley tobacco a year. "Aside from Social Security, it's the only income I have and, if they do away with the program, it will hurt people like me." Mr. Patton told Mr. Mullins that when President Bill Clinton was in Carrollton this spring, he talked to the president about preserving the program that guarantees farmers a price for the tobacco they grow.
Mr. Patton said Mr. Clinton pledged to include farmers in any federal tobacco legislation that comes out of Congress this year. Mr. Patton went to Florence for another "town meeting," but it was mainly city and Boone County officials who attended.
The governor also met with Boone County Democrat Ken Lucas, who is running in Northern Kentucky's congressional race this fall against Republican Gex "Jay" Williams.
The two discussed Mr. Lucas' campaign, Mr. Patton said. The governor also said he would assist Mr. Lucas with fund-raising by contacting potential contributors he knows around the Fourth District and the state.
One of the reasons Mr. Patton came to Northern Kentucky was to hand out state and federal money for various community projects. Some of the money presented was largely symbolic, such as the $7.9 million Mr. Patton presented to Boone County Treasurer Vaughn Rogers. The check was symbolic because the General Assembly actually approved the money earlier this year.
But local officials were excited about receiving some money they weren't expecting but were hoping for.
Florence received $225,000 for sidewalk improvements on the city's Main Street business district.
"We've been trying to get this money for a long time," Mayor Evelyn Kalb said as she threw her arm around Mr. Patton. "Thanks." The City of Taylor Mill received two checks: $50,000 for a water project on Rust Road and $20,000 for park improvements.
Mr. Patton thanked State Sen. Jack Westwood, R-Erlanger, for helping secure the grant money.
"This is the kind of things government can really do to help people in their everyday lives," said Taylor Mill City Commissioner and Kenton County Commissioner-elect Barbara Black.
Other grants were:
$40,000 to repair a bridge on KY 8 in Ludlow.
$20,000 for park improvements in Independence.
$20,000 for park improvements in Crescent Springs.
$3,000 for park improvements on Independence Station Road in Kenton County.
$558,000 to upgrade the heating and air conditioning system at the Northern Kentucky Treatment Center.
