Saturday, September 23, 2000

Kentucky News Briefs

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Edgewood council meeting canceled

        EDGEWOOD — City council has canceled Monday's meeting.

        Mayor John Link will be unable to attend because of a death in his family.

        The next regular council meeting will be Oct. 9.
       

Covington hires zoning official

        COVINGTON — Dennis Richard Uchtman, a zoning and planning examiner in Cincinnati for the past 15 years, will become Covington's zoning specialist in early October.

MEN AT WORK: A gas main break Friday that closed Dixie Highway gets repaired in front of Blazer's Tavern in Park Hills. (Patrick Reddy photo) | ZOOM |

        The position has been vacant about a year.

        Covington City Commission voted Tuesday to hire Mr. Uchtman, who had held a different job in the city of Cincinnati for about 10 years before joining its planning and zoning department. He will earn $38,000 a year.
       

Day-care ratings idea sounded out

        Kentucky is holding a series of public forums to get input on Gov. Paul Patton's proposed rating system for child-care providers.

        The Quality Rating Scale, a part of Gov. Patton's early childhood initiatives, would include a set of indicators to rate child-care services, and will be a tool for parents as they look for child care.

        The state is seeking feedback on its preliminary recommendations from parents, child-care providers and community members.

        The Northern Kentucky forum will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Sept. 28 at Northern Kentucky University's administration building.
       

City, police union strike tentative deal

        COVINGTON — City officials have given initial approval to a contract with Covington Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 1 aimed at bringing parity to officers' pay and reducing the city's overtime costs.

        In exchange for wage increases over six years, police have agreed to give up four off days each year — their birthday and three personal days. That change will reduce the city's overtime costs in the police department, said City Manager Greg Jarvis.

        Under the new contract, officers also will see their longevity pay increase from $7.50 a month for every year on the force to $9, said Sgt. Bill McKiddy, chairman of the legislative committee of Covington FOP Lodge No. 1.

        Final approval of the pay hikes is expected at the Covington City Commission's Oct. 3 meeting.
       

New nature center dedicated today

        FORT WRIGHT — A Highland Pike nature center that's been years in the making will be dedicated today.

        From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., supporters of the Fort Wright Nature Center will mark its official opening with guided tours of the mulched hiking trails, a blacksmithing demonstration, a performance by singer Debbie Tuggles, and remarks by Fort Wright officials.

        Supporters hope to see the 11-acre nature center used for education, recreation and the preservation of wildlife.

        Overflow parking will be available at the Fort Wright City Building on Kyles Lane, and the Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky will run shuttles to and from the nature center.

        Volunteers who want to give money or labor to the nature center can call Fort Wright Administrator Larry Klein at 331-1700.
       

Baptists pitch in to donate blood

        LOUISVILLE — The Kentucky Baptist Convention is holding a statewide blood drive, and it couldn't come at a better time.

        The Red Cross, which provides half the nation's blood supply, issued a national appeal for donors Tuesday, saying that it had less than a three-day supply in its national inventory.

        Convention spokesman Robert Reeves said several churches across the state are helping with the drive. The project's overall goal is to get 3,500 units of blood donated. The drive includes 70 cities in the state.

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