Independence has new administrator

        INDEPENDENCE — Mark Wendling was chosen as the new city administrator at a special council meeting Monday.

        Mr. Wendling, a Villa Hills resident, is currently the assistant administrator in Delhi Township. He will replace Gary Scott, who left in midsummer.

        Mr. Wendling is expected to start the $58,000-a-year job in mid-February.

Scheduling starts for baseball fields

        FORT MITCHELL — The city Parks Department is starting to schedule the use of public baseball fields here for the spring and summer.

        Teams that have children who are residents of Fort Mitchell are qualified to have times scheduled for games, or to practice at those fields. To ask about scheduling, or inclusion in field times, call Jim Procaccino, the city's park director, at (859) 331-2536, Ext. 333, by Feb. 19.

Group to rally for ex-chief, clerk

        VILLA HILLS — A citizens group supporting the fired police chief and city clerk has canceled Friday's forum.

        Citizens to Make Villa Hills The Most Livable City ... Again will instead rally in support of former Police Chief Michael “Corky” Brown and former City Clerk Sue Kramer before Monday's Villa Hills City Council meeting.

        The rally will be at 5:45 p.m. Monday at River Ridge Elementary School. Villa Hills Council will hold its rescheduled monthly meeting at the school at 6:30 p.m. On Dec. 28, Mayor Steve Clark fired Mr. Brown and Mrs. Kramer, the wife of Councilman Bob Kramer. The mayor has denied the dismissals were in retaliation for anything done against him, but he also has refused to say why the two longtime city employees were fired.

        On Friday, Covington lawyer Phil Taliaferro, retained by council to investigate Mr. Brown's firing, told council that the mayor should rescind his order firing Mr. Brown, or the city could face an expensive whistle-blower type lawsuit.

        The citizens group's Jan. 17 press conference — before the excess crowd prompted cancellation of the Villa Hills Council meeting — will be shown on Insight cable Channel 22 at 11:30 p.m. each Friday and 8 p.m. Saturday for the next four weeks.

Kenton library gets highest rating again

        COVINGTON — For the second consecutive year, the Kenton County Public Library system has received the highest rating of any public library in Kentucky from Hennen's American Public Library Ratings Index.

        When compared nationwide with libraries serving a similar population, the library was listed in the top 12 percent. The index rates public libraries across the country based on population, circulation, staffing, materials, reference service and funding.

        The Kenton County Public Library System received a score of 733 out of a possible 1,000.

        “We couldn't be more thrilled with the results of the index,” said Wayne Onkst, library director. “Every staff member has worked hard to make sure that our library provides quality service. The Hennen ratings indicate that the community can be very proud of its library and the level of service provided.”

        To find out more about the ratings, go to Hennen's American Public Library Rating Index home page at www.haplr-index.com. For information about the Kenton County Library system, visit the library's Web site at www.kenton.lib.ky.us.

Girls suspended after pin-sticking incident

        LOUISVILLE — Two Eastern High School girls were suspended after allegedly sticking several people with poster pins, a spokeswoman for the Jefferson County school district said Tuesday.

        The Jefferson County Health Department will administer free tests for HIV and hepatitis B and C and tetanus shots at the school Thursday as a result of the incident, said district spokeswoman Lauren Roberts.

        “The girls didn't have any malicious intent. It was apparently a joke and they didn't realize the seriousness of it,” Ms. Roberts said. The two girls are sophomores and their names and ages were not available.
       

Mine land bought for industrial site

        WHITESBURG — Economic development officials have purchased land on a reclaimed strip mine at Jenkins for use as a multicounty industrial site.

        The Appalachian Industrial Authority, a regional industrial board made up of leaders from Letcher, Pike, Knott and Floyd counties, has given final approval for the purchase of about 83 acres.

        Chairman Charles Dixon of Jenkins said the land was purchased for $1.2 million from the Pike-Letcher Land Co., a subsidiary of TECO Energy.

        Mr. Dixon said the industrial authority has agreed to purchase a total of 300 acres of the strip-mine land at a cost of $3.5 million. The money will come from coal severance tax revenues.
       

Louisville native to lead Conn. diocese

        BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — A Catholic priest born in Louisville has been chosen to lead the diocese here.

        Monsignor William E. Lori, an auxiliary bishop from Washington, D.C., on Tuesday was selected by Pope John Paul II to lead the Bridgeport diocese of the Roman Catholic Church.

        Monsignor Lori, 49, who becomes the fourth bishop to head the Bridgeport diocese, served as an auxiliary bishop in Washington for nearly six years.
       

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