Disabilities group honors TANK chief

        FORT WRIGHT — Mark Donaghy, general manager of the Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky (TANK), received the “In the Spirit of the ADA” award at last week's statewide conference for Americans with Disabilities.

        Mr. Donaghy was nominated by the Disabilities Coalition of Northern Kentucky. His nomination was the result of efforts that he, and TANK under his leadership, have made to improve transportation options and services for people with mobility impairments.

        TANK's RAMP (Regional Area Mobility Program) service for people with disabilities has seen total growth of more than 150 percent since Mr. Donaghy has been with TANK.

        Also, in recent years, TANK has provided transportation to state conventions and meetings so that local advocates for the disabled can attend.

Halloween party contributions sought

       COVINGTON — City Heights Residents Council, a nonprofit organization, is seeking contributions from businesses for its annual Halloween party and parade for children.

        The party will be at 6 p.m. Oct. 30. Donations are sought by Oct. 14.

        Most needed items include candy, cookies, small toys for children ages 1 to 12, soft drinks and fruit drinks.

        Contributions are tax-deductible.

        To help, call Tyrone Rice, vice president of the residents council, at (859) 431-5349.

Three N.Ky. groups get history grants

        FRANKFORT — Three Northern Kentucky organizations were among 19 statewide recipients in the latest round of Community History Grants, which provide funding for history projects in museums, historical organizations and communities throughout the Commonwealth.

        Twenty-two awards, totaling $30,528, were announced by the Kentucky Historical Society.

        Area recipients were the Behringer-Crawford Museum in Covington, which received $250 to send a staff member to a regional conference; the Dinsmore Homestead Foundation in Burlington, which received $500 to support the Dinsmore Homestead Harvest Festival, which provides visitors with a chance to experience pioneer life in the Ohio River Valley; and the Kenton County Public Library branch in Covington, which received $500 to produce a booklet highlighting materials available in the library's local history and genealogical collections.

Taste of Edgewood is this weekend

        EDGEWOOD — The ninth annual Taste of Edgewood has been set for Saturday and Sunday in Presidents Park here.

        Food from Northern Kentucky restaurants, arts and crafts, and rides and other entertainment will be from noon to 7 p.m. both days.

        Free entertainment will include the Hills of Kentucky Cloggers, gymnastics demonstrations, face painting and temporary tattoos, a petting zoo, a hayride, and a DJ.

        Residents can “Meet the Mayor” at an open house from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. The city's police and fire departments also will have open houses during those hours.

        Information: (859) 331-5910.

Feds to investigate at home for retarded

        FRANKFORT — Federal officials will investigate conditions at the state's largest institution for mentally retarded people to determine whether residents' civil rights have been violated.

        The investigation, which will look at medical and routine care and treatment of residents at Oakwood, comes amid new allegations of abuse and mistreatment of residents at the state-run, 400-bed facility in Somerset.

        The inspector general of the state Health Services Cabinet has issued four of its most serious citations against the center, while two dismissed workers face criminal charges for allegedly kicking a resident in the head last year. The inspector general has fined Oakwood $48,000 for four citations that were issued between March 27 and July 30.
       

Ex-ag broadcaster "Barney' Arnold dies

        LOUISVILLE — Burnis “Barney” Arnold, former farm director for WHAS radio and television for nearly 30 years, died Sunday after a short illness at Clark Memorial Hospital in Jeffersonville, Ind. He was 85.

        Mr. Arnold came to WHAS in 1952 from Oklahoma, where he did agricultural extension work for the state and was farm director for radio station KVOO.

        At WHAS, he became the early morning radio voice of farm reports and the midday farm roundup TV personality.

        Although many believed him to be a Kentuckian, Mr. Arnold lived in southern Indiana.

        In a 1992 interview, Mr. Arnold recalled the time four or five Kentucky agriculture officials tried to get him to run for commissioner of agriculture. “None of them knew I lived in Indiana,” he said with a chuckle.

        Mr. Arnold had a heart attack in 1978 and retired in 1980, touring the state to give talks on the importance of agriculture.

Evansville airport cutting flights

       EVANSVILLE — A slowed-down economy, combined with problems stemming from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, has led to cutbacks for the Evansville Regional Airport.

        At least five of the airport's 41 daily flights have been cut in recent days or will likely be cut by Monday.

        As of Aug. 31, total revenue at the airport was down 5 percent — or about $127,000 — in comparison to last year, said Steve Angermeier, accountant for the airport.

        The airport's financial figures since the Sept. 11 attacks in New York and Washington are not complete, the Evansville Courier & Press reported Tuesday.

        But preliminary figures given to the airport's board members Monday show that revenues from the airport's car rental businesses are down from 30 to 70 percent from a year ago, Mr. Angermeier said.

        Parking revenues were down 65 percent the day after the terrorist attacks and have remained down, he said.

        Three of the airport's flights to Indianapolis have been cut, and a flight to Memphis and a flight to St. Louis are expected to be cut Monday, said Nelson Bailes, the airport's marketing representative.

        “We're going to keep 36 flights, which is better than we hoped,” Mr. Bailes said.

        Once a more complete financial report is available, airport officials are expected to begin reassessing operations, said board member Richard Shymanski.

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