Comments invited on naming street for MLK

COVINGTON - The public can speak out about a proposal to rename 12th Street for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at a July 15 hearing.

The hearing will be from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at The Madison, 7th Street and Madison Avenue, just across from City Hall.

The effort by the Northern Kentucky chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is the third attempt since 1990 to name a street or bridge for the slain civil rights leader.

Supporters say renaming the major artery would honor the legacy of a man who stood for peace, inclusiveness and justice and equality. However, many 12th Street property owners opposed the name change in a recent city survey, saying it would be confusing and expensive.

Free anonymous testing for HIV today

Free anonymous HIV testing is being offered at two Northern Kentucky locations today by the Northern Kentucky Health Department for National HIV Testing Day.

From noon to 2 p.m. testing will be performed at BF Howard Park at 11th and Bush streets in Covington.

The second time for testing will be from 3-5 p.m. at St. John United Church of Christ at 529 Fairfield Ave., Bellevue.

For more information call the health department at (859) 578-7660 ext. 2094.

Local artists featured at Fort Thomas festival

FORT THOMAS - Local artists will have their original works displayed Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. at the 5th Annual Fort Thomas Fine Arts Festival.

The festival will be indoors in the Mess Hall at the old fort in Tower Park off of Fort Thomas Avenue.

The types of artwork will include painting, printmaking, sculpture and photography.

The festival will have live music and refreshments.

State telemarketing list not affected

FRANKFORT - Kentucky's year-old Telemarketing No Call list will not be affected by the new federal telemarketing law when it takes effect later this year, Kentucky Attorney General Ben Chandler said Thursday.

Kentuckians who are signed up on the Kentucky No Call list will automatically be included on the new federal list unless they ask the attorney general's office to exclude them from the federal list.

Since the Kentucky No Call law took effect last year, the attorney general's office has signed up more than 780,000 Kentucky residential telephone numbers, representing more than half of the state. The attorney general's office also has filed 93 enforcement actions and obtained more than $500,000 in penalties from telemarketers violating the Kentucky No Call list.

"Complaints filed with my office have been reduced by over 90 percent since we began our enforcement,'' Chandler said. "We will continue our vigorous enforcement of Kentucky's No Call law.''

Kentuckians can sign up for the Kentucky No Call list by calling toll free 866-592-2550 or by visiting the Kentucky attorney general's Web site.

Kentucky businesses doing telemarketing calls to Kentucky residents only will not be affected by the new federal law. However, Kentucky businesses making telemarketing calls to other states will be required to pay a fee for the federal list.

St. Therese Church has summer festival today

SOUTHGATE - The St. Therese Summer Festival kicks off today at the church's fairgrounds at U.S. 27 and Temple Place.

The festival is open from 6-11 p.m., both today and Saturday.

A shuttle service will be available from the Medical Arts building on 525 Alexandria Pike both nights.

The festival will feature a children's game area, a raffle, live entertainment, grilled food, and on Saturday night only - a fried chicken dinner.

Florence Baptist offers patriotic weekend

FLORENCE - Florence Baptist Church's 13th annual patriotic and religious performance "Celebrate America" will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

All of the performances of the 2003 presentation titled "One Nation Under God" are free and open to the public.

The presentation will include a military honor guard display, actors portraying the founding fathers, and patriotic and religious music and singing.

Special guest speaker will be Vietnam War Marine veteran Tim Lee, a Purple Heart recipient.

The church is located at 283 Main St., Florence.