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And from our Departments..........
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An effort to build downtown's first mountain bike trails
Saturday, March 28, 2009
at
Devou Park
9:30 am - 2:30 pm
Register today at www.ugive.org
Give Back High will assist the Kentucky Mountain Bike Association and the City of Covington in the construction of 8-10 miles of mountain bike trails at Devou Park; the first beginner, intermediate and advanced trails to exist within the urban center of our region.
Please wear sturdy shoes and clothes you don't mind getting dirty. A great deal of this work will be physical, including shoveling, trimming trees, moving logs, smoothing dirt and using tools.
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Special Event Permits
Special Event Permit applications are available by clicking on the link below. If you have any questions, please call 292-2160.
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| We need your help!
We're looking for films or videos of the 1914 Centennial and 1965 Sesquicentennial Parades. If you have any such items, please let us know! Contact Assistant City Manager, Larry Klein, at 292-2160. Thanks! |
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Code Enforcement Department |
Recently, the City of Covington passed a new City Ordinance that significantly changes how trash and litter will be addressed within the City limits. Please take a few minutes to read the attached information to be aware of your obligations as a resident, property owner, or business owner in Covington.
For more information, please contact the Code Enforcement Department at 292-2323. |
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Department of Public Improvements |
 The City of Covington has restructured the Engineering, Recreation Maintenance, and Public Works Departments into one named The Department of Public Improvements. The Director is City Engineer, Tom Logan, who will now oversee this department.
The Department of Public Improvements would like to ask citizens not to plow or push the snow into the streets. We would appreciate it if the snow could be placed next to a driveway or on the grass next to the sidewalk.
Questions? Call 292-2112 or 292-2292 |
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Economic Development & Community Relations Department |
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Renaissance Covington
 Renaissance Covington Expands It's Boundaries For several years, business and property owners in the areas adjacent to the Renaissance Covington District in downtown have asked to be included in the district's boundaries. The expansion will allow for greater coordination of improvements and development between the original area and the expanded area.
Click here for more information on Renaissance Covington, Inc. or call 292-2163. |
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Historic Preservation
Historic Preservation Overlay Zones
Covington currently has 7 Historic Preservation Overlay Zones. A Historic Preservation Overlay (HPO) Zone is defined by the City of Covington's Zoning Ordinance as an area intended to preserve structures, buildings, appurtenances, and places that are of basic and vital importance for the development of the culture, because of their association with history; because of their unique architectural style and scale, including color, proportions, form, and architectural details; or because of their being a part of or related to a square, park, or area of cultural, historical, or architectural importance to the city.
The current Historic Preservation Overlay Zones include:
The Downtown Commercial Historic Preservation Overlay Zone is significant as it represents Covington's thriving downtown commercial core from approximately 1860 to 1950. The area includes most of the present and historic downtown commercial center of the city. Architecturally, the district consists of a remarkably intact and cohesive group of late nineteenth and early twentieth century commercial buildings. Covington's downtown developed as the commercial and industrial center of the city primarily after the extension of the Kentucky Central Railway into the heart of the city near Pike Street and Madison Avenue in the mid 1850's, and the completion of the Cincinnati-Covington Suspension Bridge in 1867.
The Licking Riverside Historic Preservation Overlay Zone is significant as an urban residential neighborhood which first developed in the middle decades of the nineteenth century. The majority of the 1850's and 1860's development lies along Greenup Street from Fourth Street to Eighth Street and along Sanford Street north of Fifth Street. After Jonathan Hearne established his elegant Italianate home at 502 Garrard Street in the early 1870's, the neighborhood began to develop and south along Garrard and Sanford Streets and further east to the Licking River.
The Main Strasse Historic Preservation Overlay Zone is significant for its cohesive collection of urban residential and commercial architecture from the second half of the nineteenth century. Even though the area was platted in 1830, it did not really begin to develop until the 1840's, when large numbers of German immigrants came to the Greater Cincinnati area. In the ensuing decades the neighborhood quickly grew, and the majority of buildings were built by the late 1870's. Although the area is primarily residential, commercial buildings are scattered throughout. Main Street, has historically been the commercial center of the neighborhood, and a large concentration of two and three-story buildings with stone and cast iron storefronts are found there.
The architecture of the Mutter Gottes Historic Preservation Overlay Zone represents an important period in Covington's development as a residential community. The area is significant as a residential neighborhood with a concentration of notable mid-nineteenth century residential architecture. The Mutter Gottes/ Old Town area was one of the first areas of the city to develop as a result of rapid population growth between 1840 and 1860. A majority of the district was completely developed by 1877. Most of the buildings in the district were built by middle-class German immigrants who settled in Covington beginning in the 1840's.
The Ohio Riverside Historic Preservation Overlay Zone, with its important collection of buildings that represent the full spectrum of nineteenth century architectural styles, is significant as the oldest remaining residential area in Covington. The Ohio Riverside district encompasses the area known as the "Point" at the confluence of the Licking and Ohio Rivers. In the early nineteenth century, this was both the commercial and residential center of the city. By the 1850's, the financial and commercial center of the city began to relocate further west, and many of the original rowhouses found in the Ohio Riverside area were replaced by the grand townhouses and villas which remain today.
Pike Street Historic Preservation Overlay Zone is significant as Pike Street was the terminus of the Covington & Lexington Turnpike, which was a stagecoach route between Covington and Lexington. This turnpike which entered Covington along Pike Street, helped spur commercial growth in Covington. The architecture in this district is mostly commercial and was built in the mid to late nineteenth century. Most of the buildings are Italianate brick buildings, but there are also a few excellent examples of Greek Revival commercial buildings as well.
The Seminary Square Historic Preservation Overlay Zone is significant as an important residential district that developed primarily in the late nineteenth century. It includes many fine examples of a variety of architectural styles representative of this era of residential development. The residences in Seminary Square include several modest one-story brick and frame cottages, but the majority are substantial brick townhouses. Italianate is the predominant architectural style and there are numerous examples of elegant townhouses ornamented with graceful ironwork porches and balconies. Later townhouses were detailed with elements typical of the Second Empire and Queen Anne styles.
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Ombudsman/Neighborhood Services Office
News from the Neighborhoods!
Westside
The Westside Action Coalition will hold their next meeting onJanuary 13 and their guests this month will be Lynda Jackson, Bill Weathers and Trisha Brundage from the Covington Independent Public Schools. They will have a powerpoint presentation followed by an opportunity for questions and answers. The meeting will be at the Center for Great Neighborhoods, 1650 Russell Street.
Regular monthly meetings are the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 6:30 pm at CGN, 1650 Russell St.
Contact John Kidd at 513-295-4532 for additional information.
South Covington
The South Covington Community Action Association will hold their regular monthly meeting on Thursday, January 8 at the Hands Pike Firehouse. This month's guest speakers will be Karen Hargett, Executive Director of Transitions and Charlotte Wethington, Transitions Recovery Advocate to discuss the new facility that will be opening near South Covington.
Regular monthly meetings are the 2nd Thursday of each month at the Hands Pike Firehouse, 1255 Hands Pike. Social 1/2 hour begins at 6:30 pm and meetings begin at 7:00 pm. Contact Nancy Ray at 356-8713 or visit www.southcovington.com
SUZANN GETTYS
Ombudsman/Neighborhood Services Coordinator
859-292-2141
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| Payroll Taxes for the 4th Quarter 2008 are due January 31, 2009. |
 DRIVING ON SNOW AND ICE
The best advice for driving in bad winter weather is not to drive at all, if you can avoid it.
Don't go out until the snow plows and sanding trucks have had a chance to do their work, and allow yourself extra time to reach your destination.
If you must drive in snowy conditions, make sure your car is prepared, and that you know how to handle road conditions.
It's helpful to practice winter driving techniques in a snowy, open parking lot, so you're familiar with how your car handles. Consult your owner's manual for tips specific to your vehicle.
Driving safely on icy roads
1. Decrease your speed and leave yourself plenty of room to stop. You should allow at least three times more space than usual between you and the car in front of you.
2. Brake gently to avoid skidding. If your wheels start to lock up, ease off the brake.
3. Turn on your lights to increase your visibility to other motorists.
4. Keep your lights and windshield clean.
5. Use low gears to keep traction, especially on hills.
6. Don't use cruise control or overdrive on icy roads.
7. Be especially careful on bridges, overpasses and infrequently traveled roads, which will freeze first. Even at temperatures above freezing, if the conditions are wet, you might encounter ice in shady areas or on exposed roadways like bridges.
8. Don't pass snow plows and sanding trucks. The drivers have limited visibility, and you're likely to find the road in front of them worse than the road behind.
9. Don't assume your vehicle can handle all conditions. Even four-wheel and front-wheel drive vehicles can encounter trouble on winter roads.
If you get stuck
1. Do not spin your wheels. This will only dig you in deeper.
2. Turn your wheels from side to side a few times to push snow out of the way.
3. Use a light touch on the gas, to ease your car out.
4. Use a shovel to clear snow away from the wheels and the underside of the car.
5. Pour sand, kitty litter, gravel or salt in the path of the wheels, to help get traction.
6. Try rocking the vehicle. (Check your owner's manual first - it can damage the transmission on some vehicles.) Shift from forward to reverse, and back again. Each time you're in gear, give a light touch on the gas until the vehicle gets going.
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Human Resources Department |
Employment Applications are now accepted on line for all open positions in the new Career Center. In addition to on-line applications, prospective candidates can set up a search agent to notify them when a position becomes available by email - so you never have to miss an opportunity.
The Career Center is accessible through the City of Covington website using the JOBS tab. If you don't have home computer, there is a computer in the Human Resources Department that is available for application purposes. The Kenton County Library system offers internet access from library computers and are free to the public.
If you are unable to use any of the resources listed above, please contact our office at 859-292-2161 for alternative arrangements.
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 CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY
The Covington Police Citizen's Academy allows for diverse populations of adults throughout the city to come together for training and education on various police-oriented topics. The purpose of our academy is to create understanding through education and to promote a positive relationship with our community.
The Citizens Academy is a two-way educational process. The participants are given training in many of the same areas as a recruit might experience but on a lesser scale. While citizens are learning about what police officers do on a daily basis, officers are learning how citizens feel about certain issues. In this way, both the police and the citizens benefit from the academy about certain issues.
The Covington Police Citizen's Academy consists of a 12-week program that provides a wide variety of law-related education. Instructors from the rank and file of our department help to make the classes enjoyable by providing hands-on activities in each class.
Participants will be exposed to every major facet of police training, including:
· History of policing/department
· Organizational structure of the department
· Communications
· Criminal Law/Justice system
· Patrol and Traffic
· Criminal Investigation
· Hate crimes/Crime Lab
· Firearms Training/K-9
· S.W.A.T. team/bike & mounted patrol
· Use of force
· Community policing
· Crime prevention
· Street drugs/crime suppression unit
· Domestic violence/juvenile crime
· Defensive tactics
· Search and seizure
Students are also invited to participate in a ride-along program in which they are paired with an officer for the duration of a normal shift, wherein they can experience, first hand, what an officer's daily duties include.
The only requirements for becoming a participant in the Covington Police Citizen's Academy are participants MUST be at least 18 years of age and live and/or work in Covington.
The Police Department is now taking applications for the next Citizen's Police Academy. The Academy will begin Thursday, February 19, 2009, and will meet every Thursday until May 14, 2009. The class meets from 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm at Police Headquarters, Lower Level Training Room, 1 Police Memorial Drive, Covington, KY.
Contact Capt. Bryan Allen at 859-292-2203 to obtain an application or e-mail him at ballen@covingtonky.gov
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Contact Information
Administrative Personnel
Mayor & Commissioners Office
292-2127
John Jay Fossett, City Manager
292-2160
Larry Klein, Assistant City Manager
292-2160
Keith Bales, Code Enforcement Director
292-2323
Tom Logan, Department of Public Improvements Director
292-2112
Kathie Hickey, Economic Development & Community Relations Department
292-2163
Bob Due, Finance Director
292-2175
Mark Young, Fire Chief
431-0462
Aaron Wolfe-Bertling, Housing Development Director
292-2188
Jo Ann Simpson, Human Resources and Personnel Director
292-2161
Frank Warnock, City Solicitor, Legal Department
292-2311
Tracy Denham, City Clerk, Legal Department
292-2314
Suzann Gettys, Ombudsman / Neighborhood Services
292-2141
Lee Russo, Police Chief
292-2220
Natalie Gardner, Recreation Director
292-2151
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January is National Mentoring Month
Help us celebrate in two ways. First, give a big "Thank You" to all of the Mentors you know. Over 200 kids in Covington are being mentored at school and in the community through a partnership between Big Brothers Big Sisters, Covington Independent Schools, and Partners in Prevention. Secondly, another 150 students are still waiting for mentors. Honor mentoring month by becoming a mentor for one of these students. An hour a week is all it takes. Call 513-421-4120 and ask for Lynn Cameron or email Cameron@bigsforkids.org. |
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January Programs
Zumba Dance Fitness - Lose the workout, and join the party. Wednesdays at 6:30 and Saturdays at 10 am.
January Latin Dance Classes
Saturdays - January 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
Art Spark! for youth
Tuesday 4:30 - 6:00 Visual Arts - fun arts and crafts projects. Ages 8 and up.
Wednesday 4:30 - 6:00 - Crocheting and knitting, ages 12 and up.
Thursday 4:30 - 6:00 - Fiber Arts -sewing, ages 9 and up.
Visit www.duveneckcenter.org for more information. |
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The Hunchback of Mantua
(Verdi's Rigoletto in concert )
8:00 p.m. Friday
January 9, 2009
Greaves Concert Hall, NKU
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The Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center
Carnegie in Concert presents:
concert: nova
Thursday, January 8 at 7:30 pm
Experience the skill and passion of four of Greater Cincinnati's top symphonic artists as promising new ensemble concert:nova presents quartet works of Puccini, Mozart, and Schubert in the acoustically superb Otto M. Budig Theatre.
The Carnegie Galleries present The Painters
Opening Reception: Friday, January 9
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Exhibition runs through February 13
The Painters celebrates the works of Matthew Litteken, Anita Powell, Kathleen DeFrancesco Smith, Alan Grizzell, Stan Kitz, Shayne Hull, and Robert Mullenix.
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Baker Hunt
Art and Cultural Center
Winter Session Schedules are HERE!
What's Coming Up At Baker Hunt?!!
Digital Camera Workshop
Saturday, January 10, 9 am - 12 pm & Sunday, January 11, 1 pm - 4 pm (J373.4)
Two Day weekend workshop offered on digital camera techniques and software, using Photoshop 6.
Want to try out your creative genius on a workshop before signing up for a class? Come on in! We have a huge variety of workshops to fit any appetite for art! However, they fill up quickly! Click here for more upcoming workshops for Adults and Youth!
Baker Hunt Art and Cultural Center
Baker Hunt Foundation | 620 Greenup Street | Covington, Kentucky 41011 | (859) 431-0020 | Fax (859) 431-9358
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 Free classes are now being offered for homeowners and potential homebuyers.
Home Care Center Workshops provide instruction on basic home repairs. The workshops are from 10:00 am - Noon on Saturdays. Registration is required. Free giveaways!
Thinking about Home Ownership? Homebuyer Education Classes can help!
Classes begin January 10, 2009 on Saturdays from 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. Lunch is provided, and advance registration in requested.
All classes and workshops are held at the Catholic Charities offices at 3629 Church Street in Latonia. Call 859-581-8974 or visit www.covingtoncharities.org
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Art Walk at Katie O'Donnell Way - Latonia
Friday, January 23, 2009 from 3:30 pm to 7:00 pm
(Bad weather date Friday, January 30th)
Purpose of the Art Walk event:
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To call attention to the improvements in the renovated Katie O'Donnell Way.
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To build bridges to the area schools and to spot light school art programs.
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To increase awareness of the variety of businesses at Ritte's Corner.
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To raise funds for the renovation and beautification of Katie O'Donnell Way.
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To demonstrate how effective Latonia businesses are at working together to create a better Latonia
Displays of Student Art Work from:
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Holy Cross High School
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Holy Cross Elementary School
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9th District Elementary School
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Latonia Elementary School
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Holmes High School
Selected pieces of student art will be displayed at businesses on Decoursey Avenue/Katie O'Donnell Way and Winston Avenue for a week. A map handout will show the businesses displaying student art work.
Light Up Ritte's Corner
All the businesses at Ritte's Corner are encouraged to participate in "Light Up Ritte's Corner."
From 3:00 to 7:00 pm Katie O'Donnell Way will be blocked off for the event.
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The 2009 Neighborhoods of Covington Calendar is now available. A portion of the proceeds from the sales benefit each of the neighborhood associations of Covington. This beautiful calendar is a project of the Covington Neighborhood Collaborative.
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January at the Covington Library
502 Scott Boulevard (859) 962-4060
Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Family Celebration - 2:00 PM
I Have a Dream Inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Bring your family to the Library to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Create poems, letters to Dr. King, and a mural celebrating Dr. King's dream.
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 CASA ORIENTATION
Thursday, January 8, 2009
5:00 pm
Fifth Street Center (First Floor Conference Room)
5th & Philadelphia, Covington
CASA volunteers are empowered to make a lifelong difference in the lives of abused and neglected children.
For more information or to register for orientation call 859-292-6533 ext. 591 or email casaofkenton@live.com.
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News from the Schools
Volunteers Needed: Fruits and Veggie Grant Do you enjoy chopping vegetables and slicing fruit and knowing you are helping a child learn about nutrition? Then we need you! Volunteers are needed at 9th District Elementary School, the first week of each month, and at Thomas Edison Elementary School, the second week of each month, from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. Volunteers will assist with preparing fruits and vegetables to be served as an afternoon snack to every student as part of the Healthy Snack Team led by that ever-vigilant nutrition leader, Captain Nutrition. For more information, contact Meredith Potter, Fitness Rocks Coordinator, at (513) 295-9540 or meredith.potter@covington.kyschools.us.
Support National Mentoring Month
How can you help support Covington youth? Show your support for local men and women who dedicate an hour a week to a Covington student through mentoring programs at Two Rivers Middle School, Holmes Junior/Senior High School, and Covington elementary schools. You can get involved by recognizing the influential people in your life and taking the time to thank them on national Thank Your Mentor Day, January 22. For more information how you can take the next step to support mentoring by becoming a mentor or making a donation, please contact: Amy Weber, Mentoring Outreach Coordinator, (859) 655-9545 ext. 6520 or amy.weber@covington.kyschools.us
Monthly Covington Partners in Prevention Coalition MeetingCovington Partners in Prevention is a coalition of dedicated individuals, organizations, and board members committed to the collaborative work of planning, funding, implementing, and evaluating initiatives to benefit the youth and the future of Covington. Please join us for our monthly meetings, held the second Tuesday of the month from 11:30 to 1:30 at the Center for Great Neighborhoods, 1650 Russell Street. Lunch is provided. Learn more about our initiatives at www.partnersinprevention.us or contact stacie.strotman@covington.kyschools or (859) 392-3179.
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Behringer Crawford Museum
Tot Tuesdays is a fun filled, story time program geared towards preschool aged children. Come join us on the third Tuesday of each month at 10:30 a.m. for fun and learning, and enjoy an interactive story along with a craft or activity.
2008 Holiday Toy Trains Are still Here! on display through Feb. 1
It is the largest interactive holiday train display in Northern Kentucky with more than 25 stations for kids of all ages. The layout features 250 feet of track and Lionel, Marx and Plasticville toy trains and sets from the past and present. Grandparents can take advantage of special "Grandparents Days" on Tuesdays when one child is admitted free with each paying senior admission.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Coming February 12, 2009 - Lincoln's visit to and influence on the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area, slavery, the Civil War, Abolitionism, life of Black Americans both slave and free during the 1850s and 1860s. Featuring an original document bearing Lincoln's signature. Don't miss this searching exhibit exploring the life and times of our 16th president!
1600 Montague Road - Devou Park
Covington, KY
(859) 491-4003
info@bcmuseum.org
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