COVINGTON KY NEWS | Covington news, information and newspaper reports
HINESSIGHT, THE ANTI-DRUDGE >

  

  
EMAIL TIPS TO RHINES@USNATION.COM | LAST UPDATED: FEBRUARY 5, 2010 | COVERING THE RUSSELL STREET DISTRICT   

Snow watch
A mixture of snow and rain. Snow accumulation around an inch. Highs in the mid 30s. Northeast winds 15 to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation 100 percent. More expected on Saturday.[Link]

  • If you got a moment, click over to HINESSIGHT, my national website. All the latest news. [Link]


    FEBRUARY 4, 2010
    No barriers for fire damaged property

    Someone with the city told me that barriers will not be erected around the fire-damaged rowhouses simply because Covington doesn't have enough of them.

    Things are moving along, however, and it looks like Tony Kreutzjans and Marc Tischbein will rescue the historic building. For those who don't know, Tischbein and Kreutzjans have been the lead developers along Pike Street; and stepped in to save the Pulse from foreclosure.


    FEBRUARY 3, 2010
    Fight for Arnold Simpson's seat >

    Rep. Simpson came back and told Senator Pro-Tempore Katie Stine, "you are in my place." Stine told Simpson you can go sit over there! The entire table laughed including Senator Jack Westwood at Stine's predicament. [Link]

    FEBRUARY 2, 2010
    Living history,
    Part 2


    In Lucy Leffler's living history, she notes other interesting items about the neighborhood:

  • Peach's and Carter's houses on West Robbins Street were rehabbed (in 1978). Joe Meyer was also busy rehabbing the house that the Trulleys now own, and the rowhouses on Robbins Street. By 1979, they were all sold and occupied.

  • Arnold Simpson's house was owned by Miss Bea. Joanne bought the house after Miss Bea died in the early 80's.

  • The gates across the alley were erected by the Neighborhood Association in the late 80's.


    FEBRUARY 1, 2010
    Living history
    about the neighborhood


    Lucy Leffler took the time to write, giving Russell Street News a living history of the neighborhood:

  • The church at 11th and Banklick burned in the mid-80's. Rev. Thompson owned the church and Kevin Booher's house. Rev. Jackson lived next to Mary Alice. When his health started to fail, the Neighborhood Association bought him an air conditioner so that the extremely hot summer was more pleasant for him.


  • The picture of 11th Street: By 1980, Joe Meyer had already lived in his house for about 5 years. Paul and I rehabbed -- that's what it was called back then -- ours in 1978 and moved in December of that year. Larry Jansen rehabbed Joe & Elzie's house the same time and moved in Nov of 1978.


    JANUARY 29, 2010

    523 Russell is
    still for sale >


    Quaint home in trendy Mainstrasse neighborhood/spacious 2 bedroom w/ finished LL/extra long driveway with parking pad provides 6+ car offstreet parking/very large private backyard w/wood fencing/stainless appliances/new HVAC/dry basement [Link]


    JANUARY 28, 2010
    Bridge wanting a
    paint job


    Looks like the old train bridge over Pike and Russell Streets is in need of a spruce-up.

    In the 1990's, a group of college kids painted it the color it is today. But, alas, the paint is now peeling.

    The city says it's up to the railroad to take care of its bridges -- and we all know the current fight Covington is having with it.

    So, it will be up to volunteers once again to make the bridge look better. Any takers?


    JANUARY 27, 2010
    So what has Trulley done? Nothing

    I've never seen Rick Trulley at Association meetings.

    He's didn't participate in the spring street clean-ups. He never watered the flowers on the street. Never killed the weeds growing between the cracks in the sidewalks.

    Never helped to post political signs in the neighborhood. He has never been around.

    So now this do-nothing guy thinks he can be a city commissioner? Hardly. Trulley is clearly on an ego trip.


    JANUARY 26, 2010
    Looks like Arnold Simpson is home free

    As of this morning, no opponent has stepped forward to take on Arnold Simpson for state representative.

    If no one signs up by the deadline this afternoon, he's home free and the campaign is over. People really like this guy. He's hard to beat and the Republicans know it.






  • Live camera keeping eye on the weather

    The television stations are no doubt freaking out about possible snow. Here's a traffic cam of I-75/I-71 through Covington so you can check on the weather. Hit your REFRESH button for the latest image.

    West Robbins Street, back then

    Lucy notes that Joe Meyer was also busy rehabbing in 1978 the house that the Trulleys now own, and the rowhouses on Robbins Street. By 1979, they were all sold and occupied.

    Russell Street, back then

    This has been posted before, but because this photo was taken in the winter of 1980, I thought it would be an interesting time to compare the street back then to the street today.

    Once-dominant Bavarian Brewery

    The once-dominate Bavarian Brewery was located at 12th Street, near what is today I-75/I-71. Recently, it was the failed Jillian's entertainment center and could become a gambling casino some time down the road.

    Banklick Street, 30 years ago

    This is Banklick Street, thirty years ago, looking north from 12th Street. The church, once located at 11th and Banklick Streets, has obviously been torn down. Lucy says there was a fire at the church in the mid-1980's, which forced the teardown.

    Yes, Covington had streetcars

    More and more cities are returning to street cars. Covington had its own brand until the mid-1950s. It was called the Green Line.

    Eleventh Street in 1980

    This is how 11th Street looked back in 1980. Doesn't seem like -- in this black and white photo -- that much has changed, but it has indeed. There was extensive renovation before and after this photo was taken.

    Rowhouses in 1980

    They weren't in good shape back in 1980. These are the rowhouses at 1030-1036 Russell Street. Notice the absence of the wrought-iron fences.







    RUSSELL STREET NEWS covers the Russell Street District of Old Seminary Square in Covington KY