THEY think I'm their LESSER!? Who Dey in The COV...

In The Beacon's Beam...

You have no idea the breadth of the people I know... I have met, greeted & accepted scores of folks along My Journey; Steve & Steve, Oakley, J.T, Anita, Shawn, Katie, Monks, Sande, Sandi, Sandy... The difference is that I have never considered myself to be their "Betters" or them mine.

Jeff Murden ‎@Jon, I don't disagree with your point, but you have to be careful to not turn folks off so they don't listen to you anymore. You/we are dealing with simple people who have HUGE hearts. They have been pulled into the wrong fold and I have a feeling many of them don't like it there. But they are not going to jump out of the frying pan into the fire! ;-)

 Ryan Courtade The deadline to file for School Board is August 14th... I am interested in knowing who is running or thinking about running? Are the people up for election running again? And if anyone is seriously considering running, I would offer the opportunity to meet with them and discuss. This could be a very big election for Covington and could be the path to real change... But we need to make sure the right people get the job...

Mark Steward Young Ryan, this is incredibly important for Covington. In fact, it's the key to our survival as a place worth living. Think about it: What are the key reasons people of means (meaning a job and a clue) move to a city? What are the key reasons they leave? In most cases, it eventually boils down to the schools. I hear it over and over again. People flee Covington because our schools suck. This is after we spent resources to attract them, and after they developed a role in the community... that entire investment EVAPORATES when they have children. And don't forget investors...they won't buy and develop real estate if the market for it is weak, which it will be if people with kids are bailing or won't come here in the first place. IMO, the ONLY thing really holding Covington back is her schools and we can change them DRAMATICALLY this November. 3 votes can fire the super. 3 votes can change the budget priorities. 3 board members are up for re-election.

Ryan Courtade Great school board meeting tonight. I see an increase of respect both from the Board of Education to people giving public input and from the people giving public input to the board... I think if we all act civil we'll be able to accomplish more :-)

Mark Steward Young Whatever. They're gone as far as I'm concerned. :P I've been looknig at too many numbers. I can't believe that they've not resigned... I just don't have any respect for them or their work... Save Denise and I'm giving her more and more credit. :) Mark Steward Young I so want to flog these a-holes with this. I'm so outraged. But I'm not going to because these poor kids have been victimized enough. Michael C, you'd better be paying attention. THIS is what you are defending... :(

Michael Connett IN THE BEACON'S BEAM:
"THEY think I'm their LESSER!? Who Dey in The COV..."
You have no idea the breadth of the people I know... I have met, greeted & accepted scores of folks along My Journey; Steve & Steve, Oakley, J.T, Anita, Shawn, Katie, Monks, Sande, Sandi, Sandy... The difference is that I have never considered myself to be their "Betters" or them mine.

Mark Steward Young Michael, it just takes soooo very little to be your better... :P

Joyce Smith Snow

I'm also sending BIG HUGS to Michael Connett, he is an awesome person. I don't give a rats ass if he's GAY, Black, White, Crippled or Crazy he's a GREAT person!! To the haters of GAYS (even my other friends) who "hate on gays" hell with you if your that closed minded.
Because a person is Gay does NOT make them any different than anyone else, save they're likely a hell of a lot more compassionate & tolerant of other peoples BIGOTRY because they have a PERSONAL understanding with how shitty hatred feels!

— with Michael Connett in Covington, Kentucky

Bless your heart! I've been accused of bashing those that have bashed me & I replied;   "Bashing!? I disagree; it's more like shining a light on part of the problem. Remember, I'm FIGHTING for My Life:

Philosophy - The Four Agreements Written by Don Miguel Ruiz
1) Be Impeccable With Your Word
Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your work in the direction of truth and love.

2) Don't Take Anything Personally
Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.

3) Don't Make Assumptions
Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

4) Always Do Your Best
Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret."

Rebecca Pettigrew for

CIPS Board Of Education
Community Page about Education

"If YOU Build IT, THEY will come..."

The South Bank PRIDE Coalition

Working to create A Synergistic South Bank CommUNITY where “ WE seek and value opinions, viewpoints and perspectives from others to create solutions that are better than those that would have been created on our own”

ATTORNEY KERRY HOLLERAN ANNOUNCES CANDIDACY FOR SCHOOL BOARD

From the candidate's newly launched campaign Facebook page:

Most importantly, I am the mother of Aryah (prounounced like the word aria), a soon-to-be fifth grader at John G. Carlisle Elementary. I'm currently an attorney, but I am a former professor of English at NKU and at Cincinnati State...I need your vote. Our children matter. So do their parents.

Kerry Holleran

WHAT A FRIDAY NIGHT IN STORE FOR COVINGTON AND THE RIVER CITIES Check out all this fun stuff:
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Avenue Q opens at The Carnegie

This is the Showbiz Players first production since moving to Covington from Cincinnati where it enjoyed a reputation as one of the region's best community theaters. This show is hilarious - but it's not for kids. So go have a nice grown-up night of theater and laugh your a$$ off!

Click here for ticket information

Meanwhile, over in Bellevue...

Tonight's "First Friday" along Fairfield Avenue in Bellevue features the Diva Dash:

Dress as your favorite diva and hit Fairfield Avenue in style. You'll love to see Fairfield Avenue business owners and customers strutting The Avenue. We've invited a few special guests to add to the fun with Brooklyn and her friends performing in front of Healing Therapy located at 405 Fairfield Avenue.

With every purchase you make you'll receive a "coin" to place a vote for your favorite divas. The winning diva will be crowned and win a $50 Fairfield Avenue shopping spree.
The Diva Dash celebrates the first night of National Gay Pride Month. Throughout the district you'll have an opportunity to make donations to Caracole. They provide safe, affordable housing and supportive services for individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS. 

For more info, click here

SCHOOLS BUDGET CRITICIZED, TEACHER SALARY INCREASE DEFENDED

THE RIVER CITY NEWS MORE COVINGTON NEWS THAN ANY OTHER SOURCE Talks of another tax increase from the Covington School Board drew criticism from a few members of the public Thursday night, including Covington City Commissioner Steve Frank. At a special meeting two weeks ago in which a proposed budget for the 2012-13 fiscal year was introduced, board members considered an additional 4% increase on its share of city property taxes, the highest increase allowed by state law. "I'm troubled by the increase in costs when we're trying to hold the line in city government," Frank said. At its meeting Tuesday night, the Covington City Commission saw a presentation on its own proposed budget for 2012-13 which included a deficit of more than two million dollars.

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"The city is not raising taxes, in fact they are lowering the payroll tax and we urge the schools to do the same," said Jeff Murden. "People are thinking, 'these are mediocre schools that cost twice as much'." Murden compared Covington Schools' property tax rate of 1.1 per $1,000 to Kenton County's .55 per $1,000.

Commissioner Frank offered what he called "a practical suggestion" to the board: adopt a tax amnesty program similar to the one enacted by the City earlier this year that has brought in hundreds of thousands of dollars. "The city has a number of properties sitting idle and vacant with tax liens against them. People want to buy and rehab them but are unwilling to because of the liens." Frank said that the Kenton County government is "amenable" to the idea but admitted that it is still in gestation form.

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"I'd like to talk to you more about that at a later time," said Superintendent Lynda Jackson.

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The proposed tax increase, which will not be up for a vote until August or September, was not the only part of the proposed budget that was met with criticism, however. Resident Tom Miller called the $151,000 designated for the school district's attorney "surprising" and "disturbing". "I do wonder why Kenton County only pays fifty-two thousand dollars (for its attorney)," Miller said.

Mark Steward Young We know not many can possibly get into Ivy League colleges, let alone Ivory League ones. ;) Seriously, 95% can't do many well enough to get into college? That's worse than no schooling at all!! Glenda Huff (who said CIPS grads go to "Ivory League colleges") is data driven? $eriously, that's damned little for $14,690 per kid for 9 months. :/