Kentucky

NORTHERN KENTUCKY – What are the local options for protecting farmland?

That will be the topic at three meetings in April, as the conservation districts of Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties host sessions about farmland protection through the state’s Agricultural District Law. The meetings will include information on the state agricultural district program and other protection efforts and issues. Kenton County’s meeting also will include a presentation on the county’s agricultural issues, led by county cooperative extension service Agent Dan Allen. Meetings are:

7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday at Boone County Public Library’s Walton Branch, 21 S. Main St., Walton.

7-8:30 p.m.

(Read the full post about ‘Farmland focus of meetings’…)

NORTHERN KENTUCKY – Think you’ve got what it takes to play professional baseball? The Florence Freedom will hold open tryouts April 30 at Champion Window Field.

Tryouts begin with registration at 9 a.m. and will continue throughout the day. Prospective players must be between 20 and 27 years old. The registration fee is $50. Standouts will be invited to join the team at training camp for a chance to make the final cut.

Last year, pitcher Alain Quijano made the roster from the open tryout.

(Read the full post about ‘Florence Freedom tryouts April 30′…)

NKYhelps.org, a new Web site, connects those who want to volunteer time, money and items to those who need them. It is a comprehensive register of organizations that need help. The site serves Northern Kentucky and is sponsored by organizations including Legacy, The Kentucky Enquirer, Northern Kentucky University, United Way of Greater Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and Children Inc.

Recent listings include:

Boy Scout volunteer: District Committee Member Dan Beard Council, Boy Scouts of America, Cincinnati. Call 513-961-2336. District committee members offer support to other scouting volunteers in Northern Kentucky.

(Read the full post about ‘Ky. Volunteer opportunities’…)

NORTHERN KENTUCKY – Two area lakes that are part of the “Fishing in Neighborhoods” program will get a special stocking of catfish and bluegill on Thursday.

Stein Community Lake in Alexandria and the lake at Middleton Mills Park in Covington will be stocked with 12-inch catfish and hybrid bluegill measuring 5 inches or longer. The stockings will be repeated in May and June.

(Read the full post about ‘Lakes to get special stockings of fish’…)

In a move to save money and improve services, two Kenton County cities might combine their police departments.

City officials in Erlanger and Crescent Springs have been in talks since November on the possible merger, which could happen as soon as July.

“The driving force behind all this is the rising cost the city’s going to be faced with, with retirement and medical costs,” said Crescent Springs Mayor Jim Collett, who approached Erlanger about the issue.

Both city councils have been briefed on the plan, but have yet to take a vote.

(Read the full post about ‘2 N.Ky. police units may merge’…)

UNION - Daniel Dilger is confident he’ll make a good showing Friday in the state-level competition of the National Geographic Bee, but he isn’t making any bold predictions.

“I think I can go a few rounds,” the eighth-grade student from Gray Middle School said. “But I’m sure there will be some question …”

Daniel is one of 101 students statewide in grades 4-8, and one of 25 from Northern Kentucky, who will compete in the geography bee at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green.

Preliminary rounds will begin at 10 a.m.

(Read the full post about ‘25 map way to geography bee’…)

Second- and third-grade students are feeling the burn at Kenton Elementary School this month with the inception of a Cardio Club.

More than 100 students are involved in the club, which is based on a six-week cardio program created by Kenton physical education teachers Doug Combs and Jennifer Logsdon.

The duo started the club as a way to help combat childhood obesity and promote regular exercise.

“I’m in my 20th year of teaching, and every year it gets a little worse,” said Combs. “We’re seeing more and more overweight and out-of-shape kids across the nation.”

Three groups of students meet once a week after school for hour-long cardio workouts that consist of various games and activities.

(Read the full post about ‘A heart-smart head start’…)

FRANKFORT - There were many people and constituencies - lawmakers, city officials, the horse industry, developers - that wanted the General Assembly to put casino gambling on the ballot.

But few if any were as overt, eager and ostentatious as Bill Yung.

The operator of Columbia Sussex, a Crestview Hills-based owner of hotels and casinos, Yung tried to use money, influence and pressure to win passage of the gambling amendment and a casino license for himself.

But even after spending millions of dollars, Yung, just like backers of the gambling effort, came up short. Gov.

(Read the full post about ‘Did Yung overplay a hand?’…)

After 15-year-old Tony Beard Jr. killed himself last summer, administrators at Covington Latin brought in counselors to help students deal with the grief.

They were way too late, said University of Cincinnati professor Keith King, an expert on teen suicide and its prevention.

“It’s a major problem because it isn’t being talked about,” King said of teen suicide.

In part, that is due to the stigma attached to suicides.

King espouses schools having procedures on how to help students and staff before student suicides or attempts. Education and raising awareness of the symptoms, he said, are the best ways to prevent student suicide.

“We need to teach teen warning signs.

(Read the full post about ‘Experts: ‘Help should be available early’’…)

LOS ANGELES — Former “Quincy, M.E.” star Jack Klugman is suing NBC Universal, claiming the studio is lying about the show’s profits and owes him money.

Klugman’s suit says his 1976 contract with NBC entitled him and his company, Sweater Productions, to 25 percent of the show’s “net profits.”

The lawsuit aims to force NBC to divulge the contract and award Klugman attorneys’ fees. It also asks the court to clarify the terms of the agreement.

The show ran on the network from 1976 to 1983.

The suit says NBC provided Klugman, 85, with an accounting statement showing the series had lost $66 million through 2006.

Klugman said that that he’s heard NBC made $250 million and that the show’s still running in Germany. (Read the full post about ‘Jack Klugman Sues Over ‘Quincy’ Profits’…)