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AMANDA JOERING ALLEY/THE COMMUNITY RECORDER
Fort Thomas resident Ken Bowman, who volunteers in several ways throughout the city, poses for a picture outside his business on North Fort Thomas Avenue.
Fort Thomas business owner fills free time with volunteering By Amanda Joering Alley ajoering@nky.com
When he isn’t running his business, Bowman Framing, Fort Thomas resident Ken Bowman spends a lot of time volunteering in the city and schools. Bowman, who also sells real estate in the area, serves as the city’s renaissance chairman, chairman of the Merchants & Music Festival, and serves on the cultural heritage committee as well as committees and groups in local schools, said Debbie Buckley, the city’s renaissance manager. “His shop is always open when it’s supposed to be, and his work is always impeccable,” Buckley said. “If anyone is in need, Ken is the first to volunteer his time and energy.” Bowman, who has lived
in the city most of his life and been running his business in the city for 22 years, said as a resident and business owner, he does what he can to help the city. “I love this community, and I like to do what I can to give back,” Bowman said. “I want to see the city’s current amenities thrive and new ones added to them to continue to enhance the quality of life for people in Fort Thomas.” Bowman, a music-lover, said Merchants & Music and the Renaissance as a whole have become a big part of his life. “It’s kind of become an obsession, but I enjoy doing it and think it’s important,” Bowman said. For more about your community, visit www.nky.com/fortthomas
Winter squash and pumpkins, oh my!
It is the time of year when pumpkins are purchased with thoughts of carving scary or happy faces or scenes into them. However, pumpkins and their other winter squash relatives can also be great additions to our fall menus and recipes. There are a variety of winter squash available in our region. Each has a slightly different texture and flavor. Try several to see which you might like best. Winter squash are distinguished by their tough outer skins. They come in various shapes and colors. They are all naturally low in fat and sodium. And, they are an excellent source of vitamin A and fiber. Choose squash that are heavy for their size with a hard rind that has no blemishes of soft spots. Wash the outside of the squash thoroughly under running water. Cut the squash open and remove the seeds and any stringy matter. You may want to peel the squash prior to cooking, but you do not have to. Winter squash can be steamed or baked. To steam, bring one inch of water to a boil in a saucepan. Cut squash into pieces and place in a basket
or on a rack. Cover the pan tightly and steam the squash until tender, about 30 to 40 minutes. Extension R e m o v e Notes from pan. Squash will Diane pull easily Mason away from the rind after cooking. Mash squash pulp and use as desired in recipes. To bake, cut washed and cleaned squash in half or into portions. Place in a baking dish and bake at 400 degrees F for one hour or until tender. Remove pulp from rind and use as desired. To substitute cooked squash pulp for canned pumpkin, use one and three-fourths to two cups of cooked pumpkin for one 15ounce can. Cooked squash can be frozen for later use. Freeze in recipe sized portions in freezer safe containers. Label and date before placing in the freezer. Thaw prior to use in the refrigerator. Diane Mason is county extension agent for family and consumer sciences at the Boone County Cooperative Extension Service.
CHRIS MAYHEW/STAFF
Denny Robinson, of Alexandria, is mixing a garden railway display and seasonal decorations for a planned “Halloween Train Fest” at Southern Lanes Sports Complex Oct. 14-30.
New Halloween train exhibit chugs into Alexandria site
By Chris Mayhew cmayhew@nky.com
ALEXANDRIA - Denny Robinson is setting up a train and Halloween display to share the artistry of Alexandria-based Applied Imagination’s nationally renowned garden railway displays locally at Southern Lanes Sports Complex in Alexandria. Robinson has organized the “Halloween Train Fest” Oct. 14-30. The event showcases a train exhibit previously on display near the grounds of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Robinson said he wants people to see an example of the work Paul Busse and his company, Applied Imagination, have been putting on display all around the United States for years. “It’s so people can see the displays, he’s our local artist,” Robinson said. Busse’s garden railway displays have become a mainstay of botanical garden exhibits in New York City, Chicago, Atlanta and other locations including a display at the Bellagio Conservatory in Las Vegas. For information about Applied Imagination visit the website www.appliedimagination.biz. Robinson is a great friend to Applied Imagination, said Brian Busse, son of Applied Imagination’s founder and the president of the comTHANKS TO APPLIED IMAGINATION pany. A garden railway train crosses a trestle on display near the U.S. Capitol building for the holidays in 2006 as “And he is very inspired to bring part of the U.S. Botanical Gardens’ Washington, D.C. “Capitol Limited” display created by Paul Busse and his some holiday cheer to Alexandria Campbell County-based company Applied Imagination. with his displays,” Busse said. Robinson said the display he is youth teams in Campbell, Kenton and working to set up in Alexandria was Boone counties, said league president Event information once on display in Washington, D.C., Jeff Keener, of Erlanger. The first ever Halloween Train Fest at and he plans to have it on exhibit durThe league is affiliated with the Southern Lanes Sports Center, 7634 ing Christmas as well. Babe Ruth and Cal Ripken national Alexandria Pike, Alexandria, is Oct. 14-30th Previously, Robinson said he set programs, and is focused on being an and admission is $5 per person. the display up at Kenton Lakes in instructional league especially for the The exhibit will be open to the public Kenton County for a couple of years. younger children, ages 12 and under, Friday from 4 p.m.-8 p.m., and Saturday Pairing the train exhibit with a using pitch machines, Keener said. and Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. The exhibit “family friendly” Halloween event is a “By the time a child is 10 or 12 will be open to preschools and daycare way to bring a new community activthere’s lots of options for them to play tours from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, ity to the Alexandria area, he said. Wednesday and Thursday. To schedule a baseball,” Keener said. “We’re trying to do something for tour or information call 859-620-1668 or Robinson is a great volunteer with the town, so they don’t have to go so 859-635-2121. There will also be a the league, he said. And the train discostume contest 3 p.m. Saturday and far to do stuff,” Robinson said. play is officially owned by the associSunday. Robinson said the event will feaation after buying it from Applied ture an area of Halloween displays Imagination, Keener said. All proceeds from the event including a mock graveyard, and there The display is a great way for peowill be a small pumpkin patch and (admission is $5 and includes a small ple to see the work Busse has done pumpkin) will benefit the nonprofit and share in a fun holiday experience, pumpkin carving contests. There will be $1 hot dogs and con- Kentucky Amateur Baseball Associa- he said. cessions, and people are welcome to tion www.kababaseball.org, Robinson “Paul Busse, he’s got a special bring their children in costume, he said. talent that’s unbelievable,” Keener The association fields about 100 said. said.
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