VENT HAVEN PLANS APRIL SHOW B1
The art of ventriloquism lives on in Northern Kentucky at the Vent Haven Museum, a haven for retired ventriloquists’ dummies.
Send us your prom photos April kicks off prom season in Northern Kentucky and we want to see your photos from the big night. The best of your submissions will appear in photo galleries at NKY.com and some may also be used in The Kentucky Enquirer and Recorder newspapers. Email your digital photos, with names and high schools of everyone appearing in them, to nkyproms@gmail.com. Please put which school’s prom your shots are from in the subject line of the email.
Park Hills hopes to be a Tree City Springtime has brought a rainbow of buds and blossoms to Park Hills, and Tree Board chairman Mike Conway hopes the city will be able to branch out as a Tree City. Full story, A3
COMMUNITY
RECORDER THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2012
BECAUSE COMMUNITY MATTERS
By Jim Hannah jhannah@nky.com
Park Hills Mayor Michael Hellmann touted it as a progressive move when he hired Amy Schworer as the small municipality’s police chief in August 2010. As the first female police chief in Park Hills’ 84-year history, Schworer was one of only four women serving as a municipal police chief, sheriff or chief of a university police department in Kentucky. Hellmann lost his re-election in November 2010 to funeral parlor director Don Catchen. Schworer claims in a lawsuit filed March 28 in Kenton Circuit Court that on election night Catchen used a derogatory term for lesbians toward all women who wore their hair short. Schworer, who is married, wears her hair short. Catchen fired Schworer in July 2011. The suit claims Schworer was sexually harassed, discriminated against and not given statutory protections designed to shield police officers from political meddling. It names the city as the de-
Amy Schworer was fired from her job as Park Hills' police chief in July. She has filed a lawsuit against the city, alleging that Mayor Don Catchen harassed and discriminated against her. FILE PHOTO fendant and was served on Catchen. The suit seeks a trial, compensatory damages, lost wages and benefits. In the eight months Schworer worked under Catchen, she claims he referred to her as “his girl” or “blondie” in public. In one incident, Schworer claims Catchen asked the other police officers in the city if they could work for “that girl, a woman as their police chief.” The suit claims Catchen systematically undermined her
authority as police chief by micromanaging the department, calling staff meetings and issuing directives. In one such directive, the suit claims, Catchen said police officers could violate the civil rights of “those people” in Section 8 housing. Schworer claims she had to personally request Catchen stop using a derogatory word to refer to blacks who lived in the city. Catchen denied, during a tele-
phone interview on March 30, that he used any derogatory words toward minorities: “That is totally false.” He declined to answer further questions. The suit claims Schworer reported the alleged discrimination to city attorney Bob Winter, but he brushed her concerns aside, saying, “that’s just who Catchen is.” A message left on Winter’s mobile phone was returned by lawyer Jeff Mando, who said he was representing Park Hills in the litigation. “We deny the allegations in the suit,” Mando said. “Ms. Schworer was terminated for legitimate, nondiscriminatory reasons. The city will vigorously defend the suit in court.” The suit claims the city increased the amount that police officers had to contribute to their health benefits. When the majority of the department resigned after the increase, Schworer said Catchen blamed the exodus on her. “The reason for the dismissal is ongoing leadership issues in See CHIEF, Page A2
Erlanger man wins Bronze Star
Easter casserole sure to please Rita Heikenfeld's slow cooker breakfast casserole is a nice brunch dish for Easter. Full story, B3
Community Recorder
Nominate a Sportsman of Year The fourth annual Community Press Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year online contest kicked off April 2. Readers can nominate any junior or senior starting athlete who demonstrates the highest qualities on the field of play, in the classroom and in the community throughout the 2011-2012 school year. Full story, A9
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Whileies Suppl t Las
Lyddia Casey, cafeteria manager at Lindeman Elementary in Erlanger, adjusts the Easter Bunny’s tie during a surprise visit to the cafeteria. He hopped from school-to-school to catch kids before spring break. LIBBY CUNNINGHAM/THE COMMUNITY RECORDER
A Kenton County soldier who was recently awarded a Bronze Star has returned to the United States after his tour of duty in Afghanistan. Capt. Elliot Brass, 29, finished a year’s assignment. During that time he was appointed company commander of the Alpha Company Sappers with the 25th Infantry (Tropic Lightning). The company is based out of Schofield Barracks in Oahu, Hawaii. According to his mother, Terri Brass of Erlanger, he is returning to Hawaii this week and will have a reunion with his family in May. Brass was among nine soldiers who were awarded the Bronze Star on March 6 for their service in Afghanistan. A Covington Catholic High School graduate, Brass studied at Xavier University on an ROTC scholarship. He was catcher for the baseball team at Covington Catholic. He has a degree in criminal justice and completed his master’s in public administration while serving in Fort Bragg, N.C. Brass, who grew up in Richwood, entered the Army as a second lieutenant in June 2005 and was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division/Engineering Di-
Capt. Elliot Brass holds the Bronze Star certificate he received in March for meritorious service in Afghanistan. The Army officer recently headed home to the United States after a year’s tour overseas. He will be reunited with his family, Terri and George Brass of Erlanger, in May. PROVIDED vision at Fort Bragg. He made first lieutenant in 2006 and did a 13-month tour of duty in Iraq . He made captain in June 2008. His parents are Terri and George Brass. More than 150 families here in Northern Kentucky have been involved in a prayer chain for Brass and his men. Brass and his company began the trip back to the States on March 22 and the final group, which included Brass, arrived March 28.
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Fired police chief sues city
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