SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
B1
Your Community Recorder newspaper serving Northern Kenton County E-mail: kynews@communitypress.com T h u r s d a y, J u l y 3 0 , 2 0 0 9
Cathy Jacobs, with children Tom and Amy, new owner of Brewberry.
RECORDER
W e b s i t e : N K. Y . c o m
B E C A U S E C O M M U N I T Y M AT T E R S
50¢
Miss Martha Dress shop closing after 18 years By Jason Brubaker jbrubaker@nky.com
Volume 13 Number 40 © 2009 The Community Recorder ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Tasty
The Mary Ann Mongan Branch of the Kenton County Library will be hosting its annual Taste of Kenton County to help raise money for library outreach programs again this year. A host of local and exotic foods will be on hand to be tested, along with silent auctions and other events. Read about it. LIFE, B1
Football ahead
The Northern Kentucky Football Coaches Association has released the schedule for the 2009 Tom Potter Classic. Read about match ups and who is playing in Kenton County and throught Northern Kentucky in this scrimmage event. SPORTS, A8
It’s a wrap
Another year of fair fun has passed as the Kenton County Fair ran last week. There were winners, dented cars and a lot of fun to be had. See photos from the fairgrounds in this week’s Recorder. A7
Father Lou
Read as Father Lou Guntzelman discusses the bounty of summer and the need to sit back and enjoy it. Father Lou is a featured columnist each week in The Community Recorder. LIFE, B3
To place an ad, call 283-7290.
Sissy Kamer doesn’t hesitate when asked what she’ll miss most about Miss Martha Dress Shop as she heads into retirement. “Oh- just seeing the people in here every day and getting to know them like they were family,” she said. “Sometimes, you would feel like you were a part of their weddings and things, because you’d spend so much time helping them match colors and pick out clothing.” Kamer and Donna Tenfelde announced that after 11 years as co-owners, they will be closing the popular Fort Mitchell store to allow them to spend more time with their families, who are spread out across the country. The store, which opened in 1981, will remain open through the end of August
JASON BRUBAKER/STAFF
Sissy Kamer (left), one of the co-owners of Miss Martha Dress Shop, helps Kathy Quast pick out a shirt on July 24. The Fort Mitchell store announced they will be closing by the end of August. as they sell their remaining merchandise. “We want this to be kind of a celebration as we say thank-you to the community,” said Kamer. In addition to the sale prices on items, Kamer said they will be holding giveaways for customers,
with prizes including a flat-screen TV or an iPod. The sales will continue as long as the merchandise lasts, said Kamer. “The plan is to have it all wrapped by the end of August, but the way it has gone so far, it may not last that long,” she said with a
Fort Mitchell to publish book for centennial By Jason Brubaker jbrubaker@nky.com
The Fort Mitchell Centennial Committee announced it plans to publish a book detailing the city’s history as part of the 2010 Centennial Celebration next summer. Committee member Vicki Boerger said the committee is currently working on breaking down the city’s history by decade, spotlighting important
events and people who helped to shape the city. The book will include a history of the origins of Fort Mitchell, which was named after former General Ormsby Mitchel, a general in the Union Army. Fort Mitchell was one of the forts manned by the Union army during the Civil War to protect the ports of Cincinnati. Boerger said the book will also include a history of the city’s government, fire and police
departments, as well as some famous citizens who have called Fort Mitchell home. “There’s a lot of interesting things we’re finding, and I’m sure they’ll be a lot more as we get deeper into this,” she said. Boerger said they’re also working on locating decedents of the city’s earliest residents to help with the festivities next year, which will include a parade. Boerger said the Centennial
Committee will meet the second Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the city building, and is looking for residents who want to help with research, or or lend historical photos or stories to the project. “We’re looking for people who want to get involved, because there’s a lot of work to do,” she said. For more information about the committee, contact the city building at 331-1212.
Park Hills debated fire department funds By Regan Coomer rcoomer@nky.com
Park Hills City Council heard heated discussion on the purchase of a $6,500 keyless security system that was recently installed on three doors in the fire department at the caucus meeting July 27. Some council members believe the update doesn’t merit the cost, while Chief Regis Huth said the keyless system is better for security and provides administrators information on who is in the fire house when and where. Huth reported to council on the department’s plan to purchase the system at the regular meeting July 13, but council tabled the issue in order to get more information on whether or not the system could be used throughout the city building. However, the fire department membership had already voted to purchase the equipment using
funds from the Ruth Creighton fund, which is a trust set aside specifically for the fire department, and the system was installed soon after the council meeting. Council members Chris Sudbrink and Don Catchen felt the fire department acted on the purchase prematurely. “I’m not going to nickel and dime the fire department to death, but the thing is when people go ahead and do something with the assumption that we can do this and get away with it I am in disagreement with that,” Catchen said. Mayor Michael Hellmann, however, said past practice for the last 10 years or so concerning the Creighton Fund was that city council generally only approved expenditures over $10,000. Huth himself said he had always gone ahead with such things in the past after a vote by the department membership and
THE WEEKLY ADS: NOW CLICKABLE. Browse the weekly ads from your favorite stores any day of the week, all in one place - online at Cincinnati.Com/weeklyads. Great deals and great features, like your own shopping list, are just a click away.
» Shop now at Cincinnati.Com/weeklyads Search: weekly ads
laugh. “We’ve had a lot of people here, and it’s been really good to see them all.” Long-time customer Kathy Quast, who purchased a dress at Miss Martha for her daughter’s wedding last fall, said she’ll be sad to the store
close. “I always enjoyed coming in here because they were so friendly and so helpful with whatever I needed,” she said as she browsed through the racks. “It’s really sad for me to see them go, but I’m happy they’ll be able to be with their families more now.” While their retirement has been tentatively planned for a little over a year, Kamer admitted the closing of the store is bittersweet. “We absolutely loved it here, and it tough to say good-bye,” she said. “But it will be great to see my grandkids more, and I’m leaving here with a lot of good memories.” Miss Martha Dress Shop is located on Dixie Highway, next to The Greyhound Tavern. For more information about the sale, call 331-7878.
“I’m not going to nickel and dime the fire department to death, but the thing is when people go ahead and do something with the assumption that we can do this and get away with it I am in disagreement with that.”
Don Catchen Park Hills council member
just made a report of purchases to city council later. “I had no clue we had to check and put every $5 purchased out of this account through council,” he said. Hellmann said he also had no problem with the department moving forward with the purchase because Huth said if council did
not approve of the Creighton Fund expenditure, the system would be paid for using monies raised during the department’s fund drive. Catchen and Sudbrink hope to bring up the issue at the next council meeting to discuss removing the system and getting a refund. Other council members weren’t as bothered by the purchase. “I don’t think we need to tie your hands from spending money in the Creighton Fund,” said council member Monty O’Hara. “We don’t know what you need.” As a compromise council member Ted Kleymeyer asked City Attorney Robert Winter to draw up a procedure the city could follow with the fund in the future. Winter’s recommendation will be discussed at a future council meeting. “We’re just trying to keep moving the city forward,” Kleymeyer said.