BEST FRIENDS FOREVER B1
Your Community Recorder newspaper serving Florence Cara Baudendistel, Taryn Harney and Tessa Walker
Volume 15 Number 44 © 2010 The Community Recorder ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
We welcome Baby Contest photos
The Boone County 4-H & Utopia Fair is coming up Aug. 2-7. In addition to our fair coverage, the Recorder will publish photos of the Baby and Preschool Show winners. The Recorder and the fair committee ask you to send a photo of your child with the following information: Child’s name, their place in the contest and category (such as 2-year-old girls). E-mail photos to ndaly@nky.com or mail to: Nancy Daly, Boone County Recorder, 228 Grandview Drive, Fort Mitchell KY 41018. Deadline is Aug. 27.
Tech school offers job-friendly skills
The Boone County Area Technology Center offers a wide variety of programs including auto body repair, information technology and health sciences at the high school level. With school starting in less than a month, there’s still time for students to sign up for classes at the ATC. – LIFE, PAGE B1
Jones students get a jump start
Students are getting a sneak peek at their new school. R.A. Jones Middle School is hosting its summer Jump-Start program July 26-20 and Aug. 2-6. The program is for graduated fifth-graders who are making the transition to R.A. Jones. – SCHOOL, PAGE A5
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Detective moving to Secret Service
Florence cop assigned to L.A. field office By Justin B. Duke jbduke@nky.com
A local detective is ready to take a federal assignment. Detective Mark Ham is leaving the Florence Police Department to take a job with the Los Angeles field office of the Secret Service. Ham has been with the department since 2003 and has spent the last three years as a detective. He’d wanted to work for the Secret Service after hearing tales of his uncle, a helicopter pilot who was a two-star general with the Marines and flew Marine One during the presidency of Jimmy Carter. “I’d grown up knowing about his career and getting to fly the president,” Ham said. Hearing stories of his uncle interacting with the Secret Service pushed Ham’s interest. “He always had the mystique of working with the White House,” Ham said. Ham wanted to apply for the Secret Service so he didn’t regret passing on the opportunity later in life. “It’s kind of now or never to do this,” Ham said. Ham was finally hired 15 months after applying, and he credits a lot of getting the job with working in Florence. During his time on the force, along with building his skills as an
JUSTIN B. DUKE/STAFF
Florence Police Detective Mark Ham, seated, who was hired by the Secret Service, is seen off by fellow detectives Randy Maines, left, Steve Kuhlman, Nathan Rettig and Sgt. Pat Taylor. investigator, he was able to get his master’s degree in public administration through tuition assistance from the city. “I would have never made it to the Secret Service without the opportunities I had here,” Ham said. Serving three years of detective also gives Ham an added bonus. “Fortunately, I won’t have to change uniforms,” he joked. Since he’s been wearing suits
to work for the last three years, he doesn’t have to get an entirely new wardrobe once he gets to Los Angeles. He admits he’s still missing one iconic piece of Secret Service garb. “They seem to have sharp looking sunglasses,” he said. Once in Los Angeles, Ham will be assigned to one of the service’s units that cover different crimes, like counterfeiting, where he’ll serve as an investigator.
“The job doesn’t differ from what I’m doing now as an investigator,” Ham said. After several years, Ham may be assigned to protection detail, which the Secret Service is most known for. As he prepares to leave Florence, Ham already knows he’ll most miss the detectives he’s worked with. “I’ve had a great time working here,” Ham said.
Student delivers soccer gear to Kenya By Justin B. Duke jbduke@nky.com
A lifelong dream turned into so much more. Michael Best, 15, and his family had been saving to visit Africa since he was 2 years old and finally got to go two years ago. The St. Henry District High School sophomore got to do the safaris he’d always wanted to do,
Ginn 1st team allstate for Bearcats
Jenalee Ginn is already making softball history at Walton-Verona High School. She is working to be even better this summer and lead the Bearcats to uncharted territory. – SPORTS, A7
Florence resident Michael Best delivered soccer jerseys from area schools to the Samburumix village in Kenya.
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St. Henry sophomore Michael Best gives a math lesson while in Kenya.
but everything changed when he visited the Samburumix village in Kenya. “We just fell in love with the people,” Best said. After spending time with the villagers and watching the children play soccer with balls made of cardboard tied together, he told his mom he wanted to take them real soccer balls. Best went around to local high
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schools like St. Henry and Notre Dame Academy and got them to donate their soccer teams’ retired jerseys. He also got soccer balls donated by Nike and Adidas and took them to Kenya during his return trip to the country in June. Upon delivery, the kids loved their jerseys and were wearing them days later, Best said. “It’s probably the cleanest
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thing they’d ever worn,” he said. With uniforms and new soccer balls, the village held a soccer tournament. After spending time in Samburumix, Best traveled five hours to visit former Immaculate Heart of Mary principal Ed Colina, who runs a school in Nairobi. Best was able to give some of
Kenya continued A2
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