fort-thomas-recorder-092012 by Enquirer Media

FORT THOMAS

RECORDER

Your Community Recorder newspaper serving Fort Thomas 75¢

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

TAKING SHELTER The Recorder visits with the animals and employees of the Campbell County Animal Shelter. B1

BECAUSE COMMUNITY MATTERS

U.S. 27 widening nearly complete By Chris Mayhew cmayhew@nky.com

GRANTS LICK — Construction to widen U.S. 27 to four lanes around the Grants Lick area, started in fall of 2009, is expected to be complete in October. The work will complete the widening of U.S. 27 to four lanes

throughout southern Campbell County from Highland Heights almost to the border of Pendleton County. The $26.5 million project will widen 2.4 miles of highway from two to four lanes south from Race Track Road past Nagel Road. The project was paid fully by the federal stimulus under the 2009 Amer-

ican Recovery and Reinvestment Act, said Nancy Wood, spokesperson for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s District 6 office. Eaton Asphalt Paving Co. of Covington, won the low-bid contract. The expected completion date for the project when it started in September 2009 was November 2012, Wood said. The contractor

expects to have the road completed and possibly ready to drive upon in early October, she said. “They might not be completely finished by that time frame, but they should have the bulk of it done,” she said. Once the contractors are finished, the Transportation Cabinet will plant grass, clean up, and in-

stall signage, Wood said. The contractors on the project have finished the bridges on the 2.4-mile section and are in the process of adding a base layer of pavement, Wood said. “And then it will be the final surface, which is the smooth rideable part,” she said.

THE HEROIN EPIDEMIC

Heroin doesn’t discriminate Former addicts share their stories By Amanda Joering ajoering@nky.com

Best Furniture Gallery floral designer Judy Graziani works on a floral arrangement in the store's new Design Loft. AMANDA JOERING/COMMUNITY RECORDER

Best Furniture expands offerings By Amanda Joering ajoering@nky.com

FORT THOMAS — Local residents hoping to spice up their interior designs don’t have to look too far. Best Furniture Gallery recently opened its new Design Loft, located on the second floor of the building in what used to be warehouse space, featuring a expanded offering of design accessories and gifts. “The Design Loft shows the full potential of what we can do,” said Carolynn Reis, who owns the store with her husband, Craig Reis. “We are not just a furniture store, we’re a design source for people.” The employees began renovating the space earlier this year as part of a major renovation and expansion of their showroom. They had always planned to use the space for something special, and that’s exactly what the Design Loft is, Carolynn said. From custom flooring and original floral pieces made inhouse to window treatments and a variety of one-a-kind accessories and gifts, the Design Loft offers something for everyone, said Craig.

PICKING PEARS With pears in season choose those with unblemished skin. B1

Best Furniture Gallery's new Design Loft features design accessories and gift items. AMANDA JOERING/COMMUNITY RECORDER “It’s very whimsical, so customers can go up there and get lost in the feel of it and get some ideas,” Craig said. Carolynn said the items featured in the 1,300-square-foot loft will change with the seasons and will continuously feature new items. “Our hope is that always getting new pieces will keep the customers wanting to come to see what new pieces we have,” Carolynn said. Craig said most of the work for the loft was completed by some of the store’s employees.

Craig said they also have some more things planned in the future for other spaces in the 18,000-square-foot store, which is located on South Fort Thomas Avenue. Along with its in store offerings, Best Furniture Gallery also offers in-home design consultations. For more information about Best Furniture Gallery, visit www.bestfurnituregallery.com, find the store on Facebook by searching for “Best Furniture Gallery” or call 4412378.

SWEET TREAT Rita shares a recipe for cream puff to celebrate Oktoberfest. B3

Every day, people throughout Northern Kentucky are struggling to fight a war. These people aren’t soldiers, and their enemy isn’t someone else, but it’s killing people throughout the area. From teenagers and college students to white-collar workers and older adults, people from all walks of life are fighting against their addiction to heroin. “Heroin is the great equalizer, it doesn’t discriminate,” said Dr. Mina “Mike” Kalfas, a local family practitioner who also specializes in addiction treatment. Cold Spring resident Jordan Finn, 22, knows all too well about battling heroin addiction, something that has affected him and several of his friends. For Finn, who came from a good family, attended Newport Central Catholic and got good grades, the battle began in college, when curiosity and a desire to experiment led him to try heroin. “I wasn’t depressed or anything, I just wanted to have fun,” Finn said. “I tried it once, then didn’t do it again for a while.” Finn said at first, he would do heroin once every couple months, just for fun. But soon, the fun stopped and the addiction began. “Every couple months went to once a month, then every other week,” Finn said. “It just started to occupy my mind all the time.” Soon, Finn was at the point that he was doing heroin every day, and could see the downward spiral of addiction taking over his life and the lives of his friends. “I never resorted to stealing, but I sold a lot of my possessions,” Finn said. “I justified it and told myself I didn’t have a problem because I wasn’t as bad as some of my friends.” Eventually, Finn said he had a breakdown and decided to quit. Something that was easier said than done.

News .........................283-0404 Retail advertising .......513-768-8196 Classified advertising ........283-7290 Delivery .......................781-4421 See page A2 for additional information

This story is the fourth in a series about the current heroin epidemic in Northern Kentucky. Links to the first three stories are available here: Police work to combat growing heroin epidemic: http://tinyurl.com/9sqj4or Heroin deaths on the rise, expected to continue: http://tinyurl.com/912r9qb Families feel effect of heroin epidemic through loss of loved ones: http://tinyurl.com/9rfdqs3

After a brief time off heroin, Finn said he relapsed and was quickly right back where he had been. “I didn’t want to be an addict and tried really hard not to be,” Finn said. “But, heroin was the way I coped with life, and I couldn’t imagine my life without it.” Earlier this year, Finn realized he needed help and went to his father, who helped him get into a medical detox center. After detox, Finn started attending 12-step meetings several times a week and has been sober for more than four months.

Lifelong battle

For recovering addict Allyssa Bujdoso of Highland Heights, life changed the first time she tried heroin. While attending Northern Kentucky University in 2005, Bujdoso found herself having a hard time with her family, school and life in general. While she didn’t have much experience with drugs, she was offered heroin and decided to try it. “I was a child, I didn’t think about the consequences. I just didn’t want to feel the way I felt inside anymore,” Bujdoso said. “I tried it once, and I was hooked.” Bujdoso said her addiction progressed quickly, leading her to start shooting up heroin. One semester, she received a financial aid check for about $9,000 and spent almost all of it on heroin within two months. See HEROIN, Page A2