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The Cincinnati Off Road Alliance keeps local trails open for nature lovers of all walks - or rides. If you’ve been hiking or biking in a local park, you may want to thank a mountain biker. There are more than 50 miles of trails in the region’s parks and forests, thanks to volunteer efforts of the Cincinnati Off Road Alliance.
The Northern Kentucky Regional Farmers Market is another one of those great spots around town to grab fresh produce and some good conversation. Located on the median at Sixth and Main streets, the market is open on Saturdays from 8am to 2pm through October. The market is situated perfectly within Covington's Mainstrasse Village and offers a wide variety of fresh produce like lettuce, spinach, zucchini, yellow squash, red beats, tomatoes, green peppers, green beans, potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, cucumbers, onions, herbs, corn, melons, blackberries other greens. The Northern Kentucky Regional Farmers Market also offers a variety of "value added" products including salsas, herb vinegars, mustards, meat rubs and marinates, jams and jellies, and even gelato. Spices, honey, soaps, lotions and other hand crafted items are also available in addition to the variety of plants, shrubs and grasses for sale. Due to a difficult growing season last year the farmers were not able to provide all of the products they would have liked, but were able to offer more of those earlier in the farmers market season this year. The vendors sell their products on the shady Sixth Street promenade in a tailgate-style market. Farmers and other producers from 11 Northern Kentucky counties including Boone, Bracken, Campbell, Carroll, Gallatin, Grant, Kenton, Mason, Owen, Pendleton and Robertson are all invited to sell their goods at the regional farmers market. For more information contact Leah Dodson with the City of Covington at (859) 292-2163.Writer: Randy A. SimesPhotography by Scott BeselerStay connected and follow Randy on Twitter @SoapboxRandy
Friends thought they were crazy, but when Rebecca Wald and her husband, Michael Nutt moved from Columbia to Mt. Vernon to raise their children, but they knew exactly what they were getting into.
Although Michael Stevens' pooch, Cricket, is now in doggie heaven, Stevens' fondly remembers the reception they received when walking through his Mt. Vernon neighborhood.
Newport-based Xanodyne Pharmacal Inc. has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for Zipsor, a new pain relief treatment that could mean big business for the company. Xanodyne was founded in 2001 and describes itself as an "integrated specialty pharmaceutical company that focuses on women's health care and pain management." They hope to have Zipsor on the market within a few months which will help with a variety of unique medical features. Read full article here.
Northern Kentucky University’s was awarded a $897,690 National Science Foundation Grant that will fund scholarships for talented undergrads to teach math in high-need schools.The grant is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or national stimulus, and will create at least 28 two-year scholarships for NKU junior math majors who plan to teach in high schools as part of the Regional Increases in Mathematics Educators (PRIME) program. NKU’s Center for Integrative Natural Science and Mathematics and the Kentucky Center for Mathematics will both play a role in the program. “This grant provides a tremendous opportunity for students interested in teaching secondary mathematics,” said NKU professor Kirsten Fleming, who will coordinate the program. “Students will be supported and mentored as undergraduates students and during their early years of teaching.”The $10,000 scholarships can be renewed for a year and work in conjunction with a larger collaborative effort to train and recruit good math teachers. NKU, along with Cincinnati State and Technical and Community College will sponsor summer programs aimed at encouraging freshman and sophomore to become math teachers. The higher learning institutions also will join for a teacher prep program. The students will teach in Covington Independent, Newport Independent and Cincinnati Public Schools.“Increasing the number of well-qualified secondary mathematics teachers, particularly in high-need schools, is key to ensuring that students receive the foundation needed to be successful in college and the workplace,” Fleming said.
Northern Kentucky University is one of 33 universities nationwide to receive a grant to train librarians for high-poverty areas. The grant is nearly $1 million and comes from the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program. The grant will expand online library programs and support 50 library staff members working in rural areas of Kentucky with high rates of poverty. Read full article here.
Madeira city schools strive for greener energy pastures with a significant gift from an anonymous donor and inspiration from a Northern Kentucky neighbor.
Three Tiers Contemporary Cakes and Cupcakes will be opening at the end of the month along Fairfield Avenue in Bellevue. The shop will offer specialty cakes and cupcakes that shop owner Angela Gallo says are perfect for weddings, birthdays, showers and other special events. All of the items will be custom made, baked from scratch and designed for the customer’s personal style and taste. Three Tiers will be joining the specialty cupcake craze that has swept the nation’s cities for the past several years, and includes local boutique shops like Take the Cake in Northside and SugarPlums CupCakery in Milford. These specialty bakeries focus on style and taste, and seem to be taking control of the sweet tooth market that has included . While Three Tiers also produces specialty cakes, the cupcakes will surely be a popular draw at their 321 Fairfield Avenue shop. The new shop will offer scheduled cake tastings, and be open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 11am to 3pm for those looking to grab a quick cupcake treat. If you would like to schedule an appointment to taste Three Tiers’ cake creations you can contact them by calling 859-431-CAKE(2253). Writer: Randy A. Simes Photograph Provided
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