Northern Kentucky Forum

05/05/2026

Today, May 5th, is Primary Election day in both Ohio and Indiana. Polls are open in Ohio from 6:30 am to 7:30 pm and Indiana from 6 am to 6 pm. As long as you are in line by the time the polls close you will be able to vote – remain in line!

Make sure you have your state-issued photo ID or other form of identification as allowed by your state. To find a sample ballot before going to the polls, or to find your local polling station, go to vote411.org.

Thanks for doing your part to make our democracy stronger!

05/01/2026

Purple People Bridge access update: Repairs are taking place on the Cincinnati approach from May 4 through June 8.

During this time, there will be no full crossing between Newport and Cincinnati. The bridge remains accessible from the Newport side, but visitors must turn around before reaching the Cincinnati approach.

This is an unfortunate inconvenience for pedestrians and cyclists, but it is necessary to move toward a long-term solution for the bridge.

04/02/2026

NEXT WEEK!

We have three amazing events coming up next week and we hope you can attend! All events are free and open to the public.

First is the final session of the Finding Our Way Back Together series – a deliberative discussion series about fragmentation in Northern Kentucky. It will be in the Cold Spring branch of the Campbell County Public Library on Tuesday, April 7. RSVP at nky-forum.org/upcomingevents

Next is the Boone County Judge/Executive Debate hosted by NKY Forum partner library Boone County Public Library. Boone County Judge/Executive candidates Chet Hand and Gary Moore will engage in a conversation focused on local issues and provide voters with a meaningful opportunity to compare the candidates’ visions for the county’s future. Find more info at: https://boone.libnet.info/event/15480732

Finally, we have the final NKU Scripps Howard Center for Civic Engagement Six@Six lecture of its 15th anniversary season. Politics at Play: How the Olympics Serve as the Frontline to Political Theater is led by two AP Sports Writers, who recently returned from covering the Olympics in Milan. Find more info and RSVP at: sixatsix.nku.edu

We hope to see you at all three!

03/31/2026

03/24/2026

So far this week, we have visited two of the beautiful Boone County Public Library branches for our fragmentation discussion series. Tomorrow, we will visit the Alexandria branch of the Campbell County Public Library, followed by a visit to the Latonia branch of Kenton County Public Library on Thursday, to continue these discussions

Interested in attending? Registration is still open for our Alexandria, Latonia, Florence, and Cold Spring discussions. Topics covered include land usage/zoning, transportation, education, governance, and overall fragmentation.

To rsvp and to find more info, please go to: nky-forum.org/upcomingevents

We hope to see you there!

03/23/2026

Join the Northern Kentucky Forum as we support the Boone County Public Library public debate between Gary Moore and Chet Hand!

Debate will be on April 7, 2026 from 7 - 8 pm at the Burlington/Main Branch.

For more info, please go to: https://boone.libnet.info/event/15480732

Two Republicans are facing off in one of the most exciting races in Northern Kentucky this year – the fight for Boone County judge executive. See link below ⬇️

📸 Jolene Almendarez

03/20/2026

03/13/2026

02/26/2026

🧹 Street Cleaning Season Is Underway! 🧹

Street cleaning runs from March 1 through October 31 (weather permitting). Please note the posted no-parking signs in your neighborhood to help us keep our streets clean and safe.

Here’s what you need to know:
• The Public Works Department cleans the entire Newport street grid from March through November. Please look for posted signs on your street for specific days and times.
• Our crews may sweep during light rain, as wet roads can be easier to clean. Occasionally, the sweeper may make a second pass for thorough coverage.
• Please ensure driveways and curb areas are clear to support efficient cleaning.
• Do not blow grass clippings, leaves, or debris into the street. This helps prevent clogged storm sewers and reduces the risk of localized flooding.
• If temperatures drop below freezing, street cleaning may be delayed. However, if temperatures rise during scheduled times, sweeping will resume.

Thank you for your cooperation and for helping keep Newport clean and beautiful! 💙

10/22/2025

Check out our new graphic for November's Forum event on street safety! We are so excited to confirm our four panelists for our discussion.

Our first panelist is Steve Klare, a volunteer at Pickett's Corner, a ministry under the Catholic Charities, Diocese of Covington. Pickett's Corner distributes bicycles to members of the community in need of transportation, and also offer a bicycle repair clinic for recipients.

Our second panelist is Emily Webster, a Book Specialist at Roebling Books & Coffee. Roebling Books & Coffee has been a community third place since 2010, with strong ties to progressive causes in Covington and Northern Kentucky. In 2022, Roebling store manager Gloria San Miguel was killed when her bicycle was struck by a car on the Girl Scout Bridge between Newport and Covington. Since then, store owner Richard Hunt and his staff have advocated to make Northern Kentucky streets safe for vulnerable road users.

Our third panelist is Cory Wilson from the KYTC District 6. Originally from Butler, Kentucky, Wilson has worked for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) since graduating from the University of Kentucky in 2009. During his first nine years, he worked in various roles with KYTC District 7, including transportation engineer supervisor. He has worked in the Covington office for District 6 for the last six years and plans to spend his entire career with the Cabinet. Wilson is KYTC's construction lead on the Brent Spence Bridge project. He has been working with the team on pre-design and pre-construction tasks, onboarding all the players, and getting the project’s many ducks in a row as the team moves toward the design phase. This is Wilson’s third time working on the Brent Spence Bridge, so he knows it well. The first time was for the emergency repair in 2020, and then for the painting process in 2021.

Our final panelist is Ron Washington - Mayor of Covington, Kentucky. Ron Washington was elected to a four-year term as mayor in 2024 after serving four years on the Covington Board of Commissioners. He was the highest vote-getter in the 2020 and 2022 elections, which led to his role as Mayor Pro Tem, in addition to Commissioner. His election as Mayor is a historic achievement, not only for Covington, Kentucky but for the Commonwealth, as he is the first African-American mayor of Covington and any of Kentucky's five largest cities.
Washington is a retired Northern Kentucky law enforcement officer and was the first African-American officer in Florence. He served as Chief Deputy in the Kenton County Sheriff’s Office for five years. Although retired, Ron’s rank of “colonel” still makes him the highest-ranking Black police officer to have ever worked in Northern Kentucky.

We sincerely hope you will join us for this amazing event where we will stream the documentary The Street Project, followed by a panel discussion with our panelists!

RSVP for the event at nky-forum.org/upcomingevents

November - The Street Project: Film Screening and Panel Discussion