The Cincinnati Enquirer from Cincinnati, Ohio • Page 1

SPORTS CI BENGALS' TAG ON GRAHAM COULD MEAN IIOUSIIMAtlDZADEII'S GONE MCDfflfflE 1ER CI ICINNATl.COM TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2009 fN 75 CENTS TIEC Vwfims nse Economy leads many to drop coverage 7 ,1 mates out there that have it as high as 25 percent or more," Kentucky Insurance Commissioner Sharon Clark said "It's always been a matter of grave concern here and even more so now. Quite frankly, we just dont know until we stop someone or they're in an accident." A rise in uninsured drivers would have ramifications beyond the high costs incurred from accidents. As insurance providers are forced to cover more damage caused by uninsured drivers, rates could go up. By Janes Ncber jpikhtrCtnuim.am FaDout from the slumping economy may be spreading to our roads: Insurers and transportation experts say increasing numbers of motorists are driving uninsured. An Enquirer analysis of state crash data finds that 6.5 percent of all accidents in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky involved an uninsured driver last year, up slightly from 2007.

Numbers are still incomplete for 2008, but the seven-county rate could be at a five-year high. the nation. Both states' unemployment rates have since soared to or near 16-year highs, now standing at 7.6 percent seasonally unadjusted for Ohio and 7.5 percent for Kentucky. Unemployment in the 15-county Cincinnati metropolitan area reached 6.7 percent in December, the highest since 1993. Kentucky's top insurance official estimates that more than one in five drivers in that state has no insurance.

"And there are some esti- rent on their policies. tough out there, as tough as I've ever seen," he said. A study by the Insurance Research Council, a Pennsylvania group supported by the industry, estimates that for every percentage point increase in unemployment, the rate of uninsured drivers rises by three-fourths of a percentage point The study estimates that 16 percent of all drivers in Ohio and Kentucky were uninsured in 2007 -among the 10 highest rates in In Kenton County, more than one in 10 auto accidents last year involved an uninsured driver. In Hamilton County, one in 14 accidents involved an uninsured driver or more than 2.000 crashes total. "I know this is hard to believe here in West Chester, but I have customers choosing between food and insurance," State Farm agent Randy Grimes said.

He and his staff are on the phone daily, trying to convince customers to stay cur 11 The Enquirer Gary Landers Ena Wilson of Wyoming was glad she had underinsured-mo-torist insurance when she was in an accident with a driver who had only minimum coverage. See UNINSURED, Page A2 TRUCKS, HILLS, EVEN LEAVES CAN DISRUPT SIGNAL SMOKES, BOOZE GOING UP Kentucky still have bargains? Some digital TV viewers just don't get tie picture Digital TV By John Kiesewetter jkiaewetttTGtHquirtr.com arbara Craig loves the sharpness of her digital TV picture until it freezes up when a Metro bus goes by her Walnut Hills apartment Or a firetruck eroes bv. "In the afternoon, the buses run 15 minutes apart It's a real QUESTION: Why the switch from analog to digital TV? ANSWER: In 1996, Congress ordered TV stations to switch from the 60-year-old analog system to digital TV, which provides better pictures and sound, more channels and on-screen program guides. Analog channels will be used for public safety and wireless services. Who does this affect? Only people watching over-the-air analog TV.

If you have an analog TV with cable or satellite service, you don't need to do anything. You also don't need the "digital" level of cable. How can you receive digital TV? One of three ways: Buy a digital converter box for each analog TV, buy a digital TV or buy cable or satellite service. How do you get a digital converter box? headache," says Craig, 53, who lives in a second-floor apartment on busy William Howard Taft Road. Craig is one of many Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky viewers frustrated trying to receive finicky digital TV over the air.

While many get good pictures from analog signals which will be turned off at 11:59 p.m. today by WSTR-TV (Channel 64) and 367 other stations nationwide viewers say the hassles of receiving modern digital TV make them feel they've regressed 50 years, to the early days of television. You can buy them at electronics or discount stores for about $60. Each household is eligible for two $40 coupons for converter boxes from the government Funding for the coupon program has run out, but you may request coupons, to be mailed after more money is available, at www.dtv2009.gov, or calling 888-DTV-2009. What kind of antenna Is needed? A VHF-UHF antenna.

WCP0-TV (Channel 9) broadcasts on VHF digital Channel 10, while other stations here are digital UHF channels. For the best DTV recep "It's a mess for some people who get their TV over the air," says Elvin Stepp, a University of Cincinnati electrical and computer engineering technology professor. Those with cable or satellite service aren't impacted by the switch to digital, which has been delayed by all other area stations until spring. A digital TV test in Wu- Congress in 1996 ordered the switch to digital TV, which provides better pictures and sound, more channels and data such as on-screen program guides. Despite a yearlong public information campaign, over-the-air viewers complain that the government and TV stations have not told viewers about the difficulty receiving digital channels with an About 12 percent of viewers here or 109,868 TV households receive TV programming over the air, which mirrors the national average, says Centris, a national research firm tracking DTV trends.

And 59,045 of those homes (54 percent) are in "reception-challenged" areas that receive fewer than five over-the-air stations, says David Klein, Centris executive vice president By Patrick Crowley pcrowleynky.am COVINGTON Nine of every 10 customers who walk into the Stadium Liquor Store on Covington's Fourth Street are from Ohio. Owner Doug Gallenstein hopes they keep coming after April 1, when the price of cigarettes and alcohol will rise because of tax increases enacted last week by the Kentucky General Assembly. "I'm definitely in fear that people will not cross that (Clay Wade Bailey) bridge to save money anymore," Gallenstein said Monday from the store that his family has operated for almost 40 years. Even though we'll still be cheaper on most products, mind-set is everything. People hear about a tax increase, they are going to think our prices aren't any better than Ohio." Kentucky Gov.

Steve Beshear signed legislation Friday that doubled the state's tax on a pack of cigarettes to 60 cents and applied a 6 percent sales tax on the sale of liquor, beer and wine. The law, which almost all Northern Kentucky legislators voted against will help the state plug a $456 million budget deficit But it will increase the cost of the two main products Gallenstein sells at Stadium Liquor and five other Northern Kentucky stores. Cincinnati resident Miranda Smith said she comes to the store because its prices are lower than in Ohio. "But if the prices are going up that much, IH probably stay in Cincinnati," Smith said after buying two packs of cigarettes. Even with the increase, Gallenstein will be able to sell most products cheaper than consumers can find in Ohio, where the tax on cigarettes is $1.25 a pack.

That means a carton of Marlboro cigarettes, one of the store's most popular brands, will sell at Stadium Liquors for $28 compared to as much as $40 in Ohio. Gallenstein will also be able to keep the average price of liquor and wine about 10 percent cheaper than in Ohio. But beer prices will be about the same in both states. The (profit) margins on beer are so low, we won't be as good of a deal as we have been in the past" he said. Loyal customers said they are most likely to still patronize Stadium Liquor and other liquor and tobacco stores in Northern Kentucky.

There are no restrictions on how much alcohol and cigarettes Ohio residents can bring in from other states for personal use. "I've been coming over on his side of the river to shop for 40 years because it's always been cheaper," said Perry Jones, 67, who was buying a bottle of vodka. "It's almost a tradition for me. It may not be as cheap if the taxes go up, but it will still be cheaper than Ohio, and it won't stop me from coming." tion, use an outdoor antenna. Go to www.antenna web.org to see DTV signal strength for your home.

Do digital TV signals travel as far as analog signals? No. And they don't penetrate walls as well as analog signals. See TV, Page A2 vf2 ITT CA rjv Channel 64 switches tonight At 11:59 p.m. today, WSTR-TV (Channel 64) will be the first area TV station to switch totally to digital broadcasting. It is one of 368 stations nationally turning off analog signals today.

Most stations including all other Cincinnati stations, plus Covington, Dayton and Oxford channels have postponed the analog cutoff for months. At the request of President Barack Obama, Congress delayed the analog shutdown to June 12 because of concerns that many viewers weren't prepared for digital. Covington's WCVG-TV (Channel 54) and KET will turn off analog April 15. The EnquirerEmest Coleman I Joe Gorman of Finneytown says he gets better digital TV reception if he puts his foot on the table that holds the antenna. "You have to do all these contortions, like it's 1955, he said.

STRICKLAND PUSHES CHANGING TO ACT WEATHER A Ohio may drop own graduation test High 50 Low 33 Mostly sunny COMPUTE FORECAST: A2 INDEX Three sections, 168th year, No. 314 Obituaries B4 Opinions A9 Sports CI TV B8 Your life B6 C6 Advice B8 Business A7 Comics B7 Lotteries A2 Movies B9 Legals ed for specific classes, he said. And seniors would have to complete an academic project and a service project to graduate. Some students are wary. "I think the ACT would be better because it is making it harder to graduate and that means that kids can't just skate by," said Erica Danielle Allen, an eighth-grader at Pleasant Run Middle school.

"But I am nervous about any test we'd take. It does not matter if it is the OGT or the ACT." Questions remain: When would the changes occur? dent and phase in a modified ACT, one of two national college entrance exams, at a cost of about $35 to $40 a test Stan Heffner, Ohio's associate superintendent for curriculum and assessment said juniors would likely take a modified ACT, but their diploma will rest on more than that "As the governor envisions it you would have to get some kind of composite score or a cumulative total in order to get your diploma," Heffner said. This gives students more than one way to show they know their stuff." Students would also have to pass end-of-course exams creat wants to phase it out because he says it's not rigorous enough. Few Cincinnati-area educators object even though some fear that a new graduation plan may involve a harder test "I'm not sure that there's a great love for the (OGT) test" said Vince Rahnfeld, a guidance counselor at Sycamore High. "All of us have seen students who have gone through and done a very good job in school and, for whatever reason, didn't perform well on that test" Under Strickland's proposal, over the next 10 years, Ohio would ditch the OGT, which costs taxpayers about $65 a stu By Denise Smith Amos damosenijuirer.com More than 1L500 of Ohio's high school seniors last year, or 9 percent tried to pass the state's lOth-grade graduation test in March after prior attempts.

Three out of four failed again. Some gave up and dropped out Some appealed to the state for alternative ways to graduate. Others tried again in the summer, hoping to graduate late. Ever since Ohio created its lOth-grade test as a gatekeeper to graduation, it has prevented thousands from graduating. Now, Gov.

Ted Strickland Copptjrt. 2009, The Ondnnjb bqim The EnquirerMichael E. Keating Spring is in the air Aaron Harang signs autographs after his workout Monday in Sarasota, Fla. Reds pitchers and catchers continued workouts, while other players began showing up for spring training. Get Reds updates on John Fay's blog and see more photos at Cincinnati.Com.

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