David Rotenstein
Writer. Folklorist. Historian. Staff writer, Northern Kentucky Tribune | History is my hustle. Also @covertnky.com. Opinions here are my own.
- For years we’ve called all squirrels “Larry” & all groundhogs “Hobart.” From now on, all pigs will be named “Donald.”
- Erie, Pa., has a new preservation planner, Matthew Falcone. I wonder if city officials there read my 2025 Pittsburgh City Paper cover story? www.pghcitypaper.com/news-2/opini...
- Gatekeeping by municipal communications folks serves one main purpose: keeping reporters away from incompetent and perhaps corrupt public officials.
- One really good reason reporters shouldn't use AI/voice-to-text software without checking the copy prior to publishing. This is the most obvious example of several in one story (i.e., "testimonials" instead of "testimony," etc.).
- I have a second story out this week that deals with public records. This one is about a citizen using public records to make the case that his city isn't enforcing its parking laws. nkytribune.com/2026/02/flor...
- Historians are among the many types of researchers who rely on public records for their work. What happens when research crosses a state line into a jurisdiction that limits access to records to state residents? 🗃️ nkytribune.com/2026/02/kent...
- Banjo’s expression captures the mood. Crews photobomb included.
- Gene's a WaPo veteran. Read this.
- This one is about scumbags. geneweingarten.substack.com/p/endit
- That's nearly as classy as buying an alt-weekly & advertising nationally to replace existing reporters at lower pay! Looks like that happened here in the Cincy area.
- How hard is it to get public records in Kentucky if you're not a resident? Very, according to a former asst. attorney general, academic researchers, and people from adjacent states. nkytribune.com/2026/02/kent...
- I've long had an interest in government transparency and open records. Here's my 2013 National Council on Public History essay on access to public records in Georgia: ncph.org/history-at-w...
