LINK Kenton Reader - Volume 1, Issue 22 - April 21, 2023

Local GOP chairman voted out p7

A return to Covington’s hottest bars p15

Nonprofits band together to beat the heat p19

'I'm really trying': Child care puts parents on the edge

PRESIDENT & CEO Lacy Starling

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Mark Collier

MANAGING

EDITOR Meghan Goth

PRINT EDITOR Kaitlin

Gebby

SPORTS EDITOR Evan Dennison

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really trying’: Child care puts parents on the edge

BY NATHAN GRANGER | LINK nky REPORTER

No part of this publication may be used without permission of the publisher. Every effort is made to avoid errors, misspellings, and omissions. If, however, an error comes to your attention, please let us know and accept our sincere apologies in advance.

Editor’s note: On the Edge is a regular feature that explores the challenges of the rising cost of living in Northern Kentucky.

Keaisha Trapp, adult education student at Brighton Center and single mother to her 2-year-old son, doesn’t get as frustrated with the public benefits system as she used to.

But she has no illusions about how difficult the process can be to not only gain benefits, but keep them.

“I think it’s unfair,” Trapp told LINK nky. “It’s unfair because at the end of the day, I still have to take care of him by myself, and still got to keep up with all the paperwork that you need to keep up. You got to abide by the rules, cut off times, and it’s just a lot that

comes with it.”

Trapp is one of thousands of parents with children enrolled in publicly subsidized child care who still struggle to afford the bill. In the 2019-2020 school year, 45,836 young Kentucky kids were in a publicly subsidized early childhood care or education setting, according to the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy.

The average cost of childcare at a mid-tolarge-sized licensed facility amounts to about $35 a day, according to a November 2021 report from the policy center.

At five days a week for 50 weeks per year, that amounts to nearly $8,890, which is “far more than full-time tuition at a Kentucky Community and Technical College ($5,370

per academic year) and nearly as much as a full-time student pays for tuition at Western Kentucky University ($10,992 per academic year),” according to the study.

“This large expense often comes at a time when parents are still early in their careers, near their lowest earning years, and when necessary expenses like housing costs and student loans are near their highest. In fact, family net wealth is at its lowest on average during the first five years of the first child’s birth.”

And as earners like Trapp gain more income, subsidized child care disproportionately drops off in what many refer to as a benefits cliff – meaning when more money comes in, they lose more in benefits than

Continues on page 4

‘I’m

Jonika Greene, workforce development director at the Brighton Center, speaks during an interview with LINK nky. Photo by Alecia Ricker | LINK nky contributor

on the cover

An exterior view of one of the Brighton Center’s program locations. Photo by Alecia Ricker | LINK nky contributor

they gained through the raise.

For many in the Northern Kentucky region, the cliff’s edge has always been razor thin when it comes to child care. Most government benefit programs were not meant to be permanent solutions to economic hardship.

And Trapp and others in similar situations have had to come to terms with this over the years.

“We’re in school now, helping ourselves, and that’s why they’re helping us,” Trapp said, referring to her classmates and herself. “Once we get out of school, and they break us loose and cut the apron strings ... everything disappears. It’s not something that’s long term, lifetime, not insurance type of thing. It’s just something that helps you get on your feet and stuff. But

when they blindside you, and they just hit you with that letter, you be like, ‘Oh, dang, I wasn’t ready.’”

The letter Trapp received notified her that her child care benefit, which helped offset the cost of daycare for her son, was decreasing due to a change in her income. Starting in July, she’ll owe the daycare center a $160 copayment per week.

The biggest drop in child care benefits occurs when a household goes from earning $40,000 to $42,000 annually, according to data from the National Center for Children in Poverty. That increase of $2,000 of annual income results in a loss of $5,000 in government assistance for a single parent with two kids.

“It’s tricky,” said Jonika Greene, director of workforce development at Brighton Center.

Greene described how many people trying to improve their economic station by getting more education or training are often taken aback by how quickly they lose benefits. This is especially true for jobs in healthcare, where certifications and other credentials can immediately make someone eligible for a pay raise.

“If you go from zero income to getting a job, and then in 90 days get a raise, your income fluctuates so quickly,” Greene said. “Say, you get a certification and then complete your 90-day probation period and your raise doubles – which happens, especially in healthcare or what have you – that can change your situation drastically.”

Not only will a bump in income affect child care benefits, Greene said, but it impacts all subsidized benefits designed to help people come back from economic hardship.

“If you have subsidized housing, you’re paying more rent. If you receive SNAP benefits, those are being reduced. If you were getting cash assistance as a supplement, that goes away as well,” Greene said.

Greene works with Trapp and other students at the Brighton Center for Employment Training in Newport. Brighton Center offers accredited training programs in several fields, such as medical assisting, healthcare administration technology and human resources.

It also offers a variety of wrap-around services to address hardships that low-income people tend to experience, including child care services. Moreover, Brighton Center tries to instill its clients with skills that will allow them to sustain higher incomes once they leave the program, skills like financial literacy.

Brighton Center Family & Development Director Dellisa Ford-Edwards speaks to reporter Nathan Granger during an interview. Photo by Alecia Ricker | LINK nky contributor

Local parents Jennifer Botz (left) and Keaisha Trapp talk about their individual experiences with paying for child care and accessing Kentucky’s child care benefits system. Photo by Alecia Ricker | LINK nky contributor

Trapp is a medical assisting student. She takes classes in the evening and works during the day at a FootLocker in Liberty Township, Ohio, where she was recently promoted to sales lead–hence the change in her benefits.

Like many at the center, she receives benefits from the Kentucky Child Care Assistance Program, often shortened to CCAP, which helps cover daycare expenses for her son.

She worked as a phlebotomist at the West Chester branch of UC Hospital in the past but left that job and rolled back her hours to continue her education. Long-term she wants to open her own lab facility after earning her medical assisting credentials. When she graduates from Brighton, she can expect to start earning $18 to $20 per hour, according to Greene.

Trapp can’t deny that the higher income will be better for her family in the long run, but, as it stands, keeping her balance along the benefit cliff is a challenge, as evidenced by the recent change in her child care benefits.

Like anyone who receives Kentucky child care benefits, Trapp has to be working or in some kind of education program in order to get assistance. She does both, not only because it will help her reach her long-term career goals, but also to placate the system.

“I choose to do both just to show them, like, I’m not just sitting around,” Trapp said. “I’m really trying.”

As of July of last year, families applying for Kentucky’s subsidized child care program must have a gross income below 85% of the median, or the middle, of the state in order to be eligible for benefits.

Copayments are then determined based on exact income and family size. If a family’s income exceeds 85% of the state median, which is roughly $42,000 per household, they can apply for Kentucky’s Transitional Child Care Assistance, or K-TAP, which provides six months of assistance to help families adjust to earning more.

But the process for applying to different benefit programs can be onerous.

“In Kentucky, you will do a separate intake for Section 8, a separate intake of food stamps, a separate intake for WIC, a separate intake for CCAP, a separate intake for Medicare. You will do five intakes to get all of your visits. That is, every intake takes two or three hours of your time,” said Rebecca Dececco, former executive director of child care at Florence Christian Church, which provides nonprofit child care services.

To make matters worse, child care centers are often plagued with long wait lists, high staff turnover and teacher shortages. Dececco said that her program had about 40 to 50 families on its waiting list, when she spoke with LINK nky in 2022.

Staffing shortages have risen due to a variety of factors, but arguably the biggest cause is declining wages among teachers generally.

According to the National Center of Education Statistics, the data analysis arm of the U.S. Department of Education, average salaries for primary and secondary school teach-

ers in Kentucky have declined by 15% since the 2009-2010 school year, when adjusted for inflation.

“We do not have enough teachers to serve all the children that need our services,” said Delissa Ford-Edwards, family and child development director at Brighton Center.

Ford-Edwards works with families at the Brighton Center’s employment programs as well as the center’s Northern Kentucky Scholar House, which provides multi-generational affordable housing, case management and education. She also works with families at Brighton’s Bright Days Child Development Center, which provides child care and education.

“With the shortage of workers, it’s hard to place children in child care right now,” Greene said. “Child care workers, like teachers, probably don’t make as much as they should.”

Brighton Center’s child care programs are licensed to serve 110 children, but they can only manage about 30 right now due to staffing shortages.

The pandemic made everything more difficult for parents and benefits providers alike.

Kentucky lost 174, or 8.9%, of its accredited childcare centers between March of 2020 and July of 2021, according to a 2021 presentation from the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services to the Kentucky General Assembly’s budget review subcommittee on human resources.

Likewise, Kentucky’s child care benefit enrollment dropped when lockdowns were Continues on page 6

A table illustrating the benefit cliff effect for a single parent with two toddlers working full-time at $13/hour in Campbell County as of 2020. Notice the sudden dips in net resources at certain income levels. Data & Chart: provided | National Center for Children in Poverty Family Resource Simulator

instituted and people left the workforce. In March 2020, there were over 29,000 children enrolled in the program.

Within a year, the number had dipped to 17,000 before rising to 25,000 by July of 2021. An injection of federal American Rescue Plan Act funds offset the problem a little bit, but the childcare sector still lags behind the demand for its services.

Broad systemic problems are difficult enough, but personal circumstances can make finding reliable child care even more difficult.

Jennifer Botz is in the same program as Trapp and hopes to become an addiction counselor long-term. She’ll participate in an extern program with Transitions, a drug rehabilitation center in Erlanger, when she completes her medical assisting program.

For Botz, the prospect of working at Transitions is vindicating.

“I have a past,” Botz said, but didn’t want to elaborate. “So it’s very difficult to find places that are willing to accept me. So, Transitions is one of them that is okay with my past.”

She has a son who’s preparing to enter kindergarten, and even though she qualifies for Kentucky’s Transitional Assistance Program (K-TAP) and other benefits, she asked her mother to watch her son, rather take him to a daycare center.

Although relying on a family member might save her money, she was ambivalent about the arrangement.

“I don’t want him spending the summer not being with other kids because he’s an only child,” Botz said. “She [Botz’s mother] doesn’t have a vehicle, so they’re stuck in the house. I want him to be able to have a good summer and play with other kids and be around other kids.”

The closer she gets to completing her studies, the closer she gets to the cliff.

“I do have a fear of when I start working full-time that my K-TAP’s going to be gone,” Botz said. She worries her SNAP benefits will disappear too.

“Food stamps, you know, you really don’t know how much you’re spending when you’re using it,” Botz said. “And then when it’s gone, you know, then you really realize, Oh my gosh, I’ve got to pay, like, nowadays $5 for a loaf of bread.”

Food has seen one of the largest increases in cost over the last year, according to the Consumer Price Index, increasing 9.5% in price since Feb. 2022. Shelter and energy have also seen precipitous increases

at 8.1% and 5.2% since Feb. of last year, respectively.

Losing Medicaid is her “biggest fear.”

Botz is planning on moving her son to a daycare center once he starts kindergarten, which will only be in session for half a day.

“I would prefer him to go to daycare, rather than go home to my house at noon,” Botz said.

“I’m nervous, but I’m still going to do it.”

“I say go for it,” Trapp said in conversation with Botz and LINK. “It’s going to help you in the long-term.”

For people like Botz and Trap, who have

“I’m 42, and my thing is I have a second chance,” Botz said. “I don’t have time to wait. I have to just go full force.”

“I was out of work for two years before I started working in West Chester,” Trapp said. “And that’s only because I was afraid to put him back in and pay a copayment.”

She concluded, “I’m not fearful of it anymore. Like, what more can they take from me? Like, I’m working my hardest. I’m doing what I need to do… I can prepare now, and I’m gonna start off part-time and just going to have to see from there.”

A table showing 85% of the state median income, or SMI. Chart provided | Kentucky Cabinet of Health and Family Services

Teachers Salary Chart: A chart showing the decline of average teaching salaries in Kentucky over the last three school years. Data: provided | National Center for Education Statistics. Chart by Nathan Granger

previously floundered in the diverging waters of public benefits and personal hardships, the key to surviving and improving has been to focus on the future.

Campbell County Republican Party votes to remove leaders; chair claims meetings are invalid

BY HALEY PARNELL | LINK nky REPORTER

The Campbell County Republican Party voted by secret ballot to remove Chairman Anna Zinkhon and Treasurer Stephen Cunningham during its special meeting April 14th.

The party needed 2/3 of their quorum, or 2/3 of the 33 precinct captains who attended the meeting to vote to oust the pair. Of the 33 that voted, all voted “yes” to oust Cunningham, and all 33 voted “yes” to remove Zinkhon.

But according to Zinkhon, the meetings held on March 2 and April 13 were invalid and void.

Thursday’s meeting was held to allow the petitioners to lay out their case against the chair and treasurer and give Zinkhon and Cunningham a chance to speak; however, neither Zinkhon nor Cunningham were in attendance at the meeting. Vice Chair David Fischer was also absent.

According to precinct captains at the meeting, their votes will now go to the Republican Party of Kentucky, which has 10 days to make the removals official. Zinkhon said otherwise.

In a response Zinkhon sent out after the April 13 meeting she said both meetings were not sanctioned or properly called meetings of Campbell County Republican County Committee.

She said only the chair of the county committee has the authority to call a meeting. Zinkhon said that individual precinct cap-

tains may petition the chair to call a meeting, but only the chair may call a meeting of the county committee for a regular, special, or emergency meeting.

Further, she said the notice of the gatherings, even if legitimate, was not served on all precinct captains in a method required by the rules governing the county committee.

She said the relevant rule states that the petition must be transmitted to the county chairman which she said it was not.

Here is a timeline of events that occurred leading up to the meeting for removal:

On Feb. 13: The Campbell County Republican Party sent an email that said its Feb. 16 regular meeting was canceled due to a

scheduling conflict, despite an upcoming Winter Mixer slated to host several Republican candidates running for statewide constitutional offices.

“At this time, it appears the next Campbell County Republican Meeting will be held on April 21st,” the email reads.

Three hours later, another email showed that the meeting would still be held but instead would be at the Newport Branch of the Campbell County Public Library.

At 6 p.m., another email showed updated information for the Winter Mixer, which was scheduled to be held March 2 at the Newport Syndicate — the same night the party was slated to vote on whether to oust Zinkhon and Cunningham.

On Feb. 14: Zinkhon sent an email that, per parliamentary procedure, the February meeting was canceled.

“Per proper Parliamentary Procedure and in accordance with Republican Party of KY Rules, since the venue for the February meeting is unavailable, the February meeting for CCRP is canceled,” Zinkhon wrote.

Zinkhon confirmed with LINK nky that she had to cancel the meeting because the location at the Newport Elks was overbooked. She said that by the time she learned about it, she only had four days to provide notice for a new meeting, and the law requires a minimum of five days.

On Feb. 17: Zinkhon sent an email for an emergency meeting to be held on Feb. 20.

“An Emergency Meeting is being called to reclaim our electronic assets, to decide whether to hold the Winter Mixer and understand the financial responsibility of not being able to sell tickets via the website and the financial risk of $8,175 to CCRP,” Zinkhon wrote.

Four Republican gubernatorial candidates were slated to speak at the mixer: Kelly Craft, Mike Harmon, Eric Deters, and Ryan Quarles, with two tentatively scheduled — Alan Keck and Daniel Cameron.

Two Republican Secretary of State candidates — Stephen Knipper and Allen Maricle — and state Treasurer candidate Andrew Cooperrider were also set to speak.

Continues on page 8

Campbell County Republican Party Election Integrity Chair and precinct captain Tammy Nolan reading ballots at Thursday night’s meeting. Photo by Haley Parnell | LINK nky

The agenda for that meeting showed that recently elected Youth Chair Neal — a former Senate District 24 Candidate who contested the election results in court — “was asked to relinquish her website update access back to original webmaster on Feb. 16, 2023, and has not responded.”

The next item said, “Online purchasing for Wintermixer via website has been delayed by Jessica Neal not relinquishing webmaster authority.”

The next item questions whether or not to pursue legal action against Neal to address the issue.

The last three items state: “d. Do we cancel Wintermixer? e. Website can’t sell tickets/ collect money f. How does the assembly want to handle the financial risk for contract of $8,175?”

On Feb. 18: Neal emailed all precinct captains arguing for her side of the story.

“I am writing to address some of the actions you have likely witnessed over the past week and share with you my side of the story of what is going on behind the scenes,” Neal wrote. “I know it has been confusing to get so many emails, culminating in an emergency meeting notification, and I wanted to provide some context.”

In her email, Neal claims that the original canceled meeting was peculiar because the original location — the Elks — was already booked. She found it strange that Zinkhon had canceled the meeting just four days before.

“The following day, on Monday, a notice was sent out to members canceling the meeting, with no officer discussion entertained on the matter,” Neal wrote. “Knowing that

answers to Winter Mixer planning questions had not been adequately addressed in our officer’s meeting the week prior, I consulted with Vice Chairman David Fischer and Secretary Martha Bessler to get their agreement on hosting the meeting anyway since a room was booked that was both free of cost to use and available to hold our group.”

Zinkhon told LINK nky that Neal said she would find another room to use for the meeting, and Zinkhon explained to her that the location was not the issue; they needed more days for a meeting notice.

“She went ahead and used the website again and sent out a notice to members as if she were me and gave the meeting a new location,” Zinkhon said.

Neal emailed the alternate location at the Campbell County Public Library.

Zinkhon told LINK nky that Neal was given access to their website to help with updates under her guidance, “I asked her, please do not change anything without going through me. That’s how we’ve been doing it because we’re new; we’re learning our ropes.”

She said that instead of using the ID they provided her, Neal created her own ID and assigned ownership of the software and licensing to her ID. Therefore, they still had access to the website but couldn’t remove her access.

Neal continued explaining that on Feb. 17, she planned to give credentials of the website back to the county party, but not before she read the email from Zinkhon threatening legal action.

Zinkhon said that Neal tried to give her ownership up but did it incorrectly, and

they didn’t regain access until days later.

“As you all have likely read, the agenda was insinuating that I was holding the website ‘hostage’ and preventing Winter Mixer plans from moving forward when I was still within the 3-day window Anna gave me (see attached email screenshot) to get things transferred back,” Neal wrote. “Please note this email appears to have been sent to the entire email list for the party, some 300+ people, most of whom are not elected precinct captains (I had previously emailed out the meeting location update ONLY to captains)…”

Zinkhon said that the cancelation of the Winter Mixer was due to losing a week of website ticket sales, two weeks before it was set to take place, caused by the situation with Neal “abusing the website.”

Neal wrote that the Winter Mixer issues were not her fault before laying out her argument against the canceled meetings.

“I believe most of you know the care and integrity I bring to anything I do,” Neal wrote. “If you don’t know me that well personally, you likely saw how I ran my campaign for State Senate and how I fought for the right to an election recount while representing myself in court without a lawyer for the majority of my hearings and managing tens of thousands of dollars to secure that opportunity. It is disheartening to have my name smeared in this fashion to not only our elected precinct captains but also to anyone whose email address is on the mailing list.”

In March: Zinkhon said they lost their deposit of $2,000, but that was better than the $8,175 they stood to lose if they went through with the event.

Precinct Captain Tammy Nolan said at the

March 2 meeting that she could only speak for herself, but she was unaware that there had been a vote to approve $10,000 for the Winter Mixer.

“They were allowed to spend $2,000,” Nolan said. “But once we get the email that there’s another $8,000 being added, and it was going to be $10,000. We didn’t vote to approve that.”

Nolan said she thinks someone needs to be held accountable for the $2,000 lost.

Cunningham said ahead of the March meeting that the party members that wanted to remove him and Zinkhon did not care about the mixer being canceled.

“They didn’t take the time to think that our biggest annual fundraiser is coming up, and maybe the party shouldn’t be at war with each other,” he said.

Nolan argued that it was Cunningham, not Neal, who was to blame for the failure of the mixer.

“Jessica was not responsible for the Winter Mixer failing at all,” Nolan said. “It was Steve Cunningham, the treasurer who was responsible, who hadn’t sold one ticket. When we had our emergency meeting, there wasn’t one ticket sold, and he said that in that meeting.”

After losing their biggest fundraising event of the year, Gearding said at the March meeting that he hoped they could get more fundraisers on the schedule before the end of the year to get the “train back on track.”

Cunningham said he is also being blamed for making them “bankrupt;” However, he said he just writes the checks.

“All the spending is based on what the committee decides,” Cunningham said.

North by Hotel Covington, Knowledge Bar & Social Room celebrate grand opening

BY KENTON HORNBECK | LINK nky REPORTER

After months of anticipation, North by Hotel Covington and Knowledge Bar & Social Room are officially open to the public.

Construction on the 72,000-square-foot building began in the spring of last year. The space, which sat vacant since 2015, was the previous home of the Covington YMCA and Gateway Bookstore. The Salyers Group, the developer behind the project, expanded Hotel Covington’s presence on Madison Avenue by a city block.

On Wednesday, April 12, public officials, the Salyers Group and Northern Kentucky boutique hotel firm vR Hospitality celebrated the project’s completion alongside the public with a grand opening ceremony and ribbon-cutting. Speakers included Covington Mayor Joe Meyer, Salyers Group President Guy van Rooyen, Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce President Brent Cooper and meetNKY President and CEO Julie Kirkpatrick.

“North is an outstanding example of adaptive reuse of Covington historic buildings,” Meyer said. “The commitment to preservation and restoration of this historic building is simply superb. Do you remember what it looked like before when this was all brick, when that turret was missing?”

The expansion project cost approximately $26.5 million, according to a press release. In total, North added 53 luxury suites and lofts to Hotel Covington. Additionally, a new ballroom with a 500-person capacity was built over top of the YMCA’s old swimming pool. Dubbed The Lightwell,

this space honors its past as a natatorium with traditional pool tile, cove lighting and a contrasting color scheme.

The building’s rooftop was completely transformed into modern penthouse suites, each ranging from 330 to 2,000 square feet. These suites feature kitchenettes, open floor plans, and private gathering spaces. Amenities vary from suite to suite with some including private terraces, while others have full-sized refrigerators.

Knowledge Bar offers patrons and guests a theme that showcases the roots of Kentucky’s horse-racing past. Racing-related artifacts, photographs, artwork and a large ceiling mural, are placed throughout the space. The bar’s interior features velvet bar stools, oversized booths, and leather and wood finishes.

The bar’s name, Knowledge, is derived from a winning racehorse bet by John Coppin, founder of the department store now home to the original Hotel Covington. Coppin used the winnings from his bet on Knowledge to open his department store.

“With North by Hotel Covington, travelers will now be able to enjoy a luxury stay matching the energy of our region as it continues to become a destination for so many,” van Rooyen said. “This development is a catalyst for Covington’s potential and an opportunity to showcase why our community is such a wonderful place to not only visit, but stay a while, too.”

In many ways, the completion of North and Knowledge Bar is a physical reminder of

the Northern Kentucky tourism industry’s recovery and subsequent emergence out of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to meetNKY officials, Northern Kentucky’s official tourism bureau, the resurgence of overall regional tourism was anchored by a rebound in hotel revenues and hotel occupancy rates.

“As all of you know, this project was challenged. We had COVID hit us right in the mouth with all our hospitality peers and partners,” van Rooyen said. “We’ve come out of that as a region, and come out of it as a collective, in a far better spot.”

In the construction process, North and Knowledge Bar were part of the second phase of the development. Within the next year, Donna Salyers Fabulous-Furs and Donna Salyers Fabulous-Bridal showrooms are relocating to the first floor of North. Then Revival Vintage Bottle Shop is going to move into the former Gateway Bookstore space.

The original Hotel Covington opened in 2016 inside the former Coppin’s Department Store. Featuring 114 guest rooms, an outdoor courtyard, bar and restaurant and a variety of lounge spaces, the hotel helped reshape what was once thought possible for luxury lodging within the city. In 2022, U.S. News & World Report ranked Hotel Covington as the best hotel in Kentucky. Today, it serves as a symbol of the city.

Decades ago, the blocks were filled with department stores and served as a regional shopping district. Due to the opening of the Florence Mall and popularity of suburban

shopping outlets, the department stores eventually shuttered, which left developers scrambling to figure out what to put in their place.

Now, North and Knowledge Bar joined a group of establishments on the street, including Hotel Covington, Madison Event Center, Agave & Rye, The Well, The Hannaford, Bircus, Rich’s Proper, Ripple, and Braxton Brewing, which are transforming the city’s central business district, providing patrons with more immersive options for dining and drinking.

“North by Hotel Covington’s opening will accelerate the considerable momentum in the evolution of Covington’s downtown core, and we congratulate its developers,” Meyer said in a press release.

Covington Mayor Meyer cuts the ribbon to North by Hotel Covington and Knowledge Bar & Social Room. Pictured from left to right: Brent Cooper, Amanda van Rooyen, Joe Meyer, Guy van Rooyen and Julie Kirkpatrick. Cooper is a member of LINK nky’s managing board. Photo by Kenton Hornbeck | LINK nky

Covington commission votes to enter into second national opioid settlement

The Covington Commission unanimously voted to enter into a national settlement with several opioid producers and distributors at its legislative meeting on April 11.

The companies involved in the settlement include Teva Pharmaceuticals, Allegra, CVS, Walgreens and Walmart.

the

The settlement is the second of its kind. The Kentucky Attorney General’s office announced the first in July 2021. In that case, the state secured $478 million from manufacturers and distributors of opioid-based medications, according to a February letter from the attorney general’s office. As of February, companies have paid out about $50 million.

Half of the money from the first settlement will fund the state’s opioid advisement council. The other half will go to local government efforts to combat opioid abuse. Covington received about $800,000 from the 2021 settlement as of March, according

to Andrew Wilhoite, the city of Covington’s director of special projects and intergovernmental affairs.

The attorney general’s office secured another settlement in 2022, yielding $364 million over 15 years. This will bring the amount secured from various companies to $842 million.

Kentucky statute dictates how local governments can spend the money. Eligible expenses include funding residential treatment centers, buying emergency supplies for first responders, and establishing training fellowships and scholarships, among other measures for mitigating opioid abuse.

The city has retained outside counsel to help with the settlement. The amount of money Covington stands to receive has not been established.

Covington’s House of Orange closed indefinitely

Though it seemed Covington’s House of Orange Sports Bar & Grill was permanently

closing, the bar’s owners have confirmed its closure is temporary.

Stephen Williams, the director of operations for Holland Farms Restaurant Group, confirmed Friday that House of Orange’s closure is temporary due to renovations and upgrades.

The confirmation comes after the Mainstrasse-area bar and grill posted a note on its doors Wednesday detailing its closure. The note didn’t specify that the closure was temporary or for renovations.

Williams said there is no certain timeline for when the bar would be reopening. It also may not reopen with the same branding as the owners consider the option to make House of Orange more family-oriented.

Cold Spring eyes proposal for modernization of municipal playground

Parks and recreational spaces have the potential to impact both quality of life and home values positively but require main-

tenance and upkeep to stay attractive to residents.

This week the Cold Spring City Council reviewed a proposal from Amy Riddle, a company representative from Bluegrass Recreation, a Danville, Ky-based company specializing in playground equipment design and implementation.

The presentation was made after previous research to vet potential vendors and funding levels for the project led by public works director Ronnie Hitch, with a goal of replacing old, dated playground equipment all around the city.

“The presentation went well,” said Hitch. “I think the vendor gave the council everything they needed to make a decision as to whether and how the project moves forward.” Hitch worked with Bluegrass Recreation in partnership with a playground committee composed of volunteer Cold Spring citizens and city staff members.

“It’s time to replace most of the park equipment – it’s been there at least 20 years,” said Mark Majors, resident of Cold Spring and volunteer participant in the play-

ground committee.

“This would be our spotlight park,” said council member Cindy Moore in response to the size and scope of the proposed concept, a flagship project for a state-of-theart playscape for the Community Center Municipal Park that could cost the city as much as $604,000.

The project cost would include teardown and removal of the old playground equipment, purchase price of new playground equipment, installation, and shipping costs. According to Riddle, with proper maintenance and upkeep the equipment should last the city another 20 years and would include a 10-year warranty.

The park includes a permeable surface that exceeds ADA compliance for wheelchair accessibility, has areas for a variety of age groups, and includes a quiet space for those with sensory issues who may get overstimulated with vigorous play.

The future of the playground is dependent on whether it is approved for inclusion in the 2024 project as part of the fiscal planning process that must have an approved budget in place by June 30.

Erlanger breaks ground on new public works facility

The Erlanger City Council and Department of Public Works broke ground at the site of the city’s new public works facility at a ceremony on April 7.

The new facility will be located at 26 Montgomery Drive and will contain a 6,700-square-foot administration building, which is about double the size of the current building, according to Joe Daugherty, the project administrator for Erlanger Public Works.

The new complex will also contain a maintenance building measuring about 10,600 square feet, housing several maintenance trucks and a storage building for storing 1,500 tons of rock salt.

Daugherty estimates that construction of the facilities will take about a year.

Five Seasons Sports Club to host children’s summer camps

The Fives Seasons Sports Club in Crestview Hills has a variety of children’s summer programs scheduled from the end of May to the beginning of August. The programs

will feature several day camps for children ages 4 to 13.

“Each of the eleven weeks of themed programming will vary from animal safaris to pirate adventures to Hollywood stars and more,” Five Seasons said in a press release.

For kids aged 4 to 9, there will be daily crafts, games and activities, swimming, weekly fit kid activities and a couple days of tennis. For kids ages 10 to 13, there will be the same activities but with experiments in place of crafts.

Pricing varies based on club membership status and the amount of time the child will spend at the camps.

To register a child for one of the camps, visit Five Seasons’ sign-up page.

Covington to hold public hearing for community and housing investment

The Covington City Commission will hold a public hearing focused on affordable housing and community investment on April 25 at 6 p.m. at city hall on Pike Street.

According to a press release from the city, the hearing will focus on “a draft proposal that outlines how to invest a little over $1.4 million in Covington neighborhoods, plus almost $700,000 on affordable housing in Covington and five surrounding cities.”

The funds come from two federal grant programs.

The first is the Community Development Block Grant program, which aims to address issues of economic development, infrastructure improvement, literacy education and other community issues.

The other is the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, which aims to increase home ownership. The HOME program also includes a consortium of five other cities in the region: Bellevue, Dayton, Erlanger, Ludlow and Newport. Neither program is related to COVID emergency funding.

Members of the public are encouraged to attend the meeting to ask questions and submit suggestions on how the city should spend the money. The city will also accept written comments on the programs until May 7. People who wish to submit written comments should email Covington’s Federal Grants Manager Jeremy Wallace at jwallace@covingtonky.gov.

City of Bellevue Smoke-Free Air Ordinance takes effect on May 15, 2023

2023 Gateway to Greatness Awards Luncheon

Leaning on faith, Louisville mourns victims of mass shooting

the Ohio border. The order went out Tuesday, April 11, after a major fire at a site where plastics are stockpiled. Thick black smoke darkened the sky. Richmond Mayor Dave Snow described it as a “serious, largescale fire” that apparently started in a tractor-trailer onsite and spread quickly.

He said the fire was contained on three sides by early evening. No injuries were reported. The former factory site was used to store plastics and other materials for recycling or resale. The mayor says local officials had been concerned about possible fire hazards.

Sports betting law sparks talk of launch, use of revenues

years of failure. Beshear quickly signed the bill.

As shootings hit close to home, govs wrestle with next steps

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Two weeks after one of his wife’s closest friends was killed in a Nashville school shooting, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee on Tuesday, April 11, called for legislation that would keep firearms away from people who could harm themselves or others.

Lee, a Republican, is the latest public official to experience personal loss in a mass shooting. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, also lost one of his best friends when a gunman killed five people at a Louisville bank on Monday, April 10.

But Lee’s appeal comes as Republicans maintain supermajority control in both the Kentucky and Tennessee statehouses, where GOP lawmakers have long resisted limiting gun access. And as mass shootings continue across the U.S., resistance to make significant changes to gun restrictions remains high.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Many in Louisville turned to their faith for impromptu church services hours after a gunman killed five of his co-workers at Old National Bank downtown and wounded eight others. It was the day after Easter, and many went to cry and light candles. They asked God why, on this holiday of rebirth, they must mourn so much death.

Hundreds gathered at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, where victim Joshua Barrick was an active member. His family sat in the front pews. Fellow congregants hugged them and wept. Police say the 25-yearold gunman opened fire around 8:30 a.m. Monday, April 10, while livestreaming on Instagram. Barrick and four of his co-workers were killed: 63-year-old Tommy Elliott, 64-year-old Jim Tutt Jr., 45-year-old Juliana Farmer, and 57-year-old Deana Eckert.

Industrial fire prompts evacuation order in Indiana city

RICHMOND, Ind. (AP) — People have been urged to evacuate if they live near a large industrial fire in Richmond, Indiana, near

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Gov. Andy Beshear is promising an expedited push to get legal sports wagering started in Kentucky. The governor didn’t offer specific dates Friday, April 7, for the launch. But he says he’d like to see the system set up in time for the upcoming NFL season if possible.

Meanwhile, a Republican seeking his job is talking about what he’d like to do with tax money collected from sports wagers. Gubernatorial candidate Alan Keck has proposed redirecting most of it to bolster school safety. The bill legalizing sports betting won final passage this session after

Umpire hospitalized after getting hit in head by relay throw

CLEVELAND (AP) — Umpire Larry Vanover is being evaluated for a concussion and other injuries at a hospital after being struck in the head with a relay throw during the April 12 game between the New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians.

The 67-year-old Vanover was knocked down by the throw from Guardians AllStar second baseman Andrés Giménez. Vanover was positioned on the infield grass between second and the mound. MaJor League Baseball said Vanover is being checked for a head injury “and other potential medical issues. The timeline on his return is to be determined.” He's expected to be hospitalized overnight. Plate umpire Chris Cuccione told a pool reporter Vanover had a large knot on his head.

A memorial for Joshua Barrick is on display, late Monday, April 10, 2023, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Louisville. A Louisville bank employee armed with a rifle opened fire at the bank Monday morning, killing Barrick and multiple others, including a close friend of Kentucky’s governor, while livestreaming the attack on Instagram, authorities said. Photo by Claire Galofaro | Associated Press

Somerset Mayor Alan Keck responds to a question from the moderator during the Kentucky Gubernatorial GOP Primary Debate in Louisville on Tuesday, March 7, 2023. Photo by Timothy D. Easley | Associated Press

KSO raffling off rare bourbons to fundraise for schools, summer shows

raffle; A Woodford Reserve Baccarat Edition raffle; and the 20 bourbons/20 winners raffle. Each raffle has a set limit of tickets to assure better odds for rafflers.

Last year, the KSO received ticket orders from 37 states. The drawing is Saturday, May 20, from 9 to 9:30 p.m. The drawing can be viewed via Facebook Live or the KSO website, kyso.org. Tickets can be purchased at kyso.org/raffle.

Get a wee tree for free

The Kentucky Symphony Orchestra’s Annual Rare Bourbon Raffle helps fund the KSO’s free concerts for schools and Summer concerts in Devou and Tower Parks. In partnership with The Party Source, the orchestra’s raffle provides a chance to win some really unique bourbons, while keeping quality music playing in our schools and parks.

The orchestra is hosting three raffles: A six-bottle Pappy Van Winkle vertical flight

The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, or on April 29, when Covington is hosting a free sapling giveaway in honor of Arbor Day.

A free Arbor Day-themed community event, Linden Day, will be held in downtown Covington at Historic Linden Grove Cemetery & Arboretum on Saturday, April 29, from 9 a.m. to noon. The event will feature free tree seedlings; guided tours of the arboretum, focused on tree species and the history of notable individuals buried

at Linden Grove; a tree planting for Arbor Day; free giveaways; plant sales; music; and more.

The event is part of the arboretum’s mission of conservation, and is a partnership with both Bartlett Tree Experts and the Covington Urban Forestry Board.

Simon Kenton grad earns MSC Women’s Tennis Player Of The Week

Simon Kenton alumna and Independence native Cassie Saner was recently named the Mid-South Conference Women’s Tennis Player of the Week.

A student-athlete at Thomas More, Saner earned the honor for the first time in her career and joins Alexis Covington, of Walnut Hills, Ohio, in being named player of the week this season.

Saner won all four of her matches this weekend, against Freed-Hardeman University and Bethel University, both Saints

victories. She teamed up with Kimberly Sabga to win in No. 3 doubles 6-2 against Delfina Rodriguez-Molina and Hannah Pearce of Freed-Hardeman. The duo also defeated Marina Zotelli and Tijana Svitlica of Bethel 6-4 in the No. 3 doubles position.

At No. 5 singles, Saner swept the Lions Morgan Brown, 6-0, 6-0 before beating Bethel’s Sophia Vasconcellos in a three-set battle (3-6, 6-3, 6-2). Saner is now 4-2 with Sabga at No. 3 doubles this season and is 3-9 overall in singles play and 3-5 in the No. 5 position.

A series of Pappy Van Winkle are up for grabs in a rare bourbon raffle. Photo provided | KSO

Thomas More tennis player Cassie Saner during a match in Tennessee. Photo provided | Thomas More University

You don’t have to be a millionaire to live in this condo in The Ascent

Address: 1 Roebling Way, Unit 306, Covington

Price: $499,000

Beds: Two bedrooms

Bath: Two full bathrooms, one half bathroom

Sqft: 1,713

School district: Covington Independent Schools

County: Kenton

Special features: This condo inside The Ascent is for someone who wants to live in the heart of Covington, experience the perks of living in a condo, but doesn’t have to live on the top floor. This third floor condo offers two bedrooms, two full bathrooms, more than 1,700 square feet, a kitchen with breakfast bar, gas range, wine storage, and convenient access to The Ascent’s amenities. The condo also features a study room, and access to two guest suites in the building.

An aerial view shows the outside of The Ascent in downtown Covington. Photo provided | Lee Robinson with Sotheby’s International Realty

A wide shot of the kitchen shows the granite countertops, breakfast bar, dining area and entryway. Photo provided | Lee Robinson with Sotheby’s International Realty

An alternate view of the living room shows the balcony of this third floor condo in The Ascent. Photo provided | Lee Robinson with Sotheby’s International Realty

LINK Streetscapes: A return to Covington brings new surprises, old favorites

Powered by Merk and Gile, Injury Attorneys, 513-481-5678

BY MARIA HEHMAN | LINK nky CONTRIBUTOR

Streetscapes has covered nearly every nook and cranny of Covington: From Madison Avenue to Scott Boulevard and Main Street, we’ve nearly seen it all. One of the best parts about this series is tracking the evolution of Northern Kentucky and its ever-booming businesses. This Streetscapes takes a trip back to Covington’s West Seventh Street for coffee and cocktails.

The Well

Since its debut in January, The Well has become one of the hottest spots in an already popular area. With neighbors like the ever-popular Agave and Rye; it’s tough to create your own name, and The Well has certainly done that.

The Well is a hybrid of a cocktail lounge, casual eatery and sports bar. On an average weeknight, there is a laid back, elegant ambiance and details are much more noticeable. Velvet seats next to the fireplace are perfect for date night and sipping cocktails, and guests who visit during a Reds game won’t have to miss a minute of action or excitement since there’s plenty of TVs and seats for fans to enjoy.

The patio is bound to be one of the most popular places this summer. While guests anxiously look ahead to warmer days, The Well has fire pits outside for those who just

can’t wait. Their drink menu covers the basic bar necessities while crafting some unique drinks of their own. The spicy sunset, a Bourbon beverage with lemon juice, simple syrup, pineapple orange juice and jalapeno, will keep guests warm until summer comes.

Although fairly small, their food menu should not be overlooked. Hanky panky balls and philly cheesesteak tots are a match made in heaven after a night of drinks.

Rich’s Proper Food and Drink

If you haven’t figured out from their name, Rich’s looks to bring “proper” food and drinks to the Covington area. The food, service, drinks and overall dining experience is elevated yet inviting. There’s often a mix of crowds: Guests getting a drink before a wedding across the street, or those looking for a filling dinner before hitting other bars in the Cov. They have rotating cocktail slushies that are perfect for cooling down in the warmer months, as well as an ample cocktail, bourbon, beer and wine menu.

Rich’s menu is primarily American pub with hints of creole and southern food. They’re most famous for their oyster menu which brings patrons from all over to experience what is typically only found in coastal cities.

Their outdoor seating offers a front row experience to the hustle and bustle of a lively area, while their interior offers a more intimate and relaxed atmosphere.

Left Bank Coffeehouse

Founded nearly 10 years ago, Left Bank Coffeehouse has been a community staple since its establishment. Family owned and operated, this coffee shop serves some of the most delicious drinks and decadent treats, all sourced from local businesses.

The atmosphere at Left Bank is truly unique, as they share their space with their sister store, Maison Covington. While waiting for coffee, guests can browse Maison’s many home décor items and knickknacks. Selling jewelry, cards, and bathroom and kitchen essentials; Maison is a one-stop shop for unique gift shopping.

Left Bank is well known for its love of Harry Styles, too. (Honestly, who doesn’t love the king of modern pop?) They pay homage to him in nearly everything they do. They even have a not-so-secret Harry Styles inspired menu rightfully named “Harry’s House.”

Left Bank’s eclectic atmosphere radiates positive energy and good vibes from the moment guests step on the Harry Styles doormat.

Have a street, city or business you want to see next? Email Maria Hehman at mchehman@gmail.com and it could be featured on the next installment of LINK Streetscapes.

What to Know If You Go:

The Well

Location: 8 W. Seventh St.

Hours: Sunday 11 a.m. to 12 a.m., Monday closed, Tuesday through Thursday 4 p.m. to 1 a.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Website: thewellcovington.com

Phone: (859) 279-3948

Rich’s Proper Food and Drink

Location: 701 Madison Ave.

Hours: Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday closed, Tuesday through Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Website: richsproper.com/richs

Phone: (859) 415-0069

Left Bank Coffeehouse

Location: 701 Greenup St.

Hours: Sunday and Monday closed, Tuesday through Friday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Website: leftbankcoffeehouse.com

Phone: (859) 431-4655

Legislative Recap Breakfast

Lohr’s aim has always been on point

BY MARC HARDIN | LINK nky CONTRIBUTOR

t age 17, Conner High School’s Ayden Lohr is already laden with lore.

“He’s a special guy,” Cougars baseball coach Brad Arlinghaus said of the multi-sport athlete and 15th-ranked member of this year’s Conner senior class, according to grade-point average. “He’s accomplished a lot.”

While playing sports and games with family and friends as he was growing up, Lohr noticed something about his various abilities that eventually led him to a special place in Conner history.

His aim is true.

“I guess I’ve kind of always been good at aiming things,” said Lohr, a basketball and baseball standout.

Whether it was a ball or any object that can be tossed, Lohr discovered over time he could throw or shoot something so that it goes pretty much where he wants it to go.

“Playing Nerf basketball. Shooting wads of paper in the wastebasket. Throwing plastic bottles in the trash can from long distance, stuff like that,” Lohr said.

It turned out to be good practice for a bigger stage.

Lohr, a 6-foot-2 guard on the hardwood and a pitcher/outfielder on the diamond, was the only Ninth Region athlete named a 2022-23 Northern Kentucky Basketball Coaches Association all-star and a preseason all-state selection on the 2023 watch list by the Kentucky High School Baseball Coaches Association.

“It comes naturally to him, but he works really hard,” said Arlinghaus, last season’s Ninth Region baseball coach of the year. “In a world where most specialize in one sport, he excels in two. And he’s a really good student, a great guy, and that’s rare.”

More specifically, Lohr, the 2022 Conner homecoming king with a 4.357 weighted

grade-point average, is a good aimer.

“He can put the ball in the basket. He can put the ball in the strike zone,” Arlinghaus said. “In his first game back after being a little banged up, he threw out a guy at home from center field.”

As a senior basketball player for the Cougars, Lohr posted solid across-the-board shooting percentages, converting 48% from the field, 42.4% from 3-point range and 73.6% on free throws while averaging 13.9 points per game. Those numbers were similar to his junior season when Lohr helped lead Conner to its first-ever district championship three-peat.

In baseball last year, Lohr helped the Cougars set a single-season wins record (29) and a team runs scored record (284). On the mound, he won six games with a 1.36 earned run average while striking out 29 batters and walking eight in 36 innings. He ranked second on the team in wins and ERA. He ranked fourth among starters with a .384 batting average and second with 12 doubles, 42 runs scored and 28 stolen bases and was named to the all-Ninth Region Tournament team.

Through the first three weeks of this season, the speedy leadoff hitter was second on the two-time defending district champions with a .385 batting average including team-high totals in hits, triples and runs. He ranked second in doubles and steals. Lohr is not easily thwarted or fooled. He

was caught stealing a scant two times and struck out just 13 times in his first 167 varsity at-bats.

One of 13 Conner seniors, nine heading to college programs, Lohr got into one game on the mound through the first three weeks while battling injuries.

“He hasn’t even been fully healthy. He banged up his left non-throwing shoulder in the district basketball final, then he felt something in the other shoulder. And his back was bothering him, so we held him out a bit and played him some at DH,” Arlinghaus said. “I’ve got enough pitching, so I don’t need him on the mound. I do need him in center field. And I do need him at the top of the lineup. He makes our offense go.”

Lohr, a veteran of the Cincy Flames baseball organization, is taking the hardball path at the next level with a verbal commitment to NCAA Division III Ohio Northern. He hopes to hit and pitch. To that end, he added a knuckleball to his arsenal as an off-speed pitch, something that tested his penchant for accuracy. As knuckleballs do, they veered, sailed and hit the ground, but eventually hit their mark.

Just like everything else during Lohr’s sports journey, mastering the pitch was a collaborative effort.

“Nobody liked catching it,” he said. “But I was eventually able to control it just by playing catch with my dad and (Conner senior player) Brayden Stidham. Our catchers (Logan Tucker and Luke Hubbard), they’re calling it when it needs to be called and catching it when it needs to be caught. They all have helped me with it.”

That’s something else Lohr aims to do well: Keep spreading the love.

“I was raised to respect and appreciate everyone around you,” he said. “You can’t do it by yourself. That’s what I’ll miss most about high school sports, playing with close friends and supporting each other. It’s been a lot of fun.”

Conner’s Ayden Lohr was the only Ninth Region athlete named a 2022-23 Northern Kentucky Basketball Coaches Association allstar and a preseason all-state selection on the 2023 watch list by the Kentucky High School Baseball Coaches Association. Photo by G. Michael Graham | LINK nky contributor

St. Henry promotes soccer coach, announces new AD

St. Henry’s girls soccer head coach Brian Bamberger stepped down from the position and the school promoted Jarrett Baston to the spot after Baston served as the junior varsity head coach for two years under Bamberger.

The 37-year-old Baston owns the Triumph Strength and Conditioning Gym in Florence and already had a lot of the JV girls working out with him.

Prior to his two years at St. Henry, Baston served as the freshman head coach at Notre Dame in 2019 and ‘20 under former Pandas head coach David Gronotte.

The man who made the decision to promote Baston, St. Henry Director of Athletics Matt Schneider, has also decided that he will step down in June, citing the same reasons as Bamberger – to spend time with family.

St. Henry has found a veteran to take over as Director of Athletics as Jim Demler will take his place, bringing 22 years of AD experience. Demler, a 1987 Dixie Heights graduate and former Northern Kentucky University baseball player is finishing his fourth year at Villa Madonna after serving as the second AD in school history at Ryle from 2001-19.

Demler said the plan is to finish strong at Villa Madonna, and hit the ground running at St. Henry in June.

Kentucky sweeps Ohio in ‘Battle of the Border’ All-star basketball game

It was a clean sweep for Kentucky in the “Battle of the Border” All-Star basketball games April 8 at Thomas More University’s Connor Convocation Center.

The girls started the evening off with an impressive 117-94 victory while the boys rallied in the second half for a 93-83 triumph.

Danville’s Love Mays was named the girls

MVP for Kentucky while Madison Central’s Jaylen Davis won the MVP for the Kentucky boys All-Star team.

In the girl's game, Cooper’s Whitney Lind led NKY scorers with 18 points, 15 of them coming in the second half.

Walton-Verona’s Grace Brewer added eight points, Ryle’s Abby Holtman with six points and Notre Dame’s Noelle Hubert with three.

The win moved the Kentucky girls to 16-13 all-time in the All-Star series. In the boys game, trailing by as much as nine in the first half, Kentucky won a physical battle in the second half and used a 20-5 second-half run to pull away from Ohio for the victory.

Leading 77-73 with under four minutes to play, it was Davis providing the knockout blow with a triple from the wing to give Kentucky a seven-point lead and Ohio would get no closer from there.

Simon Kenton’s Gabe Dynes had four points for the Kentucky team, both off dunks and pick-and-rolls.

Newport’s Marquez Miller also participated for Kentucky, grabbing a couple of rebounds.

Kentucky’s boys improved to 12-18 in the All-Star series.

NKU women’s basketball team adds pair from WKU

Northern Kentucky University women’s basketball coach Camryn Whitaker has brought in a pair from her old stomping grounds.

Whitaker, a former Western Kentucky University basketball player, added two Hilltoppers from the transfer portal to the roster for the 202324 season in Mya Meredith and Macey Blevins.

Meredith, a Scott High product, thrived in

her high school career with the Eagles and then went to the Hilltoppers and made an instant impact winning Conference USA Freshman of the Year. She averaged 12.7 points per game and 5.1 rebounds before missing the final eight games with a knee injury in her freshman season. In her sophomore campaign, she started 26 games and averaged 8.5 points and 5.0 rebounds.

Blevins also comes to Highland Heights with plenty of experience. She started 33 games in two seasons with WKU, averaging 4.5 points per game this past season. Her freshman season came with 26 starts and knocking down 1.53 three-pointers a game.

NKU finished 17-14 this past season, losing to Cleveland State in the Horizon League Conference Tournament semifinals.

Johnstone earns distinctive NFHS Coach of the Year honors

Conner boys’ cross country coach Ian Johnstone earned 2021-2022 Section II Coach of the Year honors from the National Federation of State High School Associations Coaches Association.

During the 2022 cross country season, the Cougars won the 3A Region 5 Championship and 3A State Championship. It marked the second year in a row that the Cougars have won the state championship and the third year in a row they have won the regional title.

The NFHS has recognized coaches through a comprehensive awards program since 1982. Johnstone, along with Ballard softball coach Alan Jones became KHSAA’s 37th and 38th NFHS Section II Coach of the Year selections since 2001-02.

Johnstone teaches biology at the high school. The fall accomplishment for the team helped Conner become the 30th boys program in KHSAA history to earn multiple state championships.

The NFHS Coaches Association has an advisory committee composed of a chair and eight sectional representatives. The committee evaluates state recipients, then considers the sectional candidates in each sport, ranks, and determines a national winner for each of the 20 sport categories.

Jim Demler brings 22 years of AD experience to St. Henry. Photo provided

Scott High product Mya Meredith is returning closer to home after two seasons at Western Kentucky University.

Meredith recently announced that she’s transferring to NKU.

Photo provided | Grace Ramsey, Bowling Green Daily News

Local organizations prepare for summer heat relief

As summer approaches, shifting temperatures can prove dangerous for Northern Kentucky’s most vulnerable residents, which is why local organizations are getting ready to provide relief to them.

St. Vincent De Paul is a long-standing nonprofit organization dedicated to helping those in need. Its 25-year-old Summer Breeze program provides air conditioners to people with documented life-threatening illnesses and box fans to anyone in need of heat relief.

The nonprofit accepts doctor’s notes in exchange for air conditioning units for those with conditions like COPD or asthma. The program runs from June 1 through Aug. 31, and is one of the only heat relief programs in the region.

The program is part of a partnership with St. Elizabeth Healthcare and Agnes Nordloh Charitable Trust. Since its inception, nearly 9,000 air conditioners and fans have been distributed.

PROGRAM TECHNICIAN

The USDA, Burlington FSA Service Center will accept applications for a Program Technician position through the close of business on May 1, 2023. This position is for clerical assistance to help deliver Federal farm programs to producers serviced by the Burlington Service Center. The Burlington Service Center is Shared Management office with the Owenton Service Center. The incumbent will work only when needed. The majority of the employee’s time will be spent in farm-related office work.

All applicants shall:

1. Be citizens of the United States

2. Be a High School Graduate or have a GED.

3. Have a Social Security Number.

4. Be at least 18 years of age or 17 years of age for a high school graduate.

5. Have typing and/or keyboard experience.

6. Complete form FSA-675, Application for County Employment, Resume, or any other written format. You must include your SSN, your country of Citizenship, education, and work experience.

This job will be a temporary-intermittent position not to exceed twelve (12) months. Salary will depend on experience of the person selected but not less than $16.57 per hour. Applications will be accepted at or mailed to the Burlington Service Center, Farm Service Agency, Attention: Katie Taylor, Acting CED, 6028 Camp Ernst Road, Burlington, KY 41005.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: Candidates will be considered without discrimination for any non-merit reason such as race, color, national origin, gender, religion or nonmembership in any employee organization. This agency provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

BY ANN MORT | LINK nky CONTRIBUTOR

In 2022, St. Elizabeth pulmonologist Chaitanya Mandapakala spoke to local media about the program’s benefits to her patients.

“Every patient responds to the rising summer temperatures and humidity levels differently,” Mandapakala said. “As a clinician, I often see patients negatively impacted from seasonal changes, which can lead to hospitalization or other long-term effects. It’s important that individuals who struggle to thrive during hotter weather have access to cool, clean air. Unfortunately, this is a health care disparity that is not often considered or addressed. The Summer Breeze initiative is quite literally saving the lives of our friends, family and neighbors.”

Karen Zengel, executive director of St. Vincent De Paul in Northern Kentucky, said utility assistance is a key program during the summer months, as is the ability to access appropriate clothing. Zengel said the organization provides both assistance with utility bills and clothing vouchers so people can stay cool and safe during the summer.

Last summer, the nonprofit provided 378 people with air conditioners and/or fans. They served 44,000 people in Northern Kentucky last year – 6,400 of them with emergency rent and utility assistance amounting to $780,000; 22,000 received food and 780 beds were provided to children, seniors and the disabled.

Though it’s one of the few, St. Vincent de Paul isn’t the only nonprofit fighting to keep bodies cool during heat waves.

The Brighton Center distributes box fans and provides utility assistance to those in

need, though they can only do so when donations rise to the challenge, said Community Resource Center Director Eric Owsley.

Other centers try to give relief in other ways. In Boone County, Florence Christian Church operates a no-questions-asked food pantry twice a month, as well as a shower and laundry facility.

Located at 300 Main St. in Florence, the church offers large, handicap-accessible bathrooms four days a week, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to anyone without access to running water. The facilities are private and available for up to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, individuals can have clothes washed, dried, and returned to them within 24 hours.

“People experiencing homelessness often seem more vulnerable when the temperatures dip below 32 degrees,” said Outreach Minister Rev. Melissa Stephens. “But hot summer days are just as life threatening, and perhaps even more so, considering many of our shower guests suffer from heart disease, respiratory issues and edema (swollen legs and feet). All of these conditions are exacerbated in the heat.”

At Lakeside Presbyterian Church in Lakeside Park, those in need are often found through other programs offered at the church. Pastor Louisa Umphreys said the church opens itself as a help center in the heart of a low-income area to host support groups for those battling addiction. Umphreys said when they hear of a need they can’t resolve within the church, folks are connected to the Safety Net Alliance at the Brighton Center or Kentucky Refugee Ministries.

“The one thing churches do well is to remember people’s dignity and spiritual health. We look them in the eye and let them know we are all in this struggle together,” Umphreys said.

To those who are out of reach of assistance through an organization but still struggling to afford their air conditioning bill, Duke Energy Spokesperson Sally Thelen said they offer a free house call program that advises low-cost or no-cost changes to help lower energy bills.

Thelen said Duke also offers installment plans to help pay for past due bills. She added that customers who need assistance can use up to $300 annually of the Share the Light Fund – a donation-driven service that helps pay for customer bills when they can’t afford it themselves. It’s administered through the NKY Community Action Commission and income-restricted, so household income must be at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty line to use it.

Local resources to beat the heat

St. Vincent De Paul

Location: 2655 Crescent Springs Road, Erlanger

Hours: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Phone: (859) 341-3219

Safety Net Alliance at the Brighton Center

Location: 799 Ann St., Newport

Hours: Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Phone: (859) 491-8303

Kentucky Refugee Ministries

Location: In the Hellmann Creative Center 321 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Covington

Hours: Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Phone: (859) 547-5571

Florence Christian Church

Location: 300 Main St., Florence

Hours: Showers open Monday – Thursday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Food pantry: Second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at 2:30 p.m.

Go online to 211.org or dial 211 to connect with other organizations

Presented by:

As a reminder, our honor is available to any athletics team from any sport at any level – from high school and collegiate to youth to recreational and beyond. Readers can scan the QR code to head to linknky.com to vote for the next Team of the Week.

EACH WEEK, NORTHERN KENTUCKY SELECTS Ryle boys archery team

Photo provided | Ryle Archery

Owners Lisa and Kris Knochelmann John Knochelmann, Sr. Rudy Schneller