LINK Kenton Reader - Volume 2, Issue 21 - April 26, 2024

That’s a wrap: NKY’s perspective on 2024 legislative session

By Rebecca Hanchett

Good jobs and schools, vibrant communities and decent roads are on the wish list of most communities in the U.S., and Northern Kentucky is no exception.

As Kentucky’s 2024 legislative session unfolded the past several months in Frankfort, local governments and groups worked with state lawmakers to bring home projects and policies that benefit NKY – with education, workforce and economic development, and transportation funding all part of the big picture.

On April 15, the 2024 Kentucky General Assembly put the final strokes on that picture, ending a session that authorized over $1 billion in road projects and over $350 million in additional direct funding for NKY.

No one got everything they wanted. A bill (Senate Bill 349) restricting closure of aging coal-fired power plants became law over Gov. Andy Beshear’s veto and objections from both Duke Energy and the

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Here’s where summer days are always dog days

By Maria Hehman

As the days get warmer and nights shorter, many of us enjoy gathering with friends and family. Often, though, we’re forced to leave a beloved member of the family home, not knowing whether restaurants, bars and other businesses are pet-friendly.

As a proud dog aunt (yes, it’s a thing) I’m always on the hunt for places where my dog-nieces, Rory and Pooka, can celebrate with us.

Breweries tend to be the most common place where dogs are allowed. While many establishments with food service must follow certain regulations that hinder them from allowing dogs, breweries often can allow them because many don’t prepare food

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Rory was the queen of Covington on St. Patrick’s Day at Covington Yard. Photo by Maria Hehman | LINK nky contributor

Retiring NKY lawmaker and Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer (R-Georgetown) hugs his family as the Senate honors his years of service on April 12.

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NKY Chamber of Commerce. Public school teachers didn’t receive a raise – even if lawmakers did encourage local school boards to give those raises out of a state increase in base school funding over the next two years.

House Democratic Whip Rachel Roberts of Newport called passage of the Safer Kentucky Act – the session’s major crime legislation in House Bill 5 that adds new crimes and stiffer penalties to state law at an “indeterminable” cost – “at the top of my list of disappointments.” She hit even harder against the proposal, calling it an example of why some say the General Assembly is “where sanctimony and willful ignorance come to multiply.”

There also were plenty of silver linings.

After state lawmakers passed a $128 billion, two-year state budget (HB 6) and sent it to the governor on March 28, the NKY Chamber’s vice president of public affairs, Tami Wilson, said the organization was happy with “historic levels of funding for early childhood education and postsecondary performance funding” found among the bill’s 280 pages.

LINK nky will start with education in our look at the 2024 legislative session that ended April 15.

Education

The Republican majority in the Senate and House seemed happy to support the state budget that lawmakers sent to the governor in late March. Only eight Republicans in the House (including Reps. Steven Doan of Erlanger, Savannah Maddox of Dry Ridge, Marianne Proctor of Union and Steve Rawlings of Burlington) and one non-NKY member in the Senate voted against the bill.

When it was given final passage in the House on March 28, House Appropriations and Revenue Chair Rep. Jason Petrie (R-Elkton) called HB 6 “a strong spending plan.”

“We’ve increased per-pupil K-12 funding by 3% in the first year and 6% in the second, fully funded school transportation costs in the second year, and increased access to funds for school districts with a limited ability to raise revenue by increasing Tier 1 equalization. This budget provides for our needs and builds on the foundation,” said Petrie. (Tier 1 is a public school funding mechanism used to equalize funding between poorer and wealthier school districts.)

Included in the budget is a 9% increase in base funding for K-12 education, more than $250 million for need-based and work-ready scholarships and $25.4 million above current level for the postsecondary performance fund – a competitive funding source for state colleges and universities.

Early childhood education, teacher recruitment and the recurring topic of school choice were also addressed by state lawmakers.

Kindergarten readiness:

A push for universal pre-kindergarten for all 4 year olds didn’t make it into law this session, but other early childhood proposals did. One of those is the adaptive kindergarten readiness pilot project, a two-year program established under HB 695 to engage about 400 preschoolers and their families in age-appropriate reading and optional math and science skills. The governor signed the bill into law April 4.

Teacher retention and recruitment: No state funds are budgeted for the kindergarten pilot project. It’s dependent on federal funds. What is included in the budget is $29.4 million, split nearly 50-50 between student teacher stipends and a teacher recruitment student loan-forgiveness pilot program. Rep. Kim Banta (R-Fort Mitchell) is the sponsor of HB 377 that created the programs. The bill was signed into law April 9.

University research collaboration: Funding for research collaboration among all eight state universities is behind SB 1, signed into law April 4. The law will create an endowed research fund to provide seed money for collaborative projects – or consortiums – agreed to by the universities and selected by the state Council on Postsecondary Education. The catch? No funding is included in the budget for the endowment in the next budget cycle. Senate President Robert Stivers (R-Manchester) this month told LINK nky that was purposeful. The intention, he said, is to set aside the first year or two to design a framework for the endowment.

Funding may not be far away, however. Universities can expect lawmakers to consider funding of the endowment in the 2026 budget session, said the Senate leader. Interest growth on those potential appropriations plus any grants and donations received is expected to generate seed funding for the consortiums going forward.

School choice:

The debate of whether public funds should be used for private education will make its way from the Kentucky General Assembly to statewide voters this fall under a proposed constitutional amendment passed by lawmakers last session. Lawmakers who support the idea of “school choice” – allowing state funds to be used for K-12 educa-

tion outside the traditional public school system – welcomed the proposed constitutional change in HB 2 after two school choice laws were found unconstitutional in consecutive recent Kentucky court rulings.

Both the ballot question and proposed new constitutional language will appear on the ballot on Nov. 5. NKY lawmakers Reps. Stephanie Dietz (R-Edgewood) and Kimberly Poore Moser (R-Taylor Mill) were both co-sponsors of the bill. House Minority Whip Rachel Roberts (D-Newport) was the only NKY lawmaker to vote against the legislation; Rep. Kim Banta (R-Fort Mitchell) abstained.

Economic development

Education ties into another priority for NKY – economic development. Hundreds of millions in funding for regional building and road infrastructure projects are wrapped into the $128 billion, two-year budget for the region, including over $159 million for NKU. There is also over $193 million for NKY in a supplemental budget bill that draws from the state’s record budget reserves of more than $3.7 billion.

Because state lawmakers drew on budget reserves to fund one-time projects like $125 million for the new Commonwealth Center for Biomedical Excellence at the old IRS site and $10 million for the Covington Central Riverfront, those appropriations don’t factor into spending under the budget bill. That means they aren’t expected to have an impact on the General Assembly’s goal of reducing state income tax (now at 4%) by another half percentage point in future tax years.

Funding and policies to stem Kentucky’s growing child care crisis also made the economic development list.

Child care assistance:

Child care assistance is a priority for Kentucky workers, employers and child care providers as federal child care assistance has turned from a multimillion dollar funding stream to a trickle. The 2022 statewide survey “A Fragile Ecosystem IV” found that over 50% of Kentucky child care providers would have permanently closed without stabilization payments from federal pandemic aid.

House Minority Whip Rachel Roberts (D-Newport) asks Rep. Jared Bauman (R-Louisville) a question about House Bill 5 during the 2024 legislative session.

HB 6 includes $2 million in each of the next two years for matching contributions to the state employee child care assistance program. It also increases funding for the state child care assistance program by $49 million.

State lawmakers put new child care policies into law, too, like HB 561. Signed into law April 5, it will encourage local governments to be more child-care friendly. A “certified child care community” designation will be available for communities that work to remove zoning and other regulatory barriers that limit child care services.

Airports:

Once again, commercial airport growth was on the Kentucky General Assembly’s radar. In January, the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport announced its annual economic impact has increased $6 billion in the past decade to $9.3 billion in NKY. To build on that lawmakers approved $20 million in one-time funds for the airport’s growing commercial travel and air cargo hub.

Controversy in Frankfort

There were controversial bills that came to the fore during the session, too. Two of them were bills to crack down on DEI –diversity, equity and inclusion programs at state colleges and universities that by definition are focused on building community among students from diverse backgrounds. The bills surfaced at a time when the NKY Chamber was voicing its support for a “diverse, inclusive, and skilled workforce” in a policy statement before the start of the session.

Defeat of anti-DEI legislation:

Pushback on both bills (SB 6 and HB 9) came locally from students at NKU that are members of historically marginalized LGBTQ groups, as well as NKY Faculty Senate President John Farrar, who told LINK nky earlier this year that the legislation has the potential to “severely curtail academic freedom.”

The beginning of the end of the legislation came when SB 6 was gutted and replaced with provisions in what some felt was a more draconian proposal in HB 9. That changed SB 6 from an anti-DEI bill out-

lawing teaching of defined “discriminatory concepts” on race and gender and limiting the role of DEI offices, to an outright ban on DEI at public colleges and universities under HB 9. The amended bill would have also prohibited hiring or school spending with any basis on protected class (religion, race, sex, color or national origin).

Not that anti-DEI legislation is gone for good in Kentucky. After a failed attempt April 15 to move the legislation in the Senate, the Kentucky Lantern reported that Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer expects the issue to resurface.

Crime:

Perhaps no bill generated more controversy during the 2024 session than the Safer Kentucky Act, or HB 5, which became law without the governor’s signature in April.

Democrats dubbed the bill the “suffer Kentucky act” for its crackdown on homeless encampments, theft and penalties for violent crime. Others say it is what Kentucky needs.

Those who support the bill say it will improve public safety, specifically in higher crime areas of Kentucky like Jefferson County (which HB 5 Republican sponsor Rep. Jared Bauman calls home). They cite gang crime like carjackings and vandalism. Then there are those who cite data showing violent crime decreasing in Kentucky, as reported by Louisville Public Media last month.

Several Democrats have called out HB 5’s “indeterminable” fiscal impact as a cause for concern. The legislation could end up costing the state $1 billion, according to one Lexington Herald-Leader report.

Beshear vetoed the bill April 9, saying in his veto message that “despite the tremendous fiscal impact House Bill 5 would have on the Department of Corrections (state prisons) and county governments, the General Assembly provided no fiscal impact analysis with the bill.

“House Bill 5 includes some good points,” the governor said, mentioning its required destruction of firearms used in murders and making carjacking its own crime, as well as violence-reduction programming for parolees. “The General Assembly could and should have put these provisions in standalone bills, which likely would have

passed with unanimous support.”

More to see

This is just a snapshot of notable bills that did (or didn’t) succeed last session. Some bills – like an attempt to carve out exemptions for rape and incest in Kentucky’s near-total abortion ban – never completely got off the ground. Other health legislation like the “momnibus” proposal to expand health insurance access to pregnant and

postpartum women (among other provisions) made it to the governor in the session’s 11th hour.

To see all legislation proposed during the 2024 Kentucky General Assembly and catch up on its status, go to the 2024 session record at apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/24rs/record.html.

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Dr. Lauren Castellini Oncology

Rep. Kimberly Poore Moser (R-Taylor Mill) presents Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer’s Senate Bill 74 in the Kentucky House. The bill passed both chambers and was delivered to the governor during the 2024 legislative session. It contains Moser’s “momnibus” provisions, originally found in HB 10, which Moser introduced early this year.

on site. Breweries and dogs just seem to go hand in hand – beer in one hand and your dog in the other.

Here are 10 pet-friendly places to visit this summer.

Braxton

I see a dog on every visit to Braxton. In fact, it’s one of the reasons I visit so often. Locals know their dogs are always welcome at all Braxton locations. The Covington location has plenty of space both inside and out for leashed pets to meet new friends and fans.

Although pets are not allowed on the roof-

top, there’s plenty of space for them both in the brewery and on the patio. There are water bowls outside, and Braxton’s bartenders often have treats.

The Fort Mitchell location allows dogs both in the interior tap room and on the patio.

Fabled Brew Works

One of the newest breweries in the area and the most visually compelling, Fabled Brew Works welcomes dogs on its outdoor patio. Fabled prides itself on being one of the most family-friendly options in the area. It’s the perfect solution for families wanting to grab a drink and not leave a four-legged family member behind.

The outdoor space has plenty of room for leashed dogs and free-rein kids to enjoy a bar as much as their parents. With rotating food trucks, families can easily spend an entire evening here without the nagging thought of having to go home to check on a pet. Little Fido is relaxing at your feet.

Wooden Cask

Wooden Cask has two Newport locations, one on York Street and one at the Levee. Both welcome dogs with open arms to their outdoor patios. Their Levee location features a food menu, which prevents it from allowing pets inside, but York Street’s interior is pet-friendly.

16 Lots Southern Outpost

Speaking of Newport on the Levee, the south-of-the-river location of 16 Lots Brewing Co. has outdoor seating with gorgeous river views – a perfect spot to take a break when your dog is tuckered out from walking. Like Wooden Cask, it serves a brand new food menu; therefore, furry friends are not allowed inside. With 16 Lots’ view, though, who would want to sit inside?

Alexandria Brewing Co.

Another beloved brewery for locals, Alexandria Brewing allows dogs on its patio. It’s also family friendly, and it boasts a large

Bark Park and Patio’s interior. Photo by Maria Hehman | LINK nky contributor

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assortment of arcade games and activities to keep kids entertained. Alexandria Brewing serves food from Bender Pub Grub to pair with their beers.

Bircus Brewing

This circus-brewery hybrid is one of the most original breweries one can visit. Inside, though pets aren’t permitted, guests can order wood-fired pizzas and watch live circus acts. Guests can bring their furry friends to the secluded side patio to enjoy a brew or two along with their pizzas.

Bark Park and Patio

Bark Park and Patio was designed around the idea of having a space where dogs are always welcome. For owners who want to give their dog free rein, Bark is the best spot. Owners are treated to a convenient taproom experience in which they are their own bartenders: Guests here pay for and then pour their own drinks. There are 20 options, many from local breweries.

Dogs must be leashed in the taproom and on the patio, but they can be let off to play in the park area. All guests must sign waivers whether or not they bring a pet. Guests who bring dogs should visit Bark’s website before visiting for details of the regulations.

Covington Yard

Covington Yard is an ideal – and extremely popular – spot for dog owners to visit. It’s in a central location, which tons of space so that even pets on a leash will feel free. There’s almost always another pet or two to make friends with.

Covington Yard also has many accommodations for pets, from water stations to treats. Pets are treated as a priority here, so they may be a bit spoiled with extra love from staff and strangers.

Barleycorn’s Brewhouse

One shouldn’t have to choose between bringing man’s best friend and enjoying a nice dinner. Barleycorn’s Brewhouse encourages guests to bring their pets to enjoy dinner and drinks on its spacious patio. They serve many favorites from the restaurant’s original locations. Barleycorn’s Brew-

NORTHERN KENTUCKY

house goes one step further by having a pet relief area, ensuring an enjoyable experience for everyone.

859 Taproom and Grill

Florence friends don’t have to go to Covington just to bring their pets along. 859 Taproom and Grill’s patio is a great place to spend summer nights with the entire family. They have the largest selection of beers in Northern Kentucky, no really their beer wall has over sixty beers on tap. Their patio is best enjoyed in the warm months, but it’s open year round so that no matter the time of year, your pets can enjoy an evening out too.

What to Know If You Go

Braxton Brewery Covington

27 W Seventh St., Covington.

Braxton Barrel House

5 Orphanage Road, Fort Mitchell

Fabled Brew Works

331 Kenton Lands Road, Suite 300, Erlanger

Wooden Cask Brewing Co

629 York St., Newport

Wooden Cask at the Levee

1 Levee Way, Newport

16 Lots Southern Outpost

1 Levee Way, Suite 2118, Newport

Alexandria Brewing Co.

7926 Alexandria Pike, Ste 1, Alexandria

Bircus Brewing

322 Elm St., Ludlow

Bark Park and Patio

7544 Burlington Pike, Florence

Covington Yard

401 Greenup St., Covington

Barleycorn’s Brewhouse

402 Licking Pike, Wilder

859 Taproom and Grill

8720 Bankers Street, Florence

A very happy Rory at Braxton Barrel House in Fort Mitchell. Photo by Maria Hehman | LINK nky contributor

Rory and Nala investigate the turf at Covington Yard. Photo by Maria Hehman | LINK nky contributor

By Nathan Granger

TLocal leaders discuss affordable housing crisis

he Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce held its monthly Eggs ‘n Issues breakfast and panel on April 16. Leaders from several regional organizations discussed affordable housing, or rather, what they called income-aligned housing.

Income-aligned housing refers to housing that meets the needs of people regardless of their take-home income.

The panel consisted of three people: Building Industry Association of Northern Kentucky Executive Vice President Brian Miller, Northern Kentucky Area Development District Executive Director Tara Johnson Noem and Kenton County Planning and Development Services Executive Director Sharmili Reddy. The panel was moderated by Wade Williams, director of economic development for the Montrose Group.

There were two main issues related to affordable housing, Williams said, setting the stage for the discussion: a drop in labor participation rates and a shortage of housing in the region.

As it related to housing, the panel frequently cited a September study from the Northern Kentucky Area Development District that assessed the housing situation in the nine most northern counties in Kentucky. The study suggested that those nine counties need “to build 6,650 housing units to support economic development in the next five years, which equates to 1,330 units per year” in order to close the gap between supply and demand.

Williams posed questions about how to deal with those two key issues and other issues relating to them.

“The income-aligned conversation is about having a wider variety of housing types,” Noem said, “and that’s what the study really showed is we have needs across the spectrum.”

Williams asked Miller about how the home building sector was responding to this state of affairs. Miller replied by arguing that

regulations related to housing construction had the effect of ratcheting up housing prices, a point he’s discussed in the past.

“If you raise the cost of a home by $1,000, you’re pricing out somewhere around 1,100 families from being able to afford that home,” Miller said.

He added that simply building about 6,000 new apartments alone won’t solve the problem, even if there is a dearth of affordable rentals in the region. Lowering interest rates won’t be enough either, he argued. Mechanisms also need to be created to help new home buyers purchase property within the existing housing stock and incentivize existing property owners to sell, he said, noting rates of property resales have declined recently.

Williams asked Reddy about a phenomenon called NIMBYism, an acronym that stands for Not In My Back Yard, whereby community members will protest new developments near their neighborhoods. Reddy said that, actually, NIMBYs had been subsumed by a new phenomenon called “CAVEs, which is Citizens Against Virtually

Everything.”

Reddy said that most people who protest new developments are often worried about increased density, increased traffic, property value decline and the incursion of Housing Choice Voucher, or Section 8, recipients into new areas.

She also discussed the county’s update to its comprehensive plan, which is currently undergoing its public input process. She encouraged attendees to contribute to the planning process and argued that no one sector or institution would be able to solve the problem. Developers and governments must work together to pinpoint key development sites that would provide viable income-aligned housing.

“There’s a whole slew of strategies that are needed, definitely on the public policy side, to move this conversation forward, but it’s going to have to happen in partnership with the private sector,” Reddy said.

Toward the end of the talk, Miller discussed how the problem may have been even deeper than the housing study suggested,

saying that prices on houses needed to decline dramatically to attract new prospective buyers. Miller said that, if you were to take out all of the pricing factors he mentioned before, the region needs to attract about 60,000 prospective buyers, only 10% of whom could ever be expected to finalize the purchase of a home in the region.

“To get 60,000 buyers into the market in the next 10 years, we need to reduce the cost of a new home by $58,900 average,” Miller said. “How in the world we were going to do that?”

Miller said that the biggest regulatory hurdles in the region were land regulations and infrastructure costs. Land regulation reform would likely need to occur at the federal level, he argued. Luckily, he said, the region is already addressing the latter problem by taking a region-wide approach to infrastructure, citing groups like the area development district as well as the sanitation and water districts as examples of regional institutions.

“We all need to come together and address all this,” Miller said.

Learn more at

Wade Williams of the Montrose Group, from left, Brian Miller, executive vice president of the Building Industry Association of Northern Kentucky, Tara Johnson Noem, executive director of the Northern Kentucky Area Development District, and Sharmili Reddy, executive director of Kenton County Planning and Development Services, at the April 16 Eggs ’n Issues breakfast. Photo by Nathan Granger | LINK nky

By Haley Parnell

ONonprofit empowers girls through woodworking

h She Built That inspires girls to explore STEM careers through woodworking education and workshops.

The nonprofit organization takes its traveling workshop to places like Northern Kentucky public schools, libraries and the Girl Scouts. They serve “girls and gender-expansive youth” aged 9-18. The organization was created in 2021 but took off in 2023, according to its founder, Hope Lysaght.

“We try to have a twofold mission, where we like to teach about woodworking, but also careers in construction and different things that girls can pursue,” Lysaght said. “But then also we focus on the other side of it, like self-confidence, overcoming mistakes and resiliency.”

Lysaght came up with the idea for Oh She Built That after taking up woodworking as a hobby during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I just kept thinking like, ‘Man, I wish I had this as a kid,’” she said. “All these different

things, like the perfectionist in me started to see that little mistakes didn’t bother me as much anymore…. So, I just saw a lot of growth with woodworking that felt like it could really be impactful for kids as well.”

Lysaght quit her corporate job to begin her traveling workshop.

The organization’s name came after a comment made to her during a trip to Menards.

“We were at Menards one day, and I was buying all this wood, and my husband was with me at the time, and we were leaving, and an older guy said, ‘I guess she’s going to have you working on some project this weekend’ or something like that,” she said. “And he just responded like, ‘Oh, she’s building that.’ And so, it sort of stemmed from that.”

The classes range from one hour to threeday, two-hour workshops that get worked on after school.

It also offer two types of projects. One is an independent project that the girls build, decorate independently however they want, and then take home. Past independent projects have been jewelry displays, birdhouses, s’mores supplies, carriers and wooden speakers for phones.

One of the schools that the organization has worked with is Collins Elementary School in Florence.

“The student response to the Oh She Built That at Collins Elementary has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Garrett Griffith, coordinator of the Collins Elementary Family Resource Center. “One hundred percent of participants expressed their willingness to participate again, with over 90% reporting increased self-confidence.

“Additionally,” Griffith said, “teachers and parents noted that participants broke out from their usual social circles to make new friends and demonstrated enhanced problem-solving skills following their participation in Oh She Built That.”

Griffith said Collins Elementary offered the program because of Lysaght and Oh She

Built That’s ability to engage young girls from diverse backgrounds, encouraging collaboration and personal growth.

In November, Oh She Built That held a workshop at the Fort Thomas branch of the Campbell County Library. Jennifer Gooch, children’s services librarian, said that, as she promoted the program, she saw “so much excitement among patrons about woodworking.” During the program, she said she enjoyed watching the teens bond over Taylor Swift and their bookshelf creations.

Gooch said that, when the library offered another workshop with Oh She Built That this spring, registration and the waiting list filled immediately.

“Some attendees were so excited that they showed up almost two hours before the program started,” she said. “A few teens from the fall program returned for the spring class, and you could see the difference in their confidence compared to the fall session.”

The Fort Thomas branch will offer another workshop with Oh She Built That on June 17.

The organization also does community projects, which Lysaght said is more popular among groups like the Girl Scouts. They have built things like lending boxes for libraries and birdhouses for parks, and they are working this month on building garden beds for a school.

Taylor Mill Elementary School student Olive Williams participated in Oh She Built That in March. The 10-year-old built a jewelry display over three days after school.

“We had to drill different boards together, and then we put the doors on, and we also drilled in different hooks and hinges to open a door on it,” she said. “And we also got to paint the project.”

Williams said she liked the painting aspect of the project the most. “I like painting because I like that you can do whatever; it’s creative,” she said. “You can be creative, and there’s no strict thing that you have to do with it.”

Oh She Built That workshop. Photo provided | Hope Lysaght

Williams said that, through the class, she learned that it’s OK to make mistakes.

The organization is funded mostly through individual donations, but it also has received some grants and corporate sponsorships.

“A benefit that I didn’t really expect, I would say, in about 80% of our programs, a lot of the girls will say things like, ‘I get to go home and show my dad I get to use the drill now,’” Lysaght said. “Or ‘I get to use my dad’s drill. I can show my dad I can build with him.’ We call it that Taylor Swift effect, where you know girls are watching football with their dads now.”

Here is the list of the groups and schools

Oh She Built That has partnered with:

• Hillard Collins Elementary

• North Pointe Elementary

• Covington Classical

• Connor Middle School

• Boone County Library

• Campbell County Library, Fort Thomas branch

• Ockerman Elementary School

• Bellevue Middle School

• Bellevue High School

• Taylor Mill Elementary School

• Stephens Elementary School

• Twenhofel Middle School

• Girl Scouts-Boone County

• Girl Scouts-Taylor Mill

• Girl Scouts-Erlanger

Learn more at ohshebuiltthat.com.

Oh She Built That workshop. Photo provided | Hope Lysaght

Oh She Built That workshop. Photo provided | Hope Lysaght

Oh She Built That workshop. Photo provided | Hope Lysaght

Covington acts to preserve blighted Duveneck House

By Haley Parnell

In January, Covington sued the Frank Duveneck Arts and Cultural Center, owner of the Duveneck House on Greenup Street, to act as a conservator for the “blighted building.”

The city is looking to restore the historic building, located at 1232 Greenup St., named after the famous local artist who lived there.

Kenton County Circuit Court Judge (Mary) Kate Molloy heard the court trial on April 5. She took testimony from several city officials and the property owner, Charles Alexander. According to the city, the judge ruled that the house was found to be dilapidated and not in compliance with codes, but Alexander was given until the end of July to find funding and make the repairs or begin making repairs.

Covington used a new legal tool, the Abandoned and Blighted Property Conservator-

ship Act, enacted in 2022, to bring an action to appoint a conservator to take possession and undertake the rehabilitation of an abandoned or blighted building. In the initial petition, Covington outlines its rehabilitation plan to help stabilize the building, estimated to cost at least $155,000, or more if additional problems are discovered.

Three Covington officials – Walt Mace, assistant neighborhood services director, Joe Meimann, code enforcement manager, and Archie Ice, housing development specialist – all testified on the city’s behalf. They spoke about the Duveneck House’s condition and the repeated property violations for which Alexander was cited over the years.

According to the city, if Alexander doesn’t meet the court deadline, Molloy will appoint a conservator, which may or may not be the city.

“We’re thrilled that the judge agrees with us that the condition of the property is tak-

en to the point where something absolutely needs to be done, that those actions have not been taken,” said Dan Hassert, Covington’s communications manager. “Whether it’s us who eventually fixes up the building or somebody hired by Mr. Alexander, we don’t care; we just want the building stabilized and preserved. That’s all we ever wanted, and it looks like, with this, we’ll get that done as soon as possible. We’re thrilled with this outcome.”

LINK nky contacted Alexander’s attorney, Erik Wilbekin, for comment, but we have yet to hear back.

The city wants to preserve the property because it was where renowned artist, sculptor and teacher Frank Duveneck grew up. His stepfather built the home in 1861. The family operated a beer garden there, and it was expanded in 1875. He eventually returned to live there full-time; Duveneck painted in the studio built behind the house around 1900 and was living there when he died in 1919.

Duveneck is considered one of the most celebrated American artists of the late 19th century and early 20th century. He painted in the style of Realism, and his work can be seen at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the Cincinnati Art Museum, among other institutions.

The Duveneck House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on Sept.

29, 2015, according to the Kentucky Heritage Council.

“We just want it stabilized and preserved as a piece of cultural and art history,” Hassert said. “And it also is a detriment to the neighbors. Hopefully, eventually, it will be put into some productive, interesting use after it’s stabilized.”

A resident from Covington’s Austinburg neighborhood, Joanie Brun, told LINK nky in February that she would like to see the house preserved and offered some thoughts on how she would like to see the space used.

“I was absolutely amazed when I discovered that Frank Duveneck’s former home, which should have been preserved to honor the late artist, is currently in a state of disrepair,” Brun said. “Architecture has always held a special place in my heart, just like many others before me. As an artist myself, I found inspiration in Duveneck’s house, which motivated me to focus my senior thesis on raising awareness about the condition of this historic landmark.”

Defects on the exterior of the property, as listed by Covington in the petition, include:

• It has an open foundation that allows water and animals in.

• The south wall is bowing and is no longer stable.

• The house’s “balloon frame” makes it a fire hazard.

• The roof is in disrepair and endangers the structural integrity of the building.

Duveneck House in Covington. Photo provided | Covington

Duveneck House in Covington. Photo provided | Covington

Covington celebrates Point Perk’s renovation with ribbon-cutting

“A big shoutout to the city of Covington for always being there for us,” she said. “I appreciate it so much.”

Affordable housing tops residents’ concerns on county comprehensive plan

Point Perk Coffee, at 43 W. Pike St. in Covington, celebrated its grand reopening after completing significant interior and exterior renovations.

While the coffee shop reopened from its renovations in July 2023, Covington hosted the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the business to commemorate its workers’ service to the community and impact on the city. The ceremony included live music, T-shirt printing, grilling out and the unveiling of a new signature drink, Love The Cov, which includes raspberry and chocolate-chip flavoring.

“We’re celebrating one of our businesses that’s been here for over 50 years – 50 years of doing good work in our community,” Covington Vice Mayor Ron Washington said.

Last year’s renovations included a complete remodel of its front room, relocation of the coffee bar, replacement of the floors, and installation of new countertops, sinks, cabinets and waterlines. Since then, Point Perk has added a new walkup window, garage doors on both Pike and Seventh streets, more sidewalk seating, and extended hours during spring and summer months.

Leslie Vickers, vice president of The Point/ Arc of Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati, thanked the City of Covington for backing them through the years.

Members of Kenton County Planning and Development Services on April 10 attended a meeting of the Eastside + Neighborhood Association in Covington. They held discussions with residents about what they wanted to see in the county’s comprehensive plan update. One topic stood out among all of the discussion groups: affordable housing.

“I just want middle-class people to be able to buy a home,” said Eastside resident Scott Banford. “Working people have a right to buy a home to pass on some wealth.”

The county comprehensive plan is required to be updated every five years. It serves as a set of recommendations for zoning and development throughout the county. Although many cities have their own zoning regulations, the comprehensive plan serves as a template for cities to follow to ensure development cohesion among the county’s many jurisdictions. Public service agencies and organizations also use comprehensive plans when setting policies.

Andy Videkovich, Kenton County Planning and Development Services’ planning manager, led the session. He spoke about how important the plan was for different jurisdictions and service agencies to plan for the future.

“We’ve got TANK that does the public transit, we’ve got [BE NKY] that does economic development. All of the cities have their own parks departments and stuff, and so the comprehensive plan is really intended to bring that all together under one roof, if you will, and put it all together,” Videkovich said.

Florence restaurants sued for serving teen alcohol before severe injury

“It’s not hard to be safe and card people.”

That’s what a Northern Kentucky family’s attorney is saying after he says alcohol contributed to a March 2023 incident that severely injured 19-year-old Sean Smith.

The Smith family, which lives in Erlanger, is suing two Florence restaurants, Twin Peaks and KickShot Billiards, for allegedly serving alcohol to minors and gross negligence. They’re also suing FAT Brands, which owns Twin Peaks, for negligence.

“In this case, this Twin Peaks chose not to card a table full of kids. They chose to serve [Sean] shots and beers,” said David Barber, the attorney representing the family.

Barber said alcohol contributed to the March 2023 incident that resulted in Sean Smith’s suffering severe and potentially fatal injuries. Smith and his group left the restaurants to go to a state park. Sean was sitting on the back of a car when the driver took off, and Sean hit the ground. Barber said he was conscious for a short period of time before he was airlifted to the hospital.

“Sean … broke multiple bones in his skull and in his spine, and suffered [a] brain stem injury that has left him basically in a

coma ever since,” Barber said.

Barber said Sean was with other minors at the time.

“This Twin Peaks was known locally to this group of kids that Sean was with as a place where they can go and order alcohol without being carded. That’s why they went there,” Barber said. “Kentucky law says if Twin Peaks makes that choice to serve a minor then they’re responsible for what happens later.”

Barber said the group briefly stopped at Kickshots after they were served at Twin Peaks. “The group was served a bucket of alcoholic beverages without being ID’d, and then those were shared. That’s also against Kentucky law,” he said.

Barber said Smith’s condition is worsening and the family is approaching $3 million in medical bills. “They’re going to have to make some really tough choices before long,” he said.

Barber said the family hopes to prevent this from happening to another family, and they want Twin Peaks and Kickshots to be held accountable.

LINK nky content partner WCPO 9 contacted Twin Peaks, Kickshots and FAT Brands for statements. They have yet to respond.

Impact report details robust 2023 growth across Covington

Covington recently released its 2023 economic impact report, which tracks the city’s economic growth and development over the past year.

“I’ve heard people say they can ‘feel’ the energy in Covington,” Covington Business Attraction Manager Susan Smith said in a city announcement. “AGNT [the contracted design studio who made the report] did a great job of capturing it throughout this impact report. The momentum continues, thanks to all those who believe and invest in The Cov.”

Continues on page 12

Point Perk owner Judie Gerding cutting the ribbon to Point Perk, along with some of her employees and members of the Covington city commission.

Photo by Kenton Hornbeck | LINK nky

Sophie Roberto of Kenton County Planning and Development Services, left, discusses the county’s comprehensive plan with Eastside neighborhood residents. Photo by Nathan Granger | LINK nky

Sean Smith. Photo provided | David Barber

Highlights from the report include the following milestones:

• 969 new and retained jobs.

• $55.9 million leveraged in private investments.

• $76,116 in incentives for small businesses.

• 22 city-organized ribbon cuttings.

• 146,000 square feet in the first new speculative industrial building in Covington in decades – the new commerce center in Latonia.

KungBrew Cafe opens in Covington with

Asian inspiration

KungBrew Café is now open; its official opening day was April 17.

KungBrew, at 640 Main St., is Covington’s newest Asian-inspired café. It sells coffee, bubble tea and traditional gongfu-style tea in a historic home. On opening day, the café

was pouring free tea on the second floor. It will have full coffee, tea and pastry menus available.

Regular hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. It’s closed on Mondays.

Kenton library director talks branch expansions, plans for future growth

Kenton County Public Library’s director gave an update on the progress of the public libraries at the February Kenton County Fiscal Court Meeting.

Dave Schroeder traced expansions of the system’s branches over the past nine years, starting with Covington, then Erlanger, Independence and finally the Latonia branch, which is set to open this fall. In addition, the library administration building was completed in 2018.

Schroeder described how the system per-

severed through COVID-19 during this process. “We were very fortunate that we have drive-throughs in all of our locations, so we were able to be up and running before most libraries in the state. We had a glass barrier between us and patrons. I will tell you as soon as the state allowed us to open, we opened that day. We had a four hourlong waiting line to get books [the first day open].”

In the future, Schroeder said he is hoping to work toward participating in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. His overall goals include using the libraries’ expansions that have been done for good in the community.

“Not only is Dave an elite professional administrator of libraries, but you can tell every time he talks how much he believes in Kenton County,” said John Stanton, external affairs representative. “There is the added benefit of not just having an elite professional administrator of the library system, but to have someone who thinks about the Kenton County angle on things.”

Coyotes will be raising pups soon. What to do if you encounter one

Coyote mating season in Kentucky is from January to March, and they raise their pups through the summer. As a result, coyote visibility, even in suburban areas, tends to be higher this time of the year.

“Coyote sightings increase during certain times of the year,” according to the Ken-

tucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. “Coyotes roam more as breeding season begins in January and February. Their visibility continues into July as they care for their new pups. Sightings pick up again in the fall, when juveniles disperse to find their own territories.” Coyotes are highly adaptable, meaning they can live in a variety of environments, even urban ones. You may even have seen one yourself. Luckily, coyotes tend to be timid around humans, but there are still some tips you should follow if you encounter one.

Follow these tips from the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources if a coyote approaches you:

• Try to scare it away immediately. Don’t stand and watch it.

• Shout, whistle, clap your hands, stomp your feet and make loud noise.

• Wave your arms, widen your stance or wave a walking stick – anything to make you look bigger.

• Establish dominance: Take a step or lunge toward the coyote. Throw a rock or stick in its direction, but not directly at it.

• Pick up small dogs and children.

• Keep scaring the coyote until it’s out of sight.

• Coyotes will protect their pups, so stay away from dens. If you suspect a den is nearby, slowly back away from the area.

Share these solutions with neighbors so everyone works together.

Kentucky now allows for Public Notices to be published digitally on LINK nky’s website. You can find public notices for the following organizations on our site at https://linkreader.column.us/search

LEGAL NOTICE

On Wednesday May 8th, Thursday May 9th, Friday May 10th, Monday May 13th, Tuesday May 14th and Wednesday May 15th the Campbell County Clerk’s office will offer inoffice excused absentee voting from 8:30 to 4:00 p.m. in room 205 at The Campbell County Administration Building located at 1098 Monmouth St. Newport, KY 41071. On May 16th, 17th and 18th from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., the Campbell County Clerk’s office will offer no excuse absentee early voting at the following three locations: Campbell County Administration Building, 1098 Monmouth St. Newport, KY 41071. First Baptist Church of Cold Spring, 4410 Alexandria Pike Cold Spring, KY 41076. Southern Campbell Fire Department, 1050 Race Track Rd. Alexandria, KY 41001. If you have any questions please contact our Election Office at (859) 292-3885.

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Dave Schroeder. Photo provided | Kenton County Public Library

Hana Chu stands in front of the counter at KungBrew Cafe -- an upcoming tea and coffee cafe in Covington’s MainStrasse Village. Photo by Kenton Hornbeck | LINK nky

April May

Great American Cleanup, 8:30-11 a.m., Florence Maintenance Facility, 7850 Tanners Lane, Florence. Volunteers will register at 8:30 a.m., receive cleaning supplies and then be transported to various locations in the city at 9 a.m. to pick up litter along roadways. Free lunch will be served at noon. All ages welcome. For information and to sign up: Write to victoria.riley@ florence-ky.gov or call 859-647-5425.

National Civics Bee, 10 a.m.-noon, NKU Student Union, Room 107, 20 Kenton Drive, Highland Heights. Cheer on Kentucky middle school students in the 2024 National Civics Bee, organized in partnership with the Civic Trust of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Information: nkychamber.com or 859-578-8800.

Women’s Initiative April Connect Hour, 4:30-6:30 p.m., Furniture Fair, 3710 Alexandria Pike, Cold Spring. Monthly networking event for NKY Chamber current or potential members. Nonprofit spotlight: St. Vincent de Paul. Information: nkychamber.com or 859-578-8800.

Boone County Fiscal Court caucus meeting, 1-3 p.m., Boone County Fiscal Courtroom, 2950 Washington St., Burlington. Information: boonecountyky.org or 859-334-3571.

Hard hat tour, 4-4:30 p.m., Landwehr Building, 826 Madison Ave., Covington. Covington Business Council’s April hard hat tour at the former Landwehr Building. Followed until 6 p.m. by After Hours Social at the Globe, 12 E. Fifth St., Covington. Information: acarleski@cbcky.com.

For more events, scan the QR code or visit: https://linknky.com/events/

Campbell County Fiscal Court meeting, 5:306:30 p.m., Alexandria Courthouse, 8352 E Main St., Alexandria.

Southgate City Council meeting, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Southgate City Building, 122 Electric Ave., Southgate. Information: southgateky.org/mayor-city-council.

Boone County Planning Commission meeting, 7-8 p.m., Boone County Fiscal Court, 2950 Washington St., Burlington. Information: covingtonky.gov.

Independence Business Council social, 5-7 p.m., LaRosa’s, 2047 Harrison Pike, Independence. Information: acarleski@ cbcky.com.

Alexandria City Council meeting, 7-8 p.m., Alexandria City Building, 8236 W. Main St., Alexandria.

Ovation is an urban mixed-use development that sits at the confluence of the Ohio and Licking Rivers in Northern Kentucky. It is a vibrant riverfront destination that bridges the cities in the region, connects residents and the community directly to the rivers, and enables everyone to be transformed by the incredible river views combined with a boardwalk that transcends time and activates all your senses.

Historic home offers river views, unique property

Address: 416 Riverside Drive, Covington

Price: $1,750,000

Bedrooms: Four

Bathrooms: Three

School district: Covington Independent

Square footage: 2,988

County: Kenton

Special features: This historic 1914 home in the Licking River Historic District has been renovated and expanded to include a main house with four bedrooms, three full baths and a carriage house with a garage and one-bedroom apartment above. The property offers sweeping views of the Ohio River and the Cincinnati skyline, and it is near parks, restaurants, entertainment venues and downtown Cincinnati.

An exterior view of this Licking River Historic District home. Photo provided | Timothy Roberts and Kathleen Comisar with Comey & Shepherd

This property offers a patio and carriage house with a one-bedroom apartment. Photo provided | Timothy Roberts and Kathleen Comisar with Comey & Shepherd

This historic home offers sweeping views of the Ohio River and Cincinnati skyline. Photo provided | Timothy Roberts and Kathleen Comisar with Comey & Shepherd

Streetscapes takes break with local chains at Crestview

By Maria Hehman

This week, Streetscapes heads to Crestview Hills, where we visit outposts of three locally owned chains. We’ll sample Thai and Belgian cuisine, then finish off with some unique desserts.

Asiana Thai and Sushi

Asiana’s desserts can’t be overlooked. Fried banana and ice cream is an ideal sweet treat to cool diners down after some spicy food. For a more refreshing option, their mango and Thai sticky rice is delightful.

Asiana’s space is limited, but there’s sidewalk seating in warmer months. Lunch specials are ideal for those on a short lunch break or in need of a break from shopping.

Taste of Belgium

Taste of Belgium got its start in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine in 2007, and the food quickly became some of the most coveted in the area. Belgian waffles and frites have since taken over hearts and stomachs across Greater Cincinnati as Taste of Belgium has grown to nine Tri-State locations. The Crestview location is the only one in Northern Kentucky.

es!) and its gourmet pop tarts.

Crepes, salads and a whole lot of handheld options complete the menu, with ample options in both Belgian and American cuisines. There’s indoor and outdoor seating; with its recent facelift, the interior is as picturesque as the food is delicious.

For guests wanting drinks and light bites, the side patio is the perfect spot to grab after-work drinks.

Milk Jar Cafe

Milk Jar serves guests a taste of childhood with three unique dessert offerings.

The Cincinnati-based chain has seven locations north of the Ohio River. NKY is home to the newest location, in Crestview.

The last offering is straight from every kid’s dream: cereal bowls. Not just cereal and milk, these cereal creations pair your childhood favorite breakfast with candy, cookies and any topping guests choose.

With its original location in Cincinnati’s Hyde Park neighborhood garnering success and a loyal fanbase, Asiana opened its second location in Northern Kentucky.

Asiana serves traditional Thai food, broken down into stir fry choices, noodles, fried rice and curries. It of course offers pad thai, but it also offers a twist on this popular traditional dish, Asiana crispy pad thai. It’s got the same peanut flavor with an added crunch. The Siam fried rice or massaman curry are noteworthy choices for those not wanting noodles. All entrees are customizable with choices of proteins: chicken, tofu, veggie, beef, pork, shrimp, scallops or even squid.

Asiana serves sushi a la carte for those wanting to sample new flavors without committing to an entire roll. There are plenty of rolls, too, from traditional options like California and Philly rolls to larger, speciality rolls.

ToB restaurant is best known for its breakfast and brunch offerings – from waffle and chicken to goetta hash – that beautifully blend Belgian classics with Cincinnati staples. Both those items are available all day, along with a few other breakfast dishes. For lunch and dinner, there’s also mussels, Brussels sprouts, and frites and dips as appetizers. Along with a recent remodeling, ToB brought back beloved staples including the original frites (with dipping sauc-

Milk Jar took some of the most popular desserts in the nation and brought them to the area. Guests no longer have to dream of desserts from viral videos; they now can experience these tasty treats in real life.

Milk Jar’s first offering is Thai rolled ice cream. Milk and cream are poured on an anti-griddle (a fancy device that flash-freezes the liquid), where it’s mixed with various toppings and thinned out before being rolled into swirls of ice cream. There are a dozen flavors and over 40 toppings, from fruit to candy to cookies and sauces.

The second offering is tea. By name alone teas may seem, uhh, boring, but these are anything but. What makes them a dessert and not a basic beverage is what’s added. Milk Jar has milk teas, fruit teas and milkies (think a melted milkshake) on the menu –all of which come in endless options.

Drinks can be customized with a milk cap (a sweetened cream cheese foam), boba or jellies. Thai tea milk tea and the matcha latte are perfect for those who want classic tea flavors with some sweetness. Milkies are for the sweet tooth fanatic. From Oreo to Taro, these drinks will please every palate.

What to Know If You Go

Asiana Thai and Sushi

Location: 2886 Town Center Blvd., Crestview Hills

Hours: Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., 5-8:30 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., 5 p.m.9 p.m.; Saturday, noon-9 p.m.; Sunday, noon-7 p.m.

Website: asianathaisushi.com

Phone: 859-578-9999

Taste Of Belgium

Location: 2833 Dixie Highway, Crestview Hills

Hours: Monday-Tuesday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.; Wednesday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Website: authenticwaffle.com Phone: 859-341-1400

Milk Jar Cafe

Location: 2870 Town Center Blvd., Crestview Hills

Hours: Sunday-Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Website: milkjarcafe.com

Asiana Thai and Sushi makes for a great break from shopping. Photo by Maria Hehman | LINK nky contributor

Milk Jar is an ultimate unique dessert stop. Photo by Maria Hehman | LINK nky contributor

Aperol spritz on Taste of Belgium’s side patio. Photo by Maria Hehman | LINK nky contributor

Ludlow pitchers exceed expectations under returning coach Stamm

By Marc Hardin

There is information inside the numbers. Ludlow High School’s Aaron Stamm has known that for as long as he’s been reading box scores.

Upon his promotion from assistant to Panthers head baseball coach, one of the things Stamm did was remind himself of the previous season’s production. He took a look at the numbers his players put up in 2023 to get an idea what to expect in 2024.

The Panthers’ .257 team batting average last year needed improvement. The bloated ERA of nearly 5 runs per game needed a lot of improvement.

“I know our hitters are better than that and the pitching is definitely better than that,” Stamm said. “As it turns out, it’s our pitching this year that’s carrying us, and we’re finding creative ways to score runs.”

It is Stamm’s first year back as Ludlow head baseball coach. It’s his second head-coaching stint with the team following a 13-year break. He last helmed Ludlow in 200910. Stamm has been former head coach Woody McMillen’s assistant while also coaching the Ludlow boys basketball team, so he is familiar with the baseball players.

“Look at the roster, and you realize what our pitching staff is capable of,” Stamm said. “Jackson Mays is back, and there’s talent behind him. I know we had to be better.”

It turns out Stamm had more than a hunch.

Ludlow pitchers did the improbable. They cut last season’s team ERA virtually in half. After the first 15 games, it stood at 2.26. Last season, it was 4.99.

“Our pitching is definitely better,” said senior hurler Joey Eads.

Some of the differences are striking. Eads lowered his ERA from last year’s 7.00 to a team-best 0.94. He struck out 28 batters in his first 22 innings pitched. He won three games in five starts. Last season, he won one game in nine starts.

Senior Prescott Baer lowered his ERA from 16.80 to 2.89. Last year, he had four strikeouts in five appearances. This year, he already had 19 strikeouts in his first seven appearances with a win and a save.

Sophomore Parker Trenkamp’s ERA went from 5.25 to 2.92. He fanned 12 batters in his first 12 innings, mostly in relief, while picking up a pair of wins. Last year he fanned five in 13 innings.

Meanwhile, Mays keeps rolling along. The sophomore ace’s ERA after the first month reached as low as 1.65 with 29 strikeouts and just four walks in his first 17 innings covering three starts. His three victories tied Eads for the team lead. Last year, Mays

posted an ERA of 2.80.

“It’s tough to give Jackson a lot of innings because he also catches and plays shortstop,” Stamm said. “Joey and Prescott want the ball.”

Juniors Joseph Scott and Gabe Payne and eighth grader Miller Reed give the Panthers important contributions out of the bullpen.

“We work on a bunch of things, but what I think helps is they are a year older, stronger and their pitches are faster,” Stamm said. “They’re learning how to pitch.”

With all the instruction, the learning curve isn’t too steep for Stamm’s hurlers. As a result, they are getting outs.

“Even though he’s been around, having a new head coach is a big change for us and for him,” said Mays, who led the team with a .355 batting average. “He’s coaching two sports, so we thought we’d try to make it easier on him.”

The Panthers won their first three games and five of the first seven. They put together a 4-1 record against Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference Division III foes. It added up to a 10-6 record after the first four weeks of the schedule. By comparison, the Panthers won 15 games all of last season. At their current rate, they could surpass the 2023 total before the close of the month.

Eads is hoping April victories bring May mysteries to opponents.

“Winning gives us a good feeling,” Eads said. “Coach has really built up my confidence. We may not be what some people expect. We could be better.”

Mays agrees.

“Our pitchers, we are doing very well,” he said, “but we couldn’t do it without the guys in the field. I think we’ve improved on defense, too. It must be all the drills.”

Much like his predecessor, Stamm believes in repetition and fun learning. “Our players take pride in what they’re doing,” he said. “They do the right thing.”

Even so, the coach is encouraging more thievery to manufacture more runs.

“We’re stressing the importance of getting to first so we can utilize our great speed and steal more bases,” said Stamm, whose squad is successful in stealing nearly 90% of the time. “The key is getting on base more, and we’re working on that.”

Ludlow baseball coach Aaron Stamm speaks to one of his players during a contest last season. Photo provided | Ludlow baseball Facebook page

The Panthers’ Prescott Baer readies for a pitch in a recent home baseball game. Photo provided | Ludlow baseball Facebook page

Sophomore Jackson Mays, shown here catching, is one of the best all-around players on the Ludlow baseball team. Photo provided | Ludlow baseball Facebook page

Boys soccer coach resigns from Cooper after 11 seasons

Cooper High School boys soccer coach Doug Flesch has stepped down after 11 successful record-breaking seasons.

Flesch, who works outside the school, said it’s the right decision from a family standpoint and also what’s best for the players.

Cooper athletic director Randy Borchers recently posted the open job position, saying the school prefers a new soccer coach with experience as head of a program. The Jaguars finished 7-8-5 in 2023, with seven losses decided by a single goal. They made it to the 33rd District tournament final and were eliminated in the regional opener in double-overtime.

A new coach, the fifth in program history, will have big shoes to fill. Flesch leaves as the program’s all-time victory leader with a record of 123-78-25. His 11 seasons and 226 games coached are also program records. No other Cooper boys soccer coach lasted

more than two seasons. The program began with the opening of the school in 2008.

Flesch guided the Jaguars to a pair of 33rd District tournament championships and four region tournament wins. He nailed down Cooper’s first win in program history against perennial power Covington Catholic with a September victory in 2022.

All ‘A’ Classic state tourney brackets set for baseball, softball

The All “A” Classic state tournaments for baseball and softball will take place April 27-28.

The baseball tournament will be held at Eastern Kentucky University with quarterfinal play on April 27. The semifinals and championship will be April 28.

The softball tournament will be at Jack C. Fisher Park in Owensboro, starting with pool play April 27, followed by a single-elimination tournament April 28.

In baseball, Walton-Verona made it out of the 8th Region and Beechwood out of the 9th Region. Both will need to win their sectional games first to advance to the state tournament. If Walton-Verona won its sectional game against Kentucky Country Day on April 17, the team will take on Owensboro Catholic at 10 a.m. April 27. If Beechwood defeats Bracken County on April 21

in their sectional contest, it’ll face Sayre at 5:30 p.m. April 27.

Beechwood has won five All “A” state championships while Walton-Verona has reached the championship game once.

In softball, Holy Cross was the lone team to make it out of region play in the coverage area. The team gets underway with three pool-play games April 27 against Hancock County, Raceland and Somerset. To advance to Sunday’s single-elimination tournament, the Indians would have to finish in the top two of pool play.

No softball team from Northern Kentucky has ever won the All “A” state tournament.

Former Norse star named head coach at

Horizon League rival

Former NKU basketball player Ethan Faulkner has been named head coach at Youngstown State University. He is the 14th head coach in program history. Faulkner is in his sixth season with the Penguins. He joined the YSU staff in 2019 and was named associate head coach in 2022.

Faulkner was a key coaching component of the program’s first Division I regular-season conference championship and its first NIT berth. He helped put together Youngstown State’s best five-year stretch at the Division I level. YSU and NKU meet each season in Horizon League play.

Faulkner spent three seasons as an assistant coach at the University of the Cumberlands. He spent one season as an assistant at Mount Vernon Nazarene and one season as an assistant at NKU (2014-15). Faulkner ranks in the top 12 in NKU program history in career assists and all-time free throw shooting percentage. He’s a former Norse team captain.

More high school girls basketball coaching jobs open

Two more local small-school girls basketball programs are making changes in the head coach’s office. Villa Madonna is looking for a new coach after parting ways with Katie Kortekamp after three years. Villa Madonna finished 6-21 last season.

Dayton girls basketball coach Dave Hinton

has left the bench after three years. Dayton finished the recently completed season with a record of 8-21.

Beechwood, Ludlow and Newport Central Catholic also are undergoing head-coaching changes, while St. Henry has already made a hire with Dan Trame.

Ryle’s Smith commits to Louisville

Ryle junior football player Dillon Smith has committed to Louisville. It’s the Cardinals’ fourth commitment in the Class of 2025. Smith, a 6-foot-4, 250-pound defensive end, visited Louisville several times. He ranks No. 11 among Kentucky defensive linemen in his class.

Smith is the No. 103 defensive lineman in the nation, according to 247Sports. He registered 56 tackles last season. He also had eight sacks and three interceptions.

Thomas More celebrates new softball complex

Thomas More University celebrated the opening of its state-of-the-art softball complex with a ribbon-cutting ceremony April 13 before the Saints’ doubleheader against Ursuline College.

The school said extensive renovations feature on-field enhancements including replacement of outfield grass with turf and side fencing. Four turfed batting cages and two turfed bullpens were added, and there is a new scoreboard.

Additionally, netting along the third-base line, the outfield fence and windscreen, the backstop and netting are new. Set bleachers, concrete walkways and a concessions building are also new features. There is a new freestanding locker room. The athletic facility enhancements are part of the school’s “Strategic Plan – Lighting the Way.”

Former Cooper boys soccer coach Doug Flesch (far left) stands with his team. The coach recently resigned after 11 years. Photo provided | Bob Jackson

Ryle’s Dillon Smith recently committed to Louisville to continue his football career. Photo provided | Dillon Smith

Thomas More University has a new state-ofthe-art softball complex. Photo provided | TMU athletics

Beechwood’s new facilities: Laboratories for students’ success

By Nathan Granger

“I think we’re in an evolutionary period of public ed, where we had to evolve and do some things differently,” said Mike Stacy.

The Beechwood Independent Schools superintendent met with LINK nky last week to lead a tour of the district’s new facility and to talk about the district’s plans. Beechwood is constructing facilities that will expand its ability to provide more career and future planning options for its students.

The project’s goal, Stacy said, is to synthesize the conceptual or academic aspects of career education with the more practical and productive aspects of work. This will allow the district to meet the desires of both students who are interested in the conventional college preparatory course load and those more interested in the practical and productive.

As an example of what the district is hoping for, Stacy showed LINK the current engineering lab and classroom in the high school. Students split their time between the lab, where they can use equipment to make things, and a room that more closely resembles an office space. It offers computer screens on the walls and clusters of desks at which student groups can work and plan the projects they’ll eventually build.

Many schools will have the former facility but not the latter, Stacy said.

“With a regular engineer, they’re making the plans that are sent to manufacturing or the machine shop,” said Chris Chailland, who was teaching the engineering class. “We’re trying to give students an experience that sort of bridges that, where they can both fabricate and plan.”

One freshman student, Sloan Pangallo, was working on making an electromagnetic rotor with a 3-D printer. He found its design on the internet.

“We’re putting magnets on the rotor,” Pangallo said, “and, as the rotor spins and the magnets move, it generates energy. And that energy makes the rotor keep going.”

Stacy said the engineering lab served as a sort of proof of concept, and the goal was to replicate these kinds of facilities for all nine of the district’s career pathways.

The new facility’s exterior resembles the old Beechwood High School, torn down about three years ago and which the district couldn’t legally renovate due to its wooden infrastructure. Inside, however, the new facilities will have lab and learning spaces for medical trades; media, including FM radio and podcasting studios; an entrepreneurship lab; as well as environmental science and agricultural labs, among others.

Some rooms will even sport virtual reality

equipment that students can use in both career training programs as well as more conventional academic programs like chemistry, physics and foreign languages. With the expanded technological infrastructure, Stacy said, students from all over the commonwealth can actually network into classes to learn.

Other additions to the new facility include a new auditorium, a new elementary library, a student-run IT help desk, a coffee bar, meeting rooms, and other expanded spaces where students can work, study and socialize.

In addition to the construction, the district has partnered with 102 businesses that do hands-on seminars with late elementary and middle school grades, as well as several universities, to help build out the district’s career-planning infrastructure.

Overall, the new facilities will give students space to experiment on their own. That kind of education inevitably entails some failure, Stacy said, not necessarily in the students’ grades but in the endeavors they undertake in the classroom. They can learn in the safe environment of a school rather than out in the real world, where a mistake or failure might actually cause harm. This teaches the students to be resilient, Stacy said.

“We had to get in our students’ mindset that failure is a part of growth,” Stacy said. “Success is a mindset, and success isn’t winning every single time. If somebody beats you, tip your hat to them, go back to work, get better, find out how you can improve.”

Furthermore, the variety of options allows students to try things out. That way, if they learn they don’t like something, they’ll have time to try something else in public school before they go off to college or other postsecondary education institutions, where a switch in major or focus can end up being more costly.

“We’ll gladly celebrate them moving to a different pathway,” Stacy said.

Go to https://bit.ly/449QqAe to look at renderings of the new facilities. Stacy said the construction should be finished by autumn of this year.

‘Butch’ Callery, former Covington, Villa Hills Mayor, dies

Irvin T. “Butch” Callery, former mayor of both Covington and Villa Hills, died April 14. He was 83.

Callery served as Covington’s mayor from 2001 to 2008 and then as mayor of Villa Hills from 2015 through 2018. Before that, he served from 1980 to 2000 on the Covington City Commission.

“With 29 years in office in Covington, he is thought to have been the longest-serving elected official in the city’s history,” according to an announcement from the city of Covington. “He is also one of the few people – if not the only person – to have served as mayor of two different cities in Northern Kentucky. He was named the Elected Official of the Year in 2017 by the Kentucky League of Cities.”

Callery also was a member of the NKY Sports Hall of Fame and served as the coach for several local baseball and softball teams.

“Butch first entered politics as a fierce advocate for the Latonia neighborhood and wound up giving decades of his life to the residents of this community,” Joe

Meyer, Covington’s current mayor, said in the city’s announcement. “His love for Covington was rivaled only by his love for his wife, Joyce, to whom he was married for almost 52 years, and perhaps to the Cincinnati Reds.”

A funeral service was to be held April 18 at Connely Brothers Funeral Home in Latonia. Learn more and read Callery’s full obituary at connleybrothersfuneralhome.com/obituary/irvin-thomas-callery.

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Superintendent Mike Stacy points out what will be one of the media production rooms. Photo by Nathan Granger | LINK nky

Butch Callery. Photo provided | Connley Brothers Funeral Home

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