LINK Kenton Reader - Volume 1, Issue 37 - August 11, 2023

N O T N KE M VOLU

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E 37 — U S S I 1,

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11 , GUST

2023

Friday Night Lights are back!

Storylines to look for this prep football season NKY facility that serves low-income families reopens p7

NKwhy: How do you get a liquor license in NKY? p9

Remembering Old Timers organizer David Housley p18

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cover story

Storylines to look for this prep football season

BY EVAN DENNISON | LINK nky SPORTS EDITOR PRESIDENT & CEO Lacy Starling CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Mark Collier MANAGING EDITOR Meghan Goth PRINT EDITOR Kaitlin Gebby SPORTS EDITOR Evan Dennison The LINK nky Kenton Reader is a weekly newspaper.

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to our principle office or scan this QR code below Plenty of storylines invade the prep football season ahead; the Ludlow Panthers are even debuting an eye-catching red turf. The season kicks off Aug. 18. Photo

by James Robertson | LINK nky contributor

F

riday Night Lights are upon us.

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.

Cue up the band, the rowdy student sections, mom, dad, grandma and grandpa pulling out their seats with a backrest – and those cotton candy skies.

Not much beats a Friday night in the community cheering on the local football team, watching the cheerleaders do their thing and the band stealing the show at halftime.

Another season is upon us with storylines galore.

Here are just a few of many as the fall football season kicks off Aug. 18.

on the cover

Selm, Rodriguez headed to UK

Cover illustration by James Robertson | LINK nky contributor

It’s been nearly a decade since the last heralded Northern Kentucky recruit committed to the University of Kentucky when

Conner’s Drew Barker did so in 2014. Highlands’ Patrick Towles in 2012 and Simon Kenton’s Miles Simpson in 2010 are the other standouts from NKY that headed to Lexington.

Now the Wildcats can add two more to the list with Simon Kenton’s Aba Selm committing in February and Covington Catholic’s Willie Rodriguez following suit in June, in advance of their senior years. Selm is a three-star prospect, a two-way lineman for the Pioneers. At 6-foot-4, 295 pounds, Selm is expected to wreak havoc on the Pioneers defensive front and help pave the way for a new quarterback under center after the departure of Chase Crone to Thomas More.

Selm’s leadership should help ignite a Simon Kenton team coming off an 8-4 season.

“By nature, Aba is kind of a quiet kid, not really outspoken, but has become more of a vocal leader. He’s really come out of his shell through the whole recruiting process, and that has brought him out a little bit,” Pioneers coach Roy Lucas said.

Rodriguez blew up this offseason, both with his body and his recruitment. He had over 30 offers by the time he committed to the ‘Cats, the 6-foot-4, 240-pound tight end one of four in-state commitments so far to UK. Rodriguez added roughly 30 pounds to his frame – most of it muscle mass – as his impressive offseason brought a new offer almost every other day.

The two are friends, Selm helping with Rodriguez’s recruitment decision.

“We live like 10 minutes away from each other,” Rodriguez said. “We’ve been on Continues on page 4

AUGUST 11, 2023 3

Continued from page 3

multiple visits together. So yeah, he has definitely helped a lot.”

Rodriguez is the No. 44 ranked tight end in the country, according to 247Sports, and the No. 6 ranked recruit in the state. Selm is the No. 43 ranked interior lineman in the country in the 247 rankings and the No. 2 ranked prospect in the state behind fourstar quarterback Cutter Boley of Lexington Christian Academy, who is also committed to Kentucky.

Beechwood 4-peat????

The lone NKY team as one of six state champions in the state last season was Beechwood.

Despite returning 12 starters from the state title game and a 14-1 campaign that ended with yet another dramatic victory at the state championship in Lexington, there will be some change on the Tigers’ sidelines for the upcoming season – and it starts at the top.

Jay Volker takes over for Noel Rash, who retired after the season with eight state titles under his belt in his 17-year tenure at Beechwood. Volker won’t necessarily have to reinvent the wheel and is well aware of

the expectations in Fort Mitchell.

“It’s a little different when you take over a program that wins a lot. Six state championships out of the last seven years. We do lose a large senior class that comes with a couple of hurdles. Just really trying to build on what Coach Rash has instilled on these guys,” Volker said.

With the amount of injuries the Tigers endured last year, they took on the nextman-up mentality, and that will only benefit them moving forward as many sophomores and juniors had to step up and increase their roles. Clay Hayden returns under center after battling through an injury-plagued 2022 in which he missed five games, but still threw for 1,822 yards and 21 touchdowns.

He may not have Mitchell Berger behind him anymore to run the football, but the team also persevered through Berger’s season-ending injury eight games into the season after he was one of the leading candidates for Mr. Football. Volker expects Chase Flaherty to take on the load at running back as he ran for 768 yards and 19 touchdowns a season ago. Flaherty is no stranger to a big game, witnessed by his 115 yards rushing in the state title game against Mayfield, and was one of the top

pitchers for the Tigers four-peat in the 9th Region on the baseball diamond.

It’s never a rebuild in Fort Mitchell, but rather a reload of talent as Volker expects speedster Luke Erdman and returning leading receiver Liam McCormack to be the top targets for Hayden this season.

Xavier Campbell returns off an 11-sack season to man the defense and is making the switch from the defensive line to linebacker. Another big question mark is who replaces the playmaking ability on the back end of the defense left by Antonio Robinson Jr., who took his talents to Wake Forest University on a Division I scholarship.

Beechwood’s real tests will come in its first five games of the season against Archbishop McNicholas (Ohio), Campbell County, Dixie Heights, Simon Kenton and Covington Catholic before it gets into district play against some unfamiliar teams with the new KHSAA realignment. The team is expected to cruise through district play, taking on Gallatin County, Walton-Verona, Owen County, Carroll County and Bracken County. The Tigers have been so dominant in district play, their last loss against a district opponent was in 2005.

New districts KHSAA realignment shuffled some teams once again as programs learned of their districts for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

The majority of the 21 teams stayed in their same class, but many will be seeing new district opponents for the upcoming season.

A few moved up or down in class. Among those moving up are Lloyd Memorial from 2A to 3A and Scott from 4A to 5A. Those moving down are Newport from 2A to 1A, Holy Cross from 2A to 1A, Covington Catholic from 5A to 4A and Dixie Heights from 6A to 5A.

Cooper High School head football coach Randy Borchers enters his 16th season with the team. Photo by James Robertson | LINK nky contributor

4 AUGUST 11, 2023

Perhaps the most intriguing move of the ones mentioned is CovCath’s move down to 4A. You’d have to go back to the late 1960s or early ’70s for the last time the Colonels weren’t in a district with Highlands. Now they get the likes of Mason County, Grant County and Harrison County, a district in which they’ll be heavily favored. It wouldn’t be surprising if they put up a running clock in every one of those games. Despite the

proximity challenges within district play, Covington Catholic won’t have to travel outside of NKY much, with its first five games all within the area. The longest bus ride the Colonels make is down to Maysville to face Mason County on Oct. 20. CovCath opens up with Ryle, Highlands, Simon Kenton, Dixie Heights and Beechwood.

“I’ve always been a very big supporter of Northern Kentucky football, and I also think that it’s some of the best football in the state. Those are all great programs; any of those teams at any time can be hot and really make a mark on Northern Kentucky and the state in general,” Colonels coach Eddie Eviston said.

Much like the Colonels’ geographical landscape in 4A, Lloyd Memorial’s move to 3A virtually puts it on an island in NKY. Luckily, the team won’t have to fire up the cheese wagon often. The closest opponent in district play is Pendleton County, the other two in the Class 3A, 5th District way south in or around Lexington with Bourbon County and Lexington Catholic. For the upcoming season, both Bourbon and LexCath will be making the trip north to Erlanger, with the Juggernauts making return trips south in 2024. Coming off a state semifinal appearance for the first time since 2003, the Juggernauts enter the season with a lot of optimism as they return quite a bunch, including playmaker Isaiah Sebastian, three offensive linemen and their top three tacklers.

New fields at Ludlow, Lloyd Memorial, Covington Catholic, Beechwood Boise State might have the blue smurf turf, but Ludlow now has red turf. Yes, that’s right, the Panthers will break out their new

red-colored field on Aug. 18 when they open the season with Lockland (Ohio) at historic James Rigney Stadium.

As opposed to the normal rubber fill for the majority of football turf projects, Ludlow’s field sits in a floodplain, so it went the enviro-fill route. Enviro-fill consists of sand granules that sit on the field, are heavier and pack down more if it floods. If another historic flood like the one in 1997 were to come around again, the enviro-fill would protect the field from being damaged.

The Panthers weren’t the only ones to break out the artificial playing surface. Lloyd Memorial also opted for turf. A new synthetic turf field with a new track surrounding it, accompanied by stadium bleachers, highlights the $3.3 million project on Cecil Dees Field. Lloyd Memorial will get to show off its new look when it hosts Newport Central Catholic on Aug. 18.

Covington Catholic enters the season down a class to 4A and creates even more optimism for another state title in Park Hills. Photo by James Robertson | LINK nky contributor

State champ Beechwood also resurfaced its field, the shiny new turf already adding to the pristine look at the Gordon and Joann Hood Family Athletic Center.

Covington Catholic upgraded its existing synthetic turf with a new playing surface, in which it installed a shock pad to enhance player safety.

Talent is there, but is Cooper still a year away?

Outside of the offensive line, the Jaguars return quite a bit of production and talent for a team looking for its first postseason victory since 2018. Cooper has strung together back-to-back winning seasons, and now it’s a matter of when it takes the next step in November.

Continues on page 6

Beechwood quarterback Clay Hayden and running back Chase Flaherty will be key to the Tigers offense this season. Photo provided | Brandon Wheeler

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Continued from page 5

six seniors.

“I’ve really been impressed with the work ethic; these kids work their tail ends off,” Jaguars coach Randy Borchers said.

“They’ve approached things with great attitudes, very little, if any complaining. We feel like we’ve had one of the best offseasons we’ve had in a long time in the weight room, and guys are committed. It’s exciting for the entire coaching staff, and I feel like we’re deeper than we’ve ever been. We feel like we’re further along this time of year than we usually are.”

The Jaguars threw freshman quarterback Cam O’Hara into the fire last season, and he delivered with 2,018 yards passing and 21 touchdowns. Now with a season under his belt and college coaches taking notice with a couple of scholarship offers, the blinkers are off as he enters year two under center.

Outside of the departure from graduate Eli White, O’Hara will have plenty of weapons at his disposal, including leading receiver Isaiah Johnson and tight end/slot receiver Austin Alexander. The two combined to catch 67 passes for 1,195 yards and 14 touchdowns as O’Hara’s favorite targets.

Alexander made waves this offseason by picking up multiple Power 5 offers, including Kentucky and Louisville. He’s being recruited as a defensive end, with his prowess to get to the quarterback resulting in 11 sacks and 85 tackles in his sophomore season. He’ll help be disruptive in the backfield while Jack Lonaker anchors the defense.

The senior recorded 148 tackles during his junior year.

This still begs the question – with the majority of the production back, are they still a year away with O’Hara being a sophomore and most of the productive pieces returning juniors? They’re projected to start just

Beechwood, Bellevue, Ludlow welcome new coaches Out of the 21 schools in Boone, Campbell and Kenton County that field a football team, four of them had head coaching changes in the offseason. Beechwood welcomes Jay Volker after Noel Rash retired.

Chad Montgomery heads to his alma mater at Bellevue, hoping to turn things around after the departure of Dave Brausch, and Woody McMillen also returns to his alma mater to coach Ludlow after Greg Taphouse stepped down. Jake Owens was set to take over after Eric Turner resigned in December at Scott, but after six months on the job, Owens resigned three weeks before the season started.

Volker is just the fourth coach in Fort Mitchell since 1975. He comes over from Talawanda (Ohio), coaching the Braves for the past two seasons in a rebuild project.

It’s quite the contrast in his new spot.

Unlike Volker, Montgomery and McMillen are very familiar with the area. Montgomery is a 2001 Bellevue grad and has prior stops at Dayton as the head coach for eight seasons and was an assistant on Randy Borchers’ staff at Cooper.

Ludlow installed red turf into the historic James Rigney Stadium. Photo provided | Ludlow High School

LINK nky-area teams, the Class 5A, 6th District with Boone County, Conner, Cooper, Dixie Heights, Highlands and Scott.

Then there’s the Class 1A, 3rd District with Bellevue, Dayton, Newport and Newport Central Catholic.

Highlands and Newport Central Catholic will be the clear favorites in the two respective districts, but expect challenges from Cooper and Dixie Heights in the 5A, 6th District and Newport in the Class 1A, 3rd District in their second season under Ryan Hahn.

McMillen graduated from Ludlow in 1987 and led the inauguration of the Walton-Verona program in 2008 and guided Bellevue from 2015-18. He’s very familiar with what he has, having been an assistant on staff the prior three seasons and also serving as the school’s head baseball coach.

Verax on pace to top Morgan

All-NKY districts

Fast-forward nearly three years, and the Raiders senior is on the verge of etching himself at the top of many record books in

There are two districts that feature strictly

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Ryle senior Logan Verax’s coming-out party came in a downpour on Nov. 6, 2020. He was just a wide-eyed freshman at the time but threw for 255 yards and three touchdowns in the less-than-ideal conditions.

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not only program history, but NKY history.

Verax enters the season with 369 career completions, 4,714 passing yards and 38 TDs, all within range of the mighty Tanner Morgan, who put up his career numbers in two seasons at Ryle after transferring from Hazard High School. Morgan, who was recently signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers after the 2023 NFL Draft, finished his Raiders career with 398 completions, 5,421 yards and 48 touchdowns.

Verax already holds the program’s single-game record with five passing TDs. He’s No. 2 behind Morgan with 429 single-game passing yards. He’s been threatening Morgan’s single-season passing yards record of 2,747.

Verax is Northern Kentucky’s active passing yards leader by more than 1,000 and second in passing TDs. “I think Logan is the best quarterback in Northern Kentucky, and I would probably put him in the top five in the state,” Raiders coach Mike Engler said.

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NKY Community Action Commission Head Start facility reopens after $3.2M in renovations

BY HALEY PARNELL | LINK nky REPORTER

NKCAC Head Start held a ribbon-cutting event to show off its renovated facility. Photo by Renovations were undertaken to create a welcoming and fun learning environment for children. Photo by Haley Parnell | Haley Parnell | LINK nky LINK nky

N

orthern Kentucky Community Action Commission’s Newport Head Start facility has reopened its doors after major renova-

Thousands of 3- and 4-year-olds and their families have received services through the Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission Head Start program since 1965, according to a news release.

The renovations took place in the student space in order to create a welcoming and fun learning environment for children. The renovations cost $3.2 million and took a year-and-a-half to complete. The building was ripped down to the studs and rebuilt.

The program has 11 locations throughout Campbell, Kenton, Boone and Pendleton counties. Head Start offers several comprehensive services to meet the needs of preschool-age children from economically disadvantaged families or children with disabilities.

tions.

Located at 502 W. Ninth St., the preschool facility will continue to serve low-income families in Newport. The new facility can serve 120 children.

A grand opening event was held on Aug. 1 and hosted speakers including NKCAC’s Executive Director Catrena Bowman, Kentucky Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, Camp-

bell County Judge/Executive Steve Pendery, Kenton County Judge/Executive Kris Knochelmann and Newport City Commissioner Julie Smith-Morrow.

Coleman spoke about the benefits of early childhood education and why organizations like the Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission are essential in the state.

“We can invest in kids today, or we can pay for adults later,” Coleman said.

She said children who participate in early childhood education programs have been found to enjoy better job opportunities, be healthier, are less likely to utilize public assistance, and are more civically engaged in

their communities.

Smith-Morrow served on the Newport Board of Education for 15 years before being elected as a Newport commissioner and said kids who go through the Head Start program show stronger success than those who do not. She called the programming vital to helping children develop and become ready for school and life.

“I was amazed to learn that this organization didn’t skip a beat during the year-plus of the renovation,” Smith-Morrow said.

“Kids weren’t in the building but in nearby facilities and served well without skipping a beat. It’s important to families to have that continued service.”

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Holy Family School in Covington announces closure amid teacher shortage, hopes to reopen in future

BY KAITLIN GEBBY | LINK nky PRINT EDITOR & EDUCATION REPORTER

H

oly Family School will not reopen this school year.

In a message to families posted on its website, the Diocese of Covington announced that the Catholic school is suspending its operations for the 2023-24 school year in a move “made necessary by a shortage of teachers.”

Located on East 16th Street in Covington, the school is home to 42 students and is one of a handful of Catholic schools in the urban core, Diocese of Covington Communications Director Laura Keener said.

Holy Family School was due to welcome students back for their first day on Aug. 16.

Now, those 42 students have the option of being placed in one of the five K-8 Catholic schools in the urban core or taking their tuition to public schools. Ultimately, the choice lies with the parents, Keener said.

Superintendent Kendra McGuire explained how Holy Family came to this decision in a letter to families.

“As we approached the end of July, we had zero applicants and our efforts to reach out to prospective teachers had not been successful,” McGuire wrote.

She said they were left with limited options and weighed delaying the start of the school year to allow for additional search time, but they realized it would be more challenging to find educators once school was back in session across the region.

In a social media post shared on July 26, the school said it was seeking a middle school math, science and religion teacher; a fulltime third- and fourth-grade teacher; and a part-time physical education teacher.

Originally opening as St. Benedict School,

the institution has provided education to students in Northern Kentucky for more than 100 years. The closure for the 2023-24 school year isn’t a permanent halt to operations, though.

In McGuire’s letter to families, she said, “It is our hope as we go through the next year that we can work to improve the staffing situation and reopen” in the future.

“While we are saddened to suspend school operations at Holy Family, we are trusting in God’s plans for the future,” McGuire Holy Family School in Covington will not reopen for the 2023-24 school year. Photo provided | Google Maps said.

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NKWhy: How do you get a liquor license in NKY?

BY MAGGY MCDONEL | LINK nky DIGITAL EDITOR “Make sure you dot your I’s and cross your T’s” is the No. 1 piece of advice experts give for those seeking a liquor license in Northern Kentucky.

Starting a business can be difficult, and there is so much excitement around picking the perfect space, hiring the right people and finding your customer base. But the not-so-thrilling stuff, like licensing, can be more complicated than one might assume.

With tons of new bars and restaurants popping up around NKY, we wondered: What is the process for a business owner to get a liquor license in Northern Kentucky?

How to start?

“It’s really not rocket science by any stretch of the imagination,” said Joe Ewald, the Fort Thomas administrator for the Kentucky Alcoholic Beverage Control, also known as ABC. Ewald’s primary suggestion for those looking to get a liquor license is to “have a conversation with a local administrator pretty quickly before you jump into anything.”

Attorney Shelby Campbell with Covington-based Smith Law, who has worked with local businesses like Second Story in Covington, said it takes at least 31 days for the ABC to approve a liquor license application.

However, things rarely go that smoothly, she said.

“I would suggest applying for a liquor license as soon as all of the preliminary requirements (registered business, physical premises, deed/lease, zoning permits, etc.) are met,” Campbell said in an email to LINK nky.

The owners at Second Story, which had to push back its grand opening six weeks due to licensing issues, highly recommend getting a local lawyer who knows their stuff.

What are some complications?

sumed things would be the same in Kentucky regarding liquor licenses as they are in Ohio.

“I think sometimes we forget that that river is actually a state border, and laws change about 100 feet across the roadway,” Caldwell said.

The issues arose when they hosted a soft opening where alcohol was served before their license was approved. They had not charged for alcohol, which enabled them to do this previously in Ohio, but they soon found out it was not OK in Kentucky.

“That’s how we essentially ran afoul of the ABC,” Caldwell said. “And that mistake, you know, held up our opening for a monthand-a-half, and we were very fortunate we didn’t lose any staff.”

Campbell, who started working with Second Story after the soft-opening issue, said she always suggests businesses find a lawyer who knows local liquor licensing laws before starting anything.

“The process is much quicker and more cost-effective when an experienced attorney is involved from the beginning,” Campbell said.

Second Story initially hired an attorney who, while licensed to practice in Kentucky, Caldwell said was more knowledgeable of Ohio law. In hindsight, he said they should have “partnered up with a local attorney that actually specializes in spirit law in Kentucky.”

“I always tell my clients that the practice of law is like car maintenance: It’s more economic to invest in preventative maintenance like an oil change than to replace the whole engine once the issue presents itself,” Campbell said.

Liquor bottles lined up at the bar. Photo provided | Annie Spratt on Unsplash

stores, Ewald said, many local bars and restaurants are looking to sell bottles and would need the license to do so.

signing a lease or purchasing a building at a location that isn’t zoned for what they want to do.

The government limits these licenses based on population numbers, and, Ewald said, in his jurisdiction, “you can’t find one of those licenses right now.”

The food issue:

Those restrictions are not the same everywhere.

“Some cities and counties do have limits on the number of certain types of alcohol licenses,” Campbell said. “However, this number varies from location to location.”

Location, location, location: One of the most challenging mistakes Campbell said businesses can make is

Many bars serve food, and many restaurants serve alcohol, but each of those businesses can require different licensing.

Ewald said he often sees businesses face issues with not having the right license for their clientele. For restaurant licensees, “you have to bring in 50% of your profits from the sale of food.”

However, those requirements are different for bars.

Overall, the answer is: It’s complicated.

Population complications: Right now, Ewald said, a specific type of liquor license in Campbell County is pretty difficult to get.

Cross-river roadblocks: Second Story’s parent company, Lost Co., mostly operates businesses in Cincinnati, including Somerset and Alice in Over-theRhine. Second Story General Manager Lee Caldwell said the owners mistakenly as-

Quota licenses traditionally pertain to liquor stores and allow the licensee to sell bottles of liquor and wine that can be consumed off-premises.

While they were typically given to liquor AUGUST 11, 2023 9

kenton county news briefs Tire waste disposal event will help control mosquito population, city says

sidewalk, for that matter – you’re providing the perfect real estate for mosquitoes and the diseases they carry,” the press release said.

Old tires are a perfect mosquito breeding ground.

Photo provided | City of Covington

“As a scientific field study in Covington showed, a single tire with standing rainwater is the perfect incubator for mosquito eggs, providing insulation and protection for thousands of mosquitos to come. The result is a significant public health risk, because mosquitos top the charts for carrying all range of infectious diseases to humans,” according to the release.

Kenton County residents can drop off old tires for proper disposal free of charge this month.

In partnership with the Kentucky Department of Waste Disposal, the county is hosting the event Aug. 17 and 18. According to a recent press release from the city of Covington, the event will not only help curtail the buildup of tire waste, but it will also help prevent excessive breeding of mosquitoes.

“Every time you sling an old tire into an alley – or neatly stack a set of tires on the

Bring tires to the KYTC Maintenance Building lot at 3923 Madison Pike in Covington.

For questions, contact Melissa Grandstaff at 859-392-1919.

Covington schools OKs state policies on gender identity, human sexuality Covington schools officially approved policies from controversial Senate Bill 150 despite initial disapproval.

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ery single kid that walks through our doors – I think you’ll all join me in saying we’ll do everything we can to support them (and) make sure they get a world-class education.”

At its July 31 meeting, the CIPS Board of Education approved policies from controversial Senate Bill 150. Photo by Nathan Granger | LINK nky

Board of Education voted in a split decision July 31 to approve two new policies from the Kentucky School Boards Association related to sex education, gender identity and student privacy at a special meeting.

In spite of his vote, board President Tom Haggard made a statement after the votes to reaffirm his commitment to the LGBTQ students in the district.

“The No. 1 thing we are looking out for here are our kids,” Haggard said. “I will guarantee you that we will continue to do everything within our power to make sure that every single kid who walks through our doors, no matter how they identify, no matter what race they are, no matter what economic background they come from, ev-

The two policies the board voted on came as the result of the controversial Kentucky Senate Bill 150, a law passed in March that banned gender-affirming care for Kentuckians under 18 and established new mandates related to sex education as well as education related to human sexuality and gender identity.

Beloved MainStrasse staple Dee Felice Café closes after nearly four decades A restaurant that has called MainStrasse home for 39 years closed up shop after Fourth of July weekend, said a representative of the Covington Economic Development Department.

Located at 529 Main St., the space for Dee Felice Café currently has a sign in the window advertising its availability for rent. The cafe’s social media accounts are deactivat-

Covington to buy $260K of fill, soil for Central Riverfront development at former IRS site

Dee Felice Cafe. Photo by Kenton Hornbeck | LINK nky

ed. Its website is no longer operational.

Opened in 1984, Dee Felice Café served New Orleans-style cuisine and offered live jazz performances. The café was founded

by Shelly DeFelice-Nelson and her father, a jazz musician who performed under the stage name Dee Felice – the restaurant’s namesake.

In 2021, the café was taken over by local restaurant entrepreneur DJ Thomas, who maintained the name and menu.

The building was constructed in 1860.

DeFelice Properties LLC purchased the property for $675,000 in 1998, according to Kenton County property records. Before it was Dee Felice, a pharmacy operated out of the building.

Dee Felice Market, a community grocery store next door to the café, will remain in business. The market was founded in 2021 to answer the cafe’s multiple closures in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Transportation officials remind residents of ongoing street-striping project The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 6 is currently engaged in road-stripe painting throughout the region.

Districtwide striping is occurring in the following Kentucky counties: Bracken, Pendleton, Campbell, Kenton and Boone. Work in the region is likely to continue until the end of August.

“Most work will occur during daytime working hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.,” according to the district’s website. “Routes with higher traffic volume will be completed during nights or weekends to minimize traffic impacts.”

Local residents are advised to keep an eye out for trucks as they drive.

Learn more at transportation.ky.gov.

The Covington Board of Commissioners approved the purchase of $260,000 of soil and fill material for the Central Riverfront development project at the former site of the IRS data processing center at the city caucus meeting on Tuesday night.

Covington’s Economic Development Director Tom West said the 26,000 cubic yards worth of materials would eventually be used to bring the land on the site up to the necessary elevation for development. West said the site would need about 65,000 cubic yards to make the elevation uniform.

He said the pricing offer he’d received was under the typical market rate for such material.

NOTICE OF PROPOSED ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION LINE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT Duke Energy Kentucky, Inc. (Duke Energy Kentucky or Company) proposes to construct a new 138-kilovolt (kV) transmission line in Boone County, Kentucky (Hebron to Oakbrook Transmission Line Project). The Hebron to Oakbrook Transmission Line Project involves an approximate two-mile construction of a new 138-kV transmission line and rebuild of a 1.5-mile portion of an existing 69 kV transmission line to 138-kV capacity. The proposed 138-kV transmission line runs east-southeast from the Hebron substation through an industrial complex crossing Interstate 275 to the west of Route 237. After crossing I-275 it runs east to connect to the existing transmission line along Route 237 across the street from the Burger King and Domino’s Pizza. The rebuild portion of the transmission line runs south from Limaburg Substation along Limaburg Road in Hebron, Kentucky, to Burlington Pike in Burlington, Kentucky.

The proposed transmission line generally will require a 100-foot-wide right-of-way. Duke Energy Kentucky may also be required to alter the proposed centerline of the Hebron to Oakbrook Transmission Line Project and adjacent rights-of-way to address landowner preference or conditions discovered during survey and construction that affect constructability and access.

Duke Energy Kentucky plans to file an application with the Public Service Commission of Kentucky on or soon after August 14, 2023 seeking a certificate of public convenience and necessity authorizing the Hebron to Oakbrook Transmission Line Project. The application and the Commission proceeding have been assigned Case No. 2023-00239.

Any interested person, including any person over whose property the proposed transmission line will cross, may request a local public hearing in the county in which the transmission line is proposed to be constructed. The request must be in writing and should be delivered to the Executive Director, Public Service Commission, 211 Sower Boulevard, P.O. Box 615, Frankfort, Kentucky 40602. The request for local public hearing must be delivered to the Executive Director no later than thirty days after the date the application is filed. The request for local public hearing must comply with the requirements of 807 KAR 5:120, Section 3.

A person may seek to intervene as a party in the Commission proceeding to review Duke Energy Kentucky’s application by filing a timely written request for intervention in accordance with the requirements of 807 KAR 5:001, Section 4(11) and 807 KAR 5:120, Section 3(3).

The application and other filings in connection with Duke Energy Kentucky’s application may be accessed at http://psc.ky.gov under Case No. 2023-00239 once filed. Project updates and further information may also be found on the Company’s website: www.dukeenergy.com/Hebron A map of the proposed route for the electrical transmission line is shown below.

“We have an opportunity to purchase at about, actually, a little bit less than half of what that would ordinarily cost,” West said.

“I think the going rate’s probably $28/yard, and we can get 26,000 yards for $10/yard.”

This brings the total purchase price to $260,000.

The city will purchase the dirt and fill materials from Bray Construction Services Inc. of Alexandria. The purchase would also include fencing, to properly store the soil; clean-up; and daily maintenance.

Kenton County Circuit Court longtime Clerk Middleton announces re-election bid Kenton County Circuit Court Clerk John Middleton announced that he intends to run for re-election next year. A Republican, Middleton has held the position since 2007.

In Kentucky, circuit court clerks are responsible for managing the records of circuit and district courts. Specifically, their duties include receiving lawsuits and court documents, recording legal documents, providing legal documents and other legal materials, scheduling juries, receiving and disbursing money, and maintaining the jury system.

Circuit court clerks serve six-year terms.

“We can always be encouraging innovation to create a more efficient clerk’s office,” Middleton said.

NOTICE

Please take notice that Duke Energy Kentucky, Inc. will apply to the Kentucky Public Service Commission for approval to revise its Demand Side Management (DSM) rate for gas service and electric service for residential and commercial customers. Duke Energy Kentucky’s current monthly DSM rate for residential gas customers is ($0.004784) per hundred cubic feet and for non-residential gas customers is $0.000000 per hundred cubic feet. Duke Energy Kentucky’s current monthly DSM rate for residential electric customers is $0.003497 per kilowatt-hour and for non-residential customers is $0.001987 per kilowatt-hour for distribution service and $0.000388 per kilowatt-hour for transmission service.

Duke Energy Kentucky seeks approval to revise these rates as follows: Duke Energy Kentucky’s monthly DSM rate for residential gas customers would increase to ($0.003536) per hundred cubic feet and for non-residential gas customers would remain at $0.000000 per hundred cubic feet.

Duke Energy Kentucky’s monthly DSM rate for residential electric customers would increase to $0.003988 per kilowatt-hour and for non-residential customers would remain at $0.001987 per kilowatt-hour for distribution service and would remain at $0.000388 per kilowatt-hour for transmission service.

The rate contained in this notice is the rate proposed by Duke Energy Kentucky. However, the Public Service Commission may order a rate to be charged that differs from this proposed rate. Such action may result in a rate for consumers other than the rate in this notice. The foregoing rates reflect a proposed increase in electric revenues of approximately $0.72 million or 0.16% over current total electric revenues and an increase in gas revenues of approximately $0.08 million or 0.06% over current total gas revenues.

A typical residential gas customer using 70 ccf in a month will see an increase of $0.09 or 0.1%. A typical residential electric customer using 1000 kWh in a month will see an increase of $0.54 or 0.5%. A typical non-residential electric customer using 40 kilowatts and 14,000 kWh will see no change.

A non-residential customer served at transmission voltage using 10,000 kilowatts and 4,000,000 kWh will see no change. Non-residential gas customers will see no change in their bills from this application.

Any corporation, association, body politic or person may by motion within thirty (30) days after publication or mailing of notice of the proposed rate changes, submit a written request to intervene to the Public Service Commission, 211 Sower Boulevard, P.O. Box 615, Frankfort, Kentucky 40602, and shall set forth the grounds for the request including the status and interest of the party. The intervention may be granted beyond the thirty (30) day period for good cause shown. Written comments regarding the proposed rate may be submitted to the Public Service Commission by mail or through the Public Service Commission’s website. A copy of this application filed with the Public Service Commission is available for public inspection at Duke Energy Kentucky’s office at 1262 Cox Road, Erlanger, Kentucky 41018 and on its website at http://www.duke-energy.com. This filing and any other related documents can be found on the Public Service Commission’s website at http://psc.ky.gov.

AUGUST 11, 2023 11

news from other places 6 Indiana clinics stop providing abortions ahead of state’s near-total ban

Rebecca Gibron, CEO of the Planned Parenthood division that includes Indiana, speaks at a news conference on Aug. 1. Photo by Darron Cummings | Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana’s six abortion clinics have stopped providing abortions ahead of the state’s near-total abortion ban officially taking effect and as a petition is pending before the state’s high court asking it to keep the ban on hold while legal action continues, clinic officials said on Aug. 1.

Planned Parenthood’s four Indiana abortion clinics stopped performing abortions on July 31 in accordance with state guidance that providers received in July alerting them that on or around that date abortion would become illegal in Indiana in clinic settings “with really very, very limited exceptions,” said Rebecca Gibron, CEO of the Planned Parenthood division that includes Indiana.

Indiana’s two other abortion clinics have also stopped providing abortions, with one calling it “a dark day for Indiana.”

provement in water quality over the past few decades.

Gov. Mike DeWine and state environmental protection officials said on Aug. 1 that the study concluded that 86% of the miles of Ohio’s large rivers surveyed were in good to excellent condition, up from only 18% in the 1980s.

The “Aquatic Life and Water Quality Survey of Ohio’s Large Rivers” done by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency called this “dramatic reversal” the result of improved wastewater infrastructure and treatment as well as agricultural soil conservation measures.

Study touts ‘dramatic reversal’ in quality of Ohio’s large rivers COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio officials say a first-ever comprehensive study of the state’s largest rivers indicates great im12 AUGUST 11, 2023

The Circleville Police Department fired Officer Speakman, alleging that he “did not meet the standards and expectations we hold for our police officers.” In late July, Baer wrote that Speakman had released confidential information and was deceptive when Baer sought information from him.

Speakman’s union, the Ohio Patrolman’s Benevolent Association, filed a grievance on his behalf arguing he had been fired without just cause.

The report found major reductions in ammonia, total phosphorous and lead in water chemistry as well as reductions in PCBs and mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic and other metals in fish. It said “legacy pollution” from coal mining and heavy industry is still detectable in water and sediment “but causes only modest impact to aquatic life.”

Speakman, who joined the Circleville department in February 2020, deployed his police dog following a lengthy pursuit involving the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

Bob Miltner, a senior scientist with the Ohio EPA and the study’s lead author, said there’s still work to be done to mitigate the impacts of algae blooms, the Columbus Dispatch reported.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Churchill Downs will implement safety measures for its September meet including new track surface maintenance equipment and additional monitoring and equine care following 12 horse deaths before and after the Kentucky Derby that spurred suspension of its spring meet.

Records: Fired officer in dog attack ‘did not meet standards’

Indiana’s Republican-backed ban will end most abortions in the state, even in the earliest stages of a pregnancy. Indiana became the first state to enact tighter abortion restrictions after the U.S. Supreme Court ended nearly a half-century of federal abortion protections by overturning Roe v. Wade in June 2022.

Although Planned Parenthood’s four Indiana abortion clinics have stopped providing abortions, Gibron said its 11 health centers across the state continue offering a wide range of services, including emergency contraception and birth control, even as the group works to help Hoosiers obtain out-of-state abortions.

families and K-9 trainers and exhibiting stress-related behavior after the July 4 incident.

Officer Ryan Speakman released his police dog on a surrendering truck driver. A police agency indicated that the officer’s conduct after the incident led to his firing. Photo provided | Ohio State Highway Patrol via Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio police agency shared records on Aug. 1 that showed an officer who released his police dog on a surrendering truck driver was repeatedly told not to keep talking about the incident before he was fired.

Records provided to the Associated Press by the Circleville Police Department indicated Officer Ryan Speakman met twice with Chief Shawn Baer to discuss reports of Speakman crying, talking to employees,

Churchill Downs announces safety changes following spate of horse deaths

Racing is scheduled to resume Sept. 14 and run through Oct. 1 at the historic track, which paused racing operations on June 7 to conduct an internal safety review following the spate of horse deaths from racing or training injuries. Seven died in the days leading up to the 149th Derby on May 6, including two in races preceding the premier event.

A news release on July 31 stated that while industry experts found no issues with the racing surfaces, the track invested in new maintenance equipment. It will also double the frequency of surface testing among infrastructure upgrades.

Churchill Downs veterinarians will receive additional resources for specialized horse care and to assist in pre-race inspections and entry screening. The track will work with HISA and industry experts to predict at-risk horses through advanced analytic techniques. A safety management committee including horsemen, track employees and veterinarians will also be created.

calendar

August

Friday

Saturday 11

Community Summer Concert Series, School of Rock House Band and London Street, 6-10 p.m., Florence Mall, Lower Level, 2028 Mall Road, Florence

ESERVE

Sunday 12

STAR Party, 8:30-9:30 p.m., Flagship Park, 1 Flagship Drive, Erlanger

the best

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

Monday 13

Tuesday 14

Fort Mitchell City Council meeting, 6:30-7:30 p.m., City Building, 2355 Dixie Highway, Fort Mitchell Lakeside Park City Council meeting, 7-8 p.m., City Building, 9 Buttermilk Pike, Lakeside Park Cold Spring City Council meeting, 7:30-8:30 p.m., City Building, 5694 E. Alexandria Pike, Cold Spring

Wednesday 15

Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Eggs ‘N Issues, 7:30-9 a.m., Receptions Banquet and Conference Center, S. 1379 Donaldson Road, Erlanger Local Media and You: A Listening Session, 9:3011 a.m., Boone County - Main Library, 1786 Burlington Pike, Burlington.

Only 10 seats available.

RSVP at nkyforum.org Covington Commission Caucus meeting, 6-7 p.m., City Hall, 20 W. Pike St., Covington Florence City Council Caucus meeting, 6-7 p.m., City Building, 8100 Ewing Blvd., Florence

Thursday 16

17

Local Media and You: A Listening Session, 2-3:30 p.m., Campbell County Library - Fort Thomas Branch, 1000 Highland Ave., Fort Thomas. Only 10 seats available. RSVP at nkyforum.org

Local Media and You: A Listening Session, 6:30-8 p.m., Kenton County Library - Covington Branch, 502 Scott Boulevard, Covington.

Only 10 seats available.

RSVP at nkyforum.org

Insect Walk, 6-7:30 p.m., Boone County Arboretum, 9190 Camp Ernst Road, Union

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

Campbell County Fiscal Court meeting, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Administration Building, 1098 Monmouth St., Newport Fort Wright Caucus meeting, 6-7 p.m., City Building, 409 Kyles Lane, Fort Wright

rnished model idences at One Sundays 1-3pm

nnati

859.441.2378 • BestFurnitureGallery.com • 1123 S. Ft. Thomas Ave. • Fort Thomas, KY MONDAY 10AM-8PM | TUESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY 10AM-6PM | WEDNESDAY by appointment only SATURDAY 10AM-5PM | SUNDAY closed to be with family Some items shown in ad are for example only and may not be available for purchase

aig Reis, owners

AUGUST 11, 2023 13

CUSTOM DESIGN SERVICES AVAILABLE

real estate

Enjoy 16,000 square feet to yourself in Villa Hills mansion Address: 943 Squire Oaks Drive, Villa Hills Price: $7.5 million Bedrooms: Five Bathrooms: Seven Square feet: 16,100 School district: Kenton County Schools

Special features include a grand staircase and a piano just beyond the home’s foyer. Photo provided | Michele Mamo of eXp Realty

County: Kenton Special features: This large home in Villa Hills has something for everyone, from movie lovers to gun enthusiasts. The five-bedroom, seven-bathroom home has stately features, such as a grand staircase and grand piano just beyond the foyer. The property also features a pool, hibachi grill, movie theater and indoor gun range. Other areas of the home contain a variety of exquisite features.

Movie buffs will love the home’s theater, complete with comfy The five-bedroom Villa Hills home has something for everyone. Photo provided | Michele Mamo chairs and a big screen. Photo provided | Michele Mamo of eXp Realty of eXp Realty

Top Sales of the Week Address

WHO YOU’RE WITH

MATTERS Whitney Jolly-Loreaux

859.380.5811 Wjolly-loreaux@huff.com Jollyhometeam.com

14 AUGUST 11, 2023

City

Price

Recent NKY Home Sale Data Sale Date

875 Squire Oaks Drive Villa Hills $2,250,000 7/31/2023 2668 Willow Oak Drive Drive Villa Hills $624,900 7/31/2023 2976 Northcross Drive Drive Hebron $514,900 7/28/2023 10202 Desmond Court Covington $485,000 7/27/2023 6265 Streamside Drive Independence $455,000 7/28/2023 1312 Woodlawn Court Union $444,900 7/31/2023 3916 Buckhill Drive Erlanger $439,900 7/28/2023 4588 Donegal Avenue Union $435,000 7/27/2023 10089 Meadow Glen Dr Drive Independence $389,900 7/28/2023 544 Kinsella Drive Edgewood $385,000 7/31/2023 9899 Cedar Cove Alexandria $325,000 7/31/2023 2532 Crosshill Drive Crescent Springs $299,802 7/28/2023 201 Pitty Pat Lane Walton $257,000 7/28/2023 17 Jenkins Lane Falmouth $206,000 7/28/2023 5210 Woodland Drive Taylor Mill $185,000 7/28/2023 58 Park Avenue Elsmere $180,000 7/28/2023 106 Dogwood Drive Highland Heights $156,000 7/31/2023 30 Creekwood Drive 5 Wilder $145,000 7/28/2023 7003 Curtis Way Florence $121,000 7/28/2023 3321 Beech Lane Burlington $100,000 7/28/2023

Address

City

Price

Sale Date

701 Napa Valley Lane 4 132 Lookout Farm Drive 2702 Main Chase Lane 41 Rossmore Avenue 55 Mel Lawn Drive 95 Strathmore Avenue 38 Custis Avenue 149 Summit Avenue 48 Rossford Avenue 44 Bonnie Lane 1 Highland Avenue 306 84 S Grand Avenue 81 S Crescent Avenue 2435 Wernz Drive 3250 Campaign Drive 2232 Silver Peak Drive 2095 Penny Lane 2976 Northcross Drive Drive

Crestview Hills Crestview Hills Crestview Hills Fort Thomas Fort Thomas Fort Thomas Fort Thomas Fort Thomas Fort Thomas Fort Thomas Fort Thomas Fort Thomas Fort Thomas Hebron Hebron Hebron Hebron Hebron

$155,000 $407,000 $264,900 $365,000 $625,000 $375,000 $285,000 $310,000 $430,000 $365,000 $865,000 $580,000 $605,000 $429,900 $293,000 $544,401 $464,475 $514,900

7/10/2023 7/25/2023 7/25/2023 7/5/2023 7/5/2023 7/5/2023 7/10/2023 7/11/2023 7/11/2023 7/14/2023 7/14/2023 7/17/2023 7/21/2023 7/5/2023 7/7/2023 7/19/2023 7/25/2023 7/28/2023

features

Streetscapes savors the classics in Silver Grove Powered by Merk and Gile, Injury Attorneys

F

or this Streetscapes, we take a look back at Fort Mitchell and explore three new businesses for fitness fanatics and spirited sports fans.

Come with us as we explore Dixie Highway.

PHOTOS AND STORY BY MARIA HEHMAN | LINK nky CONTRIBUTOR Each shake, smoothie or bowl can also be enhanced by adding supplements customized to each individual’s needs. Collagen, fiber, probiotics and energy supplements are just some of the additions available to create a personalized shake.

Better Blend The newest business in Fort Mitchell comes from a local franchise that has its original location a few cities over in Florence. With three Cincinnati locations, two NKY locations and two additional locations set to open in each state, it’s safe to say Better Blend is booming. The idea behind Better Blend was to create more healthy options for locals.

Brownie batter blend from Better Blend.

Hit Seekers Sports Cards Originally an online shop and community, Hit Seekers opened an in-store location to create a modern card shop. The idea grew from the need to offer a space for sports card collectors to belong and meet with like-minded individuals.

Hit Seekers hosts a variety of events, from kids’ trading nights to memorabilia shows, and has gatherings for novice to expert card collectors. From baseball to basketball to even Pokémon, it has cards for every interest.

Hit Seekers is not a bar; however, it does have a liquor license so that guests can feel as if they’re at the ballpark. The family-friendly shop welcomes passionate fans of all ages. Hit Seekers took the idea of a hobby and turned it into a tangible

Better Blend in Fort Mitchell celebrates its opening.

Cincy Shirts Sports fans who just can’t get enough need only walk one store over from Hit Seekers to Cincy Shirts. Cincy Shirts’ name says basically everything one would need to know: It sells shirts for everything Cincinnati. From the Bengals to Fiona the Hippo, it has a shirt, or three, for whatever shoppers are passionate about.

Cincy Shirts has three Cincinnati locations and expanded to Northern Kentucky in 2022. Although Cincy is in the name, it has a large collection celebrating all things Kentucky. From the sports teams to the Florence Y’all water tower to the former Drawbridge Inn, there’s a shirt for all things NKY.

The business serves a variety of “blends” – from full meal-replacement shakes to fruit-based blended bowls to healthy onthe-go snacks. Better Blend is a one-stop shop for all guests’ health needs.

Best known for its smoothies and shakes, Better Blend has a large variety of flavors to suit even the pickiest palates. Its blends are broken down into four main categories. Original blends, the most popular flavors, taste like a treat but give guests added nutrients. Barista blends are coffee-based shakes. Basic blends are more traditional smoothie fruit flavors, which are also vegan. Bulk blends are shakes made for those looking to gain weight in a healthy way, ideal for athletes bulking up.

place to create community outside of the online world.

Many of the shirts are sports-inspired. Joe Burrow and Joey Votto can be found on a number of them, for example. However, Cincy Shirts also commemorates historical events with customized shirts – from this year’s Taylor Swift concert and the legendary “mystery blanket” fan, to the Winter of 1978, there’s a shirt for every generation. Outside of shirts, the shop sells sweatshirts, hats, cups and cozies.

With the huge success of the Reds this season, it’s only right to get a shirt to celebrate the season. Cincy Shirts also accepts custom orders, for those wanting to celebrate a different team or event. It’ll even help you create the perfect custom design.

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

Hit Seekers and Cincy Shirts are two new additions to Remke Plaza in Fort Mitchell.

What to Know If You Go: Better Blend Location: 2510 Dixie Highway, Fort Mitchell Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-8:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 9:30 a.m.6 p.m.

Phone: 859-307-5110 Website: www.betterblend-smooth ies-bowls.com/

Hit Seekers Sports Cards Location: 2501 Dixie Highway, Suite 2, Fort Mitchell Hours: Monday, closed; TuesdayFriday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Phone: 859-331-1063 Website: hitseekerscardbreaks.com/

Cincy Shirts Location: 2501 Dixie Highway Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.7 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Phone: 859-331-0520 Website: cincyshirts.com/

AUGUST 11, 2023 15

St. Henry volleyball team will be playing with heavy hearts this season

M

aureen Kaiser has a penchant for promptness. But the St. Henry District High School volleyball coach was unable to ramp up the preseason practice schedule in a timely manner this year. The Crusaders lost one of their biggest supporters when Kaiser’s father, Dan Shea, passed away July 23 at the age of 85.

“It’s been an emotional time,” Kaiser said.

“My dad was a big part of the Crusader family. He was my biggest fan when we won the 2021 state championship.”

A friend to many and a coach for a lucky lot, Mr. Shea was not only a devoted husband to his loving wife, Lorraine, for 59 years and a supportive father and grandfather, but he was also St. Henry volleyball star Elizabeth Tabeling’s neighbor.

“Just really sad. I was torn up,” Tabeling said. “I was super close with him. He lived just a few houses away from me here in

BY MARC HARDIN | LINK nky CONTRIBUTOR Grand Garden Estates in Edgewood. I can stand in a room and look out a window and see his house.”

champion Notre Dame is in the way. Mr. Shea and his family are on the Crusaders’ minds.

It’s a room with a view to a lot of memories for Tabeling, who can’t imagine her neighborhood without the Newport Central Catholic High School sports hall of famer saying hello. Tabeling can’t imagine a St. Henry home volleyball match without Shea cheering them on to victory, which happened a lot last year.

“Dad had so much fun watching us win state, he wanted to see me win another one,” Kaiser said.

“The girls are reminding me we have unfinished business because my dad didn’t get to see me win state again.”

The Crusaders finished 25-8 with a 13-2 record against 9th Region competition and an unblemished 6-0 mark as 34th District champions. They advanced to the regional tournament semifinals before bowing out against eventual state champion Notre Dame Academy.

The goal this season is to retake the region, return to the state final for the third time under Kaiser and capture the crown for the second time in three years. Defending state

Every year, the Crusaders come up with a new slogan or a keyword to help motivate them. They recently used the word “family.”

They have used the word “thrive.”

Last season, they recounted fa- The St. Henry volleyball team’s six seniors, from left: Macy Lentz, Mia Ryan, Elizabeth Tabeling, Audrey Leonhard, Alivia vorite Bible verses.

Skidmore and Anna Guard. Photo provided | Mark Setters

“We always have something to motivate us each year,” Kaiser said. “The girls usually come up with something good, so I’ll be curious to know what they do this year.”

“Anna is a beast at the net with regard to blocks,” Kaiser said. “She throws the shot put and discus for the track team, so she is powerful and strong.”

Tabeling said everything usually comes naturally for the team. She figures something will come to them over time, with a state championship to follow.

Skidmore, who can hit from anywhere, is going to Western Kentucky. The team’s kill leader, she’s an all-around talent and a powerful offensive player who also can finesse the action.

“Mr. Shea couldn’t talk after he got to the hospital. But he could give hand signals,” Tabeling said. “My coach told her father we have a state championship to win for him, and he gave a thumbs-up.”

Tabeling is a stabilizing force for the Crusaders. Coach Kaiser calls the senior “my go-to girl” when tough times call for tender measures.

“She’s our sweeper, and all the girls look up to her,” Kaiser said. “And we have a lot of girls who are good players.”

Tabeling and senior teammates Anna Guard, Alivia Skidmore and Macy Lentz are four of the best in the state.

Tabeling, who led the team last season in digs and service aces, has committed to Ball State. The volleyball doesn’t hit the court without Tabeling hitting the floor.

Kaiser said she has an almost supernatural ability to read the opposing team’s offense.

Guard, a middle hitter who was second in kills, is heading to Eastern Michigan.

16 AUGUST 11, 2023

“She is smooth,” Kaiser said of Skidmore.

“She’s one of the best players ever at St. Henry.”

Lentz, a setter who led the Crusaders in assists, is the team’s quarterback. Two other seniors, Audrey Leonhard and Mia Ryan, are key cogs.

“Not only are they good players, but these girls really know each other, which is great to have on a volleyball team,” Kaiser said.

Tabeling, Skidmore and Lentz play together year-round as Crusaders and as members of the same club team. It’s one of the reasons they like to call themselves a family.

Mr. Shea, a longtime parishioner at St. Henry and a substitute teacher in the school district, was part of the volleyball family.

“He was the heart of St. Henry,” Tabeling said. “We’re going to miss him so much, and we’re going to play for him.”

sports Highlands grad Rom involved in trade to Cardinals

round of the 2018 MLB Draft. Rom was part of three straight 9th Region championship teams at Highlands from 2016-18. He was a 2018 Mr. Baseball honoree and 9th Region tournament MVP that season as Highlands was the state runner-up.

KHSAA state cross-country championship site moved back to Kentucky Horse Park Drew Rom was traded from the Baltimore Orioles to the St. Louis Cardinals at the MLB’s trade deadline. Photo provided

Drew Rom’s Major League debut won’t end up being with Baltimore after all.

The 23-year-old left-hander was traded from the Orioles to the St. Louis Cardinals in a three-player deal centered around Cardinals pitcher Jack Flaherty headed to Baltimore as the Orioles make their playoff push.

Rom and Cesar Prieto were traded to St. Louis in exchange for Flaherty at the trade deadline on Aug. 1. Rom has pitched 86 innings in Triple-A Norfolk this season with a 5.34 ERA. He’s struck out 100 and allowed 100 hits in his body of work this season.

After a three-year run at the Bourbon County Cross Country Course in Paris, the KHSAA state cross-country championship is headed back to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington for the fall contests.

The 2020 KHSAA Cross Country State Championships marked the first time in more than four decades that a cross-country state championship was not decided in its entirety at the Kentucky Horse Park when the state event made its debut at the Bourbon County course. The Class 3A meet was hosted in Louisville in both 1978 and 1979 before all classes moved to the Kentucky Horse Park in 1980, starting a lengthy run at the park throughout several different courses until 2020.

Maddie Strong will look to defend her Class AA individual state cross-country title at the Kentucky Horse Park in the fall. Photo provided

CLOG-FREE GUTTERS

FOREVER

The Eagles hired Steve Hensley to be the next head coach of the football program.

Hensley has prior stops as the head football coach at Ludlow and Taylor (Ohio). Hensley coached at Ludlow from 2003-05.

Turner guided the Eagles to a 21-22 record during his tenure and won two Class

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When Jake Owens resigned 22 days before the season began, Scott High School was in a pinch to find a coach for the season. Athletic Director Casey Fisk called on a longtime friend to fill in.

OFF

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Scott tabs Hensley to guide football program after head coach Owens resigns

N

ER AFT

Northern Kentucky programs look to build off a very successful 2022 campaign. The Beechwood girls, St. Henry and Conner boys won state team titles in their respective classes, while St. Henry’s Dixon Ryan, Covington Catholic’s Will Sheets and Scott’s Maddie Strong won individual state titles in their respective class.

The Owens era ended before it ever really even got started. After accepting the position in February, he informed the team of his resignation on July 27. The Florida native cited personal reasons regarding his family for the departure. Owens was set to replace Eric Turner, who resigned in December after coaching the Eagles the past four seasons.

The southpaw was called up to the Orioles in May but never logged any game time and was optioned back to Norfolk three days later. Rom was rated as the No. 18 prospect in the Orioles organization, according to mlb.com. Now he gets a fresh start in St. Louis, the Cardinals sellers at the trade deadline as they look to build for the future.

Rom graduated from Highlands in 2018 and was drafted by the Orioles in the fourth

Over 440,000 high school students compete in cross-country each year, making it the sixth-most popular high school sport for girls and seventh-most popular for boys.

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Scott High School named Steve Hensley the next head coach of the football program after Jake Owens resigned. Photo provided | Scott High School

4A, 6th district titles. The Eagles went 4-7 in the 2022 season, losing to Lexington Catholic in the first round of the playoffs.

Now comes a jump to Class 5A in the latest KHSAA football realignment, the Eagles paired with Boone County, Cooper, Conner, Dixie Heights and Highlands in the Class 5A, 6th District.

Hensley inherits a team that graduated 19 seniors from the 2022 team, the majority of them playing prominent roles, including top rusher Bennie Hill with 1,448 yards and 17 touchdowns as well as quarterback Dasani Lane, who threw for 732 yards and 10 touchdowns. One of Lane’s top targets in Nolan Hunter was also a senior, Hunter with 24 receptions for 324 yards and five touchdowns. The top four tacklers on the team in Tim Stephenson, Aaron Cummins, Treyvon Brown and Emmanuell Mills were also seniors.

They do return top receiving target Dylan Giffen and his 26 receptions for 322 yards and six touchdowns, along with Boomer Klusman, who led the team with three interceptions.

Scott opens up its season on Aug. 18 at Campbell County.

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AUGUST 11, 2023 17

obit

Remembering Old Timers organizer David Housley Editor’s note: This obituary was submitted to LINK nky by Ninth Street Baptist Church Pastor Richard Fowler.

D

avid Housley was a student at Holmes High School when he lived in the southern area of Covington known as Peaselburg.

He was considered a good athlete, though he didn’t play baseball, just basketball in high school. But he was a good coach for both sports. Good enough to work with the Northern Kentucky Community Center when it first got underway on Prospect in the old Bluebird Bakery building.

He eventually worked for the city of Covington as manager of the Randolph Park swimming pool for 30 years. However, baseball and basketball were still his passion.

If you asked anyone on the East Side, “Who is David Housley?” the immediate response is, “Old Timers.” In the mid-1980s, David had a dream, and it became the true metaphor of what one person can do to change a

community when he is determined.

No matter who else may have worked with him initially to get it organized or who may have been at the table when ideas were passed around, it was David that kept Old Timers going for over 35 years. Talk about passion.

Each year, come the middle of July, people would begin asking questions such as, “Is it going to happen?” and “Will we have Old Timers this year?” The reason for the questions was that the city of Covington reached a point of not having the homeless camp out next to the river. Well, Old Timers included overnight camping with tents and grills and music and sharing stories between the generations and many that reflected on old times.

People set up in Randolph Park starting on Thursdays, picking their spots and planning for the weekend through Sundays. It was Old Timers’ weekend, a festive time to visit the community we grew up in and see people we hadn’t seen in ages.

From across the country, they came to see the changes that took place in the city, the neighborhood and each other. When the city shut down the camping, the event changed in atmosphere.

But David was persistent, and so was the community; we had to have Old Timers, a family reunion of sorts. Nearby churches provided space for vendors, with food and a host of wares, including clothing, recorded music, jewelry, ethnic wear and more. The festive time still went on with basketball and softball competitions, the games, the tents, the sharing of old times and the food.

But this year was different, for sure.

joined that great parade of those that don’t play basketball any more or manage the softball teams. But if you squint really tight, you might see a slim guy in a trench coat and a dress hat walking through Randolph Park or peaking through the chain link fence, shaking his head at a bad call by the ump.

David wasn't there to kick it off on Friday evening or be the ever-present manager of affairs among the crowd.

David left this world on Monday, July 24, just a few days before this year’s annual Old Timers. It wasn’t the same, but in his memory, we remembered David, the guy we called “the Governor of the East Side.”

Like many of the Old Timers, David has

David Housley

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