By Evan Dennison
F2024 High School Football Preview: Will some hardware come back to NKY?
or the first time since 2015, a football state championship trophy didn’t head up I-71 and into Northern Kentucky in the 2023 season.
It wasn’t for lack of effort. Covington Catholic and Cooper played for state titles in their respective classes but ultimately came up short at Kroger Field in Lexington.
Will that happen again in 2024? Highly unlikely. Beechwood returns multiple players from a state semifinalist team and should enter the season as one of the favorites in Class 2A. Same could be said for Cooper, the 5A runner-up with Division I talent all over the field.
Don’t forget about Highlands in 5A, too. This is its last season in the class before realignment sends it down to 4A in 2025, but its last dance in a bigger class could mean big things with a big, to put it lightly, offen-
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NKY women look to make gains in Frankfort
By Rebecca Hanchett
Out of 12 Northern Kentucky women ever elected to represent the region in the state legislature, seven won for the first time in the last 10 years. Five of those women will be on the ballot again this November.
Two of the five will be opposed by NKY women who are running for the Kentucky General Assembly for the first time – with six newcomers total on the Nov. 5 ballot.
That puts a record 11 NKY women on the ballot for the state House and Senate in a presidential year when a woman is running for U.S. president and reproductive rights are a top issue. Public funding for private education, the economy and jobs are other ballot draws, with Democrats and Republicans taking different ideological stands on each.
The rapidly growing roster of incumbents and challengers shows NKY women are eager to lead in places where they were largely nonexistent until three decades ago.
Two NKY women, different backgrounds
Heather Crabbe is a familiar face in Northern Kentucky. She’s a local attorney, former Chase College of Law assistant dean and a parent. Now she’d like to be a familiar face in Frankfort as the first Black woman elected from Northern Kentucky to the Kentucky House.
The Democrat, now an assistant dean at University of Cincinnati College of Law, is running against incumbent Rep. Kimberly Poore Moser, R-Taylor Mill, for the 64th House District – an area with around 45,000 people that stretches from central Kenton County into parts of Covington.
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Covington Catholic can’t be counted out late in the season. The team has reached four state championship games since 2017. Provided | Brandon Wheeler
Katie Kratz Stine in 1994 became the first woman elected to a full term in the General Assembly. Provided | Legislative Research Council
PRESIDENT & CEO Lacy Starling
MANAGING EDITOR Meghan Goth
SPORTS EDITOR Evan Dennison
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Continued from page 1 sive line to pave the way.
I’ll say it every year: Northern Kentucky high school football is some of the best in the state. It’s impressive with 22 high schools that play football in three counties for how competitive it is. While the usual suspects are competing for state titles, other programs can throw a wrench in the works with some really successful years.
“I think NKY football is very tough. There’s no 6A cash cows,” Newport Central Catholic head coach Stephen Lickert said. “They all beat each other on a weekly basis.”
Kentucky high school football is divided into six classes by enrollment, 1A being the smallest set of schools all the way up to the biggest schools in 6A.
Here are some of the top storylines heading into the 2024 season. The first kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Aug. 23.
State title contenders
As previously mentioned, Beechwood and Cooper present the best chances. From there, don’t count out Highlands and Covington Catholic, with Newport Central Catholic, Lloyd Memorial and Newport having some hope, too.
The Tigers in Fort Mitchell are expecting big things in year two under Jay Volker. Volker and the team have approached the season with a new mindset, knowing they have to win in the trenches if they want to be playing at Kroger Field on the first weekend in December. At times, that was a struggle last season, but, with a beefed up offensive line and pretty much all their skill players returning, title No. 18 for the Tigers is definitely within reach.
“Guys look at it and know we have to run the ball and stop the run,” Volker said. “If we faced a team that can control the clock, we know that’s how we can get beat.”
Cooper’s talent has been noticed not only around NKY, but across the state and even out of state. The Jaguars have multiple players with Division I offers, and the list continues to grow. Austin Alexander is committed to the University of North Carolina, Cam O’Hara holds multiple Division I of-
fers, while Isaiah Johnson and Isaac Brown also court offers from Division I schools. The team is so deep at certain positions, guys that are second or third on the depth chart are even getting looks from colleges.
“We’ve got quite a few guys that would be a No. 1 at other schools,” Jaguars coach Randy Borchers said. “Testament to those guys for their sacrifice and buying into the big picture here.”
With two state championship appearances (2012 and ’23), Cooper is still a fairly new program, starting up in 2008 when the school opened. Will this be the year it breaks through and hoists the trophy?
A decade in Fort Thomas without a title? For Highlands football fans, that’s an eternity for a program with 23 state championships. The Bluebirds enter year four of the Bob Sphire era, and, for the first time, all of his varsity players have known only him as head coach. The Bluebirds have gone 26-11 over the last three years, each year climbing another step of the ladder. After a state semifinal appearance last season that ended with an upset loss to Cooper, can Highlands turn the tide on the Jaguars and get back to a state final?
“This is the first year every player has been in our process while at Highlands.” Sphire said. “This is all ours and nobody else’s, and every player here wants to win a championship. We’ve got to keep putting in the work and keep growing and keep getting better.”
Covington Catholic made its fourth trip to the state championship game since 2017
last year under Eddie Eviston, going 2-2 in those games. The Colonels will have a lot to replace from a talented – and now graduated – senior class, but one thing is certain: CovCath will be in the mix come November. A deep run last year and facing four of the top 10 teams in the state in the playoffs will certainly have them prepared when it matters most.
“The kids know what it takes to have a successful season,” Eviston said. “They have that memory of what it takes to get there, and it’s a good sign to have that.”
Others to be on the lookout for include Newport Central Catholic. The Thoroughbreds have made five straight state quarterfinals, but just one of those trips resulted in a semifinal appearance. Lickert feels that, with the roster this year, there’s potential to change their misfortunes late in the playoffs.
“Every year I’ve been here we’ve had to throw sophomores to the wolves. This year we’re upper-class heavy,” Lickert said. “Young guys will have a role, but they won’t have to be the guy.”
Then there are Lloyd Memorial and Newport. The Juggernauts are coming off backto-back 10-win seasons and return nearly all of their skill players. With a healthy Kaleb Evans at quarterback, it opens up their offense more.
“We’re in a good situation,” Juggernauts coach Kyle Niederman said. “There’s been a lot of hard work, and it took some time to get the program here. We don’t win games on Friday, we win on Monday and the kids work hard to do that.”
Newport is coming off of an 8-4 season and a playoff victory. Having home games on its own field will certainly help, but so will the return of some of its top players and a focus on a more balanced offense. The big hurdle to clear first, however, is Newport Central Catholic, a district foe they haven’t defeated in 26 straight tries.
Other dark horses include Dixie Heights and Ryle.
Next Division I players
Last season saw five players from NKY go on to Division I football (Simon Kenton’s Aba Selm and Covington Catholic’s Willie Rodriguez to Kentucky, Dixie Heights’ Brach Rice to Miami (Ohio), Highlands’
Beechwood has the makings for championship No. 18 this season. Provided | Edward Marlowe
Can Cooper bring home its first ever state football title this season? The Jaguars are expected to be one of the top teams in the state in 5A. Provided | Brandon Wheeler
Continued from page 1
It’s a district that has been held by House Republicans for at least 20 years.
Moser, the longtime chair of the House Health Services committee, is a retired flight and NICU nurse and former director of the NKY Office of Drug Control Policy. In 2016, she was the first woman elected to the 64th district after the retirement of former Democrat-turned-Republican Rep. Thomas Kerr.
In March, Moser told LINK that understanding the needs of the district is important to her. “To that end, I will continue to meet with my neighbors and constituents to understand their concerns. Issues around public safety, health care and barriers to care, educational opportunities, jobs and the economy and transportation continue to rise to the top of the concerns I hear.”
Taking the seat from Moser this year would no doubt be challenging for a Democrat, even with Gov. Andy Beshear winning Kenton County in 2023 and 2019. Voters in the 64th district are majority Republican, not Democratic.
Crabbe, however, says she is intent on making history, not only as a Democratic woman but as a Black woman.
“I am running for state representative to ensure that Kentucky, where my family has flourished for generations and broken barriers as African Americans, is a place where my children and future generations can achieve success without feeling the need to move elsewhere in search of it,” Crabbe told LINK.
Katie Kratz Stine paved way
If Crabbe wins, it would be the first time in exactly 30 years that NKY delivered a major demographic shift for women in the Kentucky General Assembly.
The last time was 1994, when an NKY wom-
an was first elected to a full term in the Kentucky General Assembly. That woman was Katie Kratz Stine, a Southgate Republican who listed her occupation as “attorney/ homemaker” in her official legislative directory biography after she was elected to the 68th House seat held for years by Democrat Rep. Bill Donnermeyer.
Four years later, Stine became the first NKY woman elected to a full Senate term when she won the 24th District Senate seat (now held by Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer, R-Alexandria). In 2005, she ascended to the second highest leadership post in the Senate when her mostly male peers elected her Senate President Pro Tempore – a position she held until her retirement from the Senate in 2014.
The only NKY woman to serve in the state legislature before Stine was Patti Weaver, a Boone County Democrat who ran unopposed in a 1989 special election to fill the unexpired term of her late husband, former Sen. John Weaver. She did not run for reelection.
Stine was elected to two terms in the House and four in the Senate. Since retiring from the legislature, she has largely been out of the limelight, save for a stint as executive director of the state medical examiner’s office during the Bevin administration. Before leaving the legislature in 2014, Stine told KET’s Renee Shaw in a televised interview that her political career – during which she pushed for anti-abortion laws, including in-person counseling for women seeking an abortion – had been a blessing.
“It’s been interesting. Sometimes it’s been challenging, in fact most of the time it’s been challenging, but you know I wouldn’t have it any other way,” she told Shaw. “And you know, it’s been a tremendous honor to get to serve the people of Kentucky.”
NKY women make gains
7047065_100_sehada_print_ad_womens_ob_10.375x3.389V1.pdf 1 10/25/23 12:37 PM
After Stine, NKY women vying for the state
legislature from both parties began to make inroads.
Former Rep. Addia Wuchner, R-Florence, served seven terms after she was elected to the 66th District in 2004. Then came the election of former Rep. Alecia Webb-Edgington, R-Fort Wright, for two terms in 2007 to the 63rd District, followed by the election of former Rep. Diane St. Onge, R-Fort Wright, to the 63rd District for three terms, Moser’s election to her first term in the 64th District in 2016 and the election of Rep. Savannah Maddox, R-Dry Ridge, in 2018 to the 61st District that includes part of southern Boone and Kenton counties and all of Grant and Gallatin counties.
Newport Democratic Rep. Rachel Roberts – the first NKY woman to serve in House leadership, and who is retiring from the legislature when her term ends this year –became the first NKY Democratic woman elected to the House when she took office in 2020. That followed the 2019 special election of current 63rd District Rep. Kim Banta, R-Fort Mitchell.
Next came Reps. Stephanie Dietz, R-Edgewood, of the 65th House District and Marianne Proctor, R-Union, of the 60th House District, both elected in 2022 and currently serving in the House. Banta and Maddox (running unopposed), and Dietz and Proctor are running along with Moser to keep their seats this year.
Other NKY women running in 2024 are:
• Deb Ison Flowers, a Union Democrat and nurse who would be the first Democrat elected to the Boone County district in 30 years. She is challenging Proctor.
• Peggy Houston-Nienaber, a Union Democrat who is a school teacher and former accountant. She’s running for the 66th House District (covering much of the northern half of Boone County) against Republican attorney T.J. Roberts of Burlington.
• Wilanne Stangel, an Erlanger Democrat with years of experience working in public and private schools, is running against 69th House District incumbent Rep. Steven Doan, R-Erlanger, for the district traversing parts of north central Boone and Kenton counties.
• Jennifer Sierra is a Covington artist, author and small business owner who would become the first NKY woman ever elected to 23rd Senate District should she win her race for the Kenton County district against incumbent Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Ryland Heights.
• Kiana Fields is a Georgetown Democrat making a historic run for the 17th District Senate seat now held by retiring Republican Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer of Georgetown. If she wins, she would be the first Black woman elected to the Senate since civil rights leader Georgia Powers, D-Louisville, in 1967.
Fields, research and education coordinator at the University of Louisville and a Centre College graduate, is running against business owner and Republican Matt Nunn of Sadieville for the open seat that encompasses southcentral Kenton County, part of northern Fayette, and all of Grant and Scott counties – a region where Fields said her roots run deep, at least back to the 1840s.
“When I saw the [17th Senate District] seat would be open, I saw an opportunity to be a voice,” Fields told LINK. “I believe in the hope and promise of Kentucky and I always will.”
The future was on Stine’s mind when she was interviewed by Shaw back in 2014. Stine said she wasn’t sure what her next steps would be after breaking ground in Frankfort. Meanwhile, she told Shaw, she was “praying about it to see how I can be of greatest service to my fellow man.”
“We have to remember – we’re just here for a time,” she said.
Kim Banta Stephanie Dietz Savvanah Maddox Kimberly Moser
Marianne Proctor Rachel Roberts
Water main breaks leave Independence residents in tough situations
By Nathan Granger
Independence was subject to three water main breaks in short succession late last month, all along Independence Station Road near the Kenton County Golf Course. Now, residents are left to deal with the fallout.
“We saw in the road, there was water shooting up everywhere,” said Lauren Hunter, who lives near the water main.
Hunter’s house is one of at least two properties that experienced damage as a result of the breaks. Her family’s house is down the hill from where the break occurred, putting it in the direct path of the water.
“Water main breaks can be caused by several different factors,” the Northern Kentucky Water District said in email to LINK nky. “While the exact causes of the breaks are unknown, NKWD suspects that the dry soil conditions were a factor.”
The first break occurred at around 11:30 a.m. July 24. The water district dispatched crews, who were able to repair the break in about four hours.
When the water was turned back on, a second break occurred along an adjacent section of pipe. That repair took about two hours to fix.
Hunter said that within a matter of minutes of arriving home on the day of the first breaks, her basement filled with water.
Tough times are likely ahead for Hunter and her fiance, Cody Wildeboer. Wildeboer suffered nerve damage following a spinal injury that left him paralyzed from the waist down. He’s currently undergoing rehab to regain his mobility – they were actually coming home from a rehab appointment when they saw the flooding. Hunter is a teacher who’s not working for the summer.
“Within a matter of maybe three minutes, my whole basement, my garage was completely flooded,” Hunter said.
Hunter called Thompson Restoration in
Fort Thomas to come and rectify the damage.
“The water restoration company got all the water out,” Hunter said. “They had to cut a little over six feet of drywall in my house, and they took out the carpets, the bathroom. They took all of that stuff out. The insulation in my garage and all around my basement.”
Although the restoration company was able to handle the initial flooding, there was another break July 26. Hunter’s house filled with water again, and all of the items she’d managed to save in the first flood, which she’d moved into the garage, were now ruined. When LINK nky interviewed Hunter the next week, fans and other restoration equipment were still running in her house.
“NKWD, in an abundance of caution, decided to replace the pipe sections entirely (36 feet) to minimize the chance that another break would happen on those sections of pipe,” the water district said. “It took approximately 7.5 hours to replace the pipe and turn the water back on.”
About 700 customers on over 30 streets lost water service as a result of the breaks. At least one other family’s house experienced water damage, LINK learned, but they could not be reached for comment.
Independence Mayor Chris Reinersman confirmed that residents had contacted him about the matter. He said he’d been in contact with the water district to find a solution and that “hopefully, we’ve gotten it taken care of.”
Hunter estimated the damage to her property to be in the thousands of dollars. Both she and the water district confirmed that a claim will be made to the water district’s insurance carrier to determine liability. The district said that in cases where water main breaks lead to property damage, complimentary extraction services are provided.
Hunter’s extended family is soliciting meal donations online to help them in the meantime.
The site of the water main break in Independence. Provided | Lauren Hunter
Water pooling around a foundation after the main break in Independence.
From cozy corners to sprawling shelves, Northern Kentucky’s bookstores offer a world of wonder in every genre and welcoming places to gather – and each has its own story to tell. Here’s a look at the quirky charms of some of the region’s favorites. Photos by Hailey Rhoden.
Indie Northern Kentucky, or INK, is the area’s zine, alternative comics, self-published and small-press bookstore.
The original location of Roebling Books and Coffee – at the foot of the Roebling Bridge in Covington – is a staple for those looking for an inviting place to meet with friends, read a good book or grab a drink.
INK shares retail space with Petri’s floral shop on Fairfield Avenue in Bellevue, making it a unique blend of plants and zines.
Roebling is buzzing with laughter and conversation through the day. It’s open daily from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Roebling also has stores in Dayton and Newport.
Blue Marble Books in Fort Thomas was started in 1979 by Tina Moore. It’s one of the oldest bookstores in the region.
The Hidden Chapter was founded in Fort Thomas in October 2023. It’s known for its elegantly designed interior and wide selection of books and gifts.
Blue Marble’s famous “Goodnight Moon” room on the second floor features a depiction of illustrations from the classic 1947 children’s book by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrator Clement Hurd.
Furnished with a faux fireplace and cozy couches, Hidden Chapter’s customers can curl up with a good book and enjoy the atmosphere.
kenton county briefs
County school board OKs $25.7M in bonds for new admin office
The Kenton County Board of Education voted Aug. 5 to issue nearly $25.7 million in bonds to finance the construction of a new central office building along Madison Pike.
The proposal cleared a facility review from the Kenton County Planning Commission in January. The building is slated for an 8.7acre parcel at the intersection of Madison Pike and Tuscany View Drive in Covington, near the borders of Fort Wright and Taylor Mill.
Covington also approved a jobs-creation development incentive for the facility in December. Statements from the city’s economic development staff indicate the city expects the district to bring 75 jobs to Covington with an average salary of about $85,000.
The building will serve primarily as the district’s central administrative office. It also will have a dedicated classroom for virtual learning as well as meeting space for events and training. The facility will have about 200 parking spaces.
The design has changed little since the planning commission cleared it, said Matt Rigg, the district’s chief operations officer. Rigg added that it was good to get the proj-
ect moving and that construction is already underway.
“It just took so long, it felt like,” Rigg said. “I mean, it didn’t take any longer than normal, just a lot of excitement to get that building up and going.”
Rigg said the district hopes to finish the building by the end of 2025 and be ready to move in before the start of the 2026-27 school year.
The district’s administrative staff and school board currently operate out of office space at the Sanitation District 1 office in Fort Wright, a space they’ve used for nearly 20 years. It’s where they cast the vote to issue the bonds.
Financing for the project will come from a new kind of general obligation bond, approved by the Kentucky General Assembly in April, which allows districts to issue bonds directly rather than through a separate finance corporation.
“We do believe we are the first district in Kentucky to take advantage of the new opportunity with general obligation bonds,” Superintendent Henry Webb said.
Foul odors,
bees among issues leading to polling place change
Amid an ongoing audit regarding the accessibility of the county’s polling places, the Kenton County Board of Elections on Aug. 5 confirmed the Northern Kentucky Convention Center as a polling place and
voted to relocate several others.
The board voted to confirm the convention center as a polling place for both early voting and Election Day voting. It also moved to ask the Kenton fiscal court for money to buy additional equipment to stock the voting sites.
Locations that will no longer be polling sites are the Fort Wright Civic Club, Crescent Springs City Building and School House Bees, a private business in Covington. Voting will be moved to Fort Wright Elementary, the Crescent Springs firehouse and Ryland Heights Elementary, respectively. Additionally, the board voted to investigate another site, the Lookout Heights Civic Club in Fort Wright, for possible relocation.
Several other sites – the Gardens of Park Hills (an event space), River Ridge Elementary, the Elsmere Senior Center, Ludlow Community Center and Beechgrove Elementary – were also up for relocation, but the board for various reasons voted against relocating them.
The state board of elections will now need to sign off on the changes before a final voting plan can be furnished.
The moves come in response to the Department of Justice’s ongoing audit of the county’s polling places following a citizen complaint in 2022. The complaint alleged a lack of accessibility for people with disabilities at some voting sites. Following the complaint, Kenton County entered into a consent decree with the Justice Department to survey and provide accommodations at polling places throughout the county.
Surveys assess buildings for handicapped accessibility. At buildings flagged as inaccessible, the county must either relocate polling stations or provide accommodations to help people with mobility problems get inside and move around safely. That could include adding temporary ramps, placing mats on uneven ground for wheelchairs and changing entry points. Ideally, such accommodations would bring the polling sites into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The coun-
ty signed the consent decree in January 2023; it is in effect for three years.
A representative from the DOJ did not attend the meeting, but Gabe Summe, Kenton County’s clerk and chair of the board of elections, said the department was trying to persuade the county to relocate seven polling sites that had been flagged as inaccessible. Frequently, this arose from excessive slopes and other obstacles leading from parking areas to building entryways.
The problem, board members agreed, was that relocating some sites could leave some smaller communities with no polling sites nearby. The relocation of the polling site at River Ridge Elementary, for instance, would leave most Villa Hills residents without an in-person polling place.
The proximity to the general election, one with two constitutional amendments and a presidential race, granted the county some leeway to reject the Justice Department’s suggestion, said County Attorney Stacy Tapke.
“I don’t think they’re gonna tell you [that] you can’t use those sites,” Tapke said, “if you go back and say, ‘Look, we just can’t. It’s too close to the election, it’s too big, it’s too important.’”
The board’s Democratic Party representative, Bryce Rhoades, agreed. “I think, just practically, it would be a nightmare.”
The sites that the board did decide to relocate either had ready alternatives nearby or were deemed as being hazardous to the health of the poll workers. Board members agreed that additional changes could be made before the next major election, when the county had more time to consider alternatives.
Among problems at voting sites:
• Thick carpet at the Crescent Springs City Building could make wheelchair access difficult.
• An inspection of the Fort Wright Civic Club after it was donated to the city in March found a black mold infestation, a safety risk for poll workers.
• School House Bees, a honey company,
The Kenton County Administration building was one of many locations voters headed to for voting in the May 2023 Kentucky primary election. Photo by Alecia Ricker | LINK nky Contributor
The sign outside SD1 headquarters in Fort Wright, where the Kenton County Schools Board of Education also meets. Photo by Nathan Granger | LINK nky
was moved because of all the bees.
• Poll workers who’ve served at the Lookout Heights Civic Club in Fort Wright said it reeks with foul odors and has other purportedly unsanitary conditions, Summe said. The board members, however, had not been to the site to investigate it personally, so they deferred a decision on that site until they could do so.
Summe will turn in a revised election plan to the state and updated forms and decisions to the DOJ this week. The complete election plan will be available on the Kentucky Secretary of State’s website after Aug. 20. Signs will be posted on former polling place locations, and the county will update its website once the state affirms the plan.
Planning commission approves development at former Drawbridge site
The Kenton County Planning Commission approved a concept development plan Aug. 1 for a large, mixed-used development in Fort Mitchell. The 26-acre site was the location of the Drawbridge Inn, which closed in 2012 after 42 years of operation.
The plan’s primary feature is a seven-story senior living facility. A medical office, business center, restaurants and retail spaces also are planned, along with signs, lighting, parking, landscaping and other essentials.
“This site has laid fallow for quite some time for one reason or another,” said Commissioner Jeff Bethell, who represents Fort Mitchell on the Planning Commission.
“Fortunately, it’s starting to move at this point, and I think it’ll be great not just for Fort Mitchell, but for Northern Kentucky.”
The city reached an agreement with developer Buttermilk Pike Development Co. in May for the southeast side of the I-71/75 interchange with Buttermilk Pike. The plan calls for nine buildings, 1,101 parking spaces – including two parking garages – and a decorative retaining wall on the north end of the development. About 80 trees also are planned.
The commission approved zoning for the site in December when it voted to instate a new mixed-use zone called MU 2. Fort Mitchell proposed the new zone, and the planning commission unanimously approved it. The zone allows for a broad range of developmental uses, including residential, commercial, industrial, lodging and recreational uses, among others.
The city also secured tax increment financing, or TIF, for the area. TIF districts are a way for cities to attract developers to their areas by rerouting tax revenue into the district. Once a city establishes a TIF district, a portion of the property taxes collected in the area are redirected from general community services and instead directed for a predetermined period to the TIF district. This can speed infrastructure development and reduce costs for developers.
Multiple attempts to develop the land have fizzled, and this plan has been in the works for at least two years, based on statements from Greg Berling, a developer from Buttermilk Pike Development who spoke at the zoning meeting in December.
The main attraction for the development is a large, senior-living facility called the Ormsby, which takes its name from Ormsby MacKnight Mitchel, a 19th century astronomer, Civil War Union major general and namesake of the city of Fort Mitchell. The residences will consist of 67 one-bedroom units, 136 two-bedroom units and 48 beds in the health center. The facility already has a website touting it as a kind of luxury senior living center. The center’s health services will be operated in partnership with St. Elizabeth Healthcare.
The plan now returns to Fort Mitchell City Council for final revisions and approval.
Covington to accept $192K for Madison Ave. signal reconfiguration
The Covington City Commission voted Aug. 6 to accept about $192,000 from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for the redesign of traffic signals on Madison Avenue as part of the broader improvement project currently underway along the road.
“This is another major [project] improving Madison southward from Sixth Street up to Robbins [Street],” said Public Works Director Keith Bales. “Signals will be reconfigured, reducing stops, helping traffic flow, reducing carbon emissions.”
Specifically, the transportation cabinet will contribute up to $191,858 toward designing the reconfiguration along the road. The total estimated cost for the design work is $239,822.50, and the city will be responsible for covering the remaining 20%, about $48,000, of the designs. As a result, the city will need to make up that money in the budget sometime in the future, which will require a budget amendment from the commission.
Bales stated that the transportation cabinet expected the project to take place sometime in fiscal year 2026, so he refrained from asking for a budget amendment during the Aug. 6 meeting.
Devou Park overlook
The revamped Drees Overlook at Devou Park, which offers unimpeded views of the Cincinnati skyline, hopes to honor the legacy of homebuilder Ralph Drees while improving park visitors’ experience.
In 2022, Barbara Drees-Jones, Ralph’s daughter, pitched the family’s intention to reinvigorate the park’s overlook pavilion to the Covington Commission. After a year of construction, the new Drees Overlook was ready to be unveiled.
On Aug. 7, members of the Drees family, representatives from Covington and Kenton County gathered at Drees Overlook for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate its opening.
Ralph Drees first approached the Covington Commission in 2003 with the idea of building and donating an event center to Devou Park to commemorate Drees Homes’ 75th anniversary.
“Ralph believed in giving back to the community and was particularly dedicated toward making Northern Kentucky a better place to live,” Ralph’s son and Drees Homes CEO David Drees said. “This gift does that and it is only made possible because of his generosity and the foundational values he instilled in our family and our company.”
One year later, Drees Pavilion opened. It’s since served as a popular venue for weddings, company outings and public events. Drees Pavilion has generated nearly $7 million worth of proceeds that have been invested back into Devou Park, according to a press release from Drees.
A rendering of a proposed senior living facility, called the Ormsby, slated for the site of the former Drawbridge Inn in Fort Mitchell. Provided | Ormsby
Construction crew replacing brick surface at the Madison Avenue and MLK Boulevard/12th Street intersection. Photo provided | City of Covington
Irma Drees cuts the ribbon marking the opening of the newly renovated Devou Park Overlook. Hailey Roden | LINK nky
Ralph Drees honored with revamped
Modern amenities meet historical charm in Covington
Address: 1206 Lee St., Covington
Price: $535,000
Bedrooms: Three
Bathrooms: Two (plus one half-bath)
Square footage: 2,415
School district: Kenton County
County: Kenton
Special features: Built in 1900, this renovated Covington home features a blend of historical character and modern flair. While offering modern amenities, the renovation preserved details such as high ceilings, exposed brick, original doors with transoms and original wood floors. The finished lower level provides bonus living space with a family room, a third bedroom with its own entrance plus a full bath.
REQUEST FOR BIDS
SHINKLE ROAD BRIDGE REHABILITATION PROJECT
Sealed Bids will be received by the City of Crestview Hills (“City” or “Owner”) for the Shinkle Road Bridge Rehabilitation Project. The scope of work includes replacement of one bridge beam and the railings on both sides of the bridge as depicted on the project plans. The project is located along Shinkle Road between Lookout Farm Drive and Crown Point Circle in Crestview Hills, Kenton County, Kentucky.
Last Day for Questions shall be August 20th, 2024 at 5 pm. EST. Last Addendum, if any, shall be issued on August 23rd , 2024 by 5 pm. EST Contractors are encouraged to utilize local Vendors and Suppliers.
Contract Documents may be obtained from PRIME AE Group, Inc. (Mike Yeager – myeager@primeeng.com). Partial sets of documents will not be provided. Bids must be delivered to Crestview Hills City Clerk, 50 Town Center Blvd., Crestview Hills, KY 41017, on or before 10:00 AM EST on August 27, 2024.
The City of Crestview Hills (OWNER) reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to waive any informalities or errors or to reject any or all bids for any reason. This contract is considered a Lump Sum Contract. The Owner Reserves the Right to negotiate with apparent successful bidder as necessary to meet the needs of the Owner. Small, local, minority and female-owned businesses are encouraged to participate. Each bidder must deposit with Bid, security in the amount, form and subject to the conditions provided in the Instructions to Bidders. No price escalation during the time of the Construction Contract shall be considered.
& Zoning
• Campbell County Public Library
• Campbell County Sheriffs Office
• City of Alexandria
• City of Bellevue
• City of Cold Spring
• City of Covington
• City of Cresent Springs
• City of Crestview Hills
• City of Dayton
• City of Edgewood City of Elsmere •
• City of Union
• City of Villa Hills
• City Of Walton
• City of Wilder
• City of Woodlawn
• Covington Public Independent Schools
• Cresent Springs Board of Adjustment
• Family Dollar Store
• Fort Mitchell Board of Adjustment
• Fort Thomas Independent Schools
• Highland Heights Planning & Zoning
• Keating, Muething & Klekamp PLL Kenton County Fiscal Court
• Kenton County Joint Board of Adjustment
Larry Dillon Boone County Master Commissioner
Northern Kentucky Port Authority
• Northern Kentucky Water District Planning & Development Services of Kenton County
The Baker Firm PLLC
• The Hidden Chapter Bookstore LLC
An exterior view of this Covington home. Photos provided | Ben Freimuth with Comey & Shepherd
This home has kept some original elements like hardwood floors and exposed brick.
Wednesday Thursday 21 17 20 16 22 18 19
Crosstown Comedy Festival: Sam Ragar, 7-8:30 p.m., Commonwealth Sanctuary, 522 Fifth Ave., Dayton. Semifinalist round with host Gabby Watts. Each round’s winners will be determined by a mix of audience voting and judge’s pick. Admission $10. Information: programming@commonwealthsanctuary.com or commonwealthsanctuary.com.
Remembering Woodstock Festival, 3-10 p.m., Schoolyard Winery, 14923 Walton-Verona Road, Verona. Eighth annual celebration of peace, love and music fun with three live bands, food trucks and the rockin’ vibes of the era. Information: 859242-2087 or facebook. com/schoolyardwinery.
Summer Festival and Golf Ball Drop, 5:30-11 p.m., St. Philip Parish, 5476 Mary Ingles Highway, Melbourne. Fun filled evening for all ages with live music, food, kids funland, multiple raffles, golf ball drop (7 p.m.). Information: 859-441-8949 or rrottgers@stphilipky. org.
For more events, scan the QR code or visit: https://linknky.com/events/
Bellevue Beach Park Farmers Market, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Bellevue Beach Park, 643-665 Frank Benke Way, Bellevue. Celebrate your furry friends at Dog Days of Summer. With vendors, live music, food trucks, animal encounters, kids’ activities. Free. Information: 859431-8888 or melissa. morandi@bellevueky. org.
Larry Nelson Master Pro Golf Classic, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Triple Crown Country Club, 1 Triple Crown Blvd., Union. 23nd annual golf classic to benefit Master Provisions, faith-based charity. Information: 859-474-0467 or travis@masterprovisions. org.
Campbell County Board of Education meeting, 6-7 p.m., Alexandria Educational Center, 51 Orchard Lane, Alexandria. Information: campbell.kyschools.us/ board-of-education.
Edgewood City Council meeting, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Edgewood City Building, 385 Dudley Road, Edgewood. Information: edgewoodky.gov/administration/agendas.
Fort Thomas City Council meeting, 7-8 p.m., Fort Thomas City Building, 130 N. Fort Thomas Ave., Fort Thomas. Information: ftthomas.org/mayorcouncil/ meetings-information.
Providing You and Your Business
Space to Grow
Step into your next opportunity with one of Corporex’s real estate assets spanning the Greater Cincinnati region.
Boone County Fiscal Court meeting, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Boone County Administration Building, first floor, 2950 Washington St., Burlington. Information: 859-334-3571 or boonecountyky.org.
Florence City Council caucus meeting, 6-7 p.m., Florence City Building, 8100 Ewing Blvd., Florence. Information: florence-ky. gov/our-government/ minutes-archive.
Covington Commission Caucus meeting, 6-7 p.m., Covington City Hall, 20 W. Pike St., Covington. Information: 859-292-2127 or covingtonky.gov/government.
Highland Heights City Council meeting, 7-8 p.m., Highland Heights City Building, 176 Johns Hill Road, Highland Heights. Information: hhky.com/city-council-minutes.
Campbell County Fiscal Court meeting, 5:30 p.m., Campbell County Administration Building, 1098 Monmouth St., Newport. Information: campbellcountyky.gov.
Villa Hills City Council meeting, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Villa Hills City Building, 719 Rogers Road, Villa Hills. Information: villahillsky.org.
Southgate City Council meeting, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Southgate City Building, 122 Electric Ave., Southgate. Information: southgateky.org/mayor-city-council.
Corporex has the solutions to meet your business needs. Our real estate portfolio boasts various sizes, amenities, and locations that offer great opportunites
Ludlow City Council meeting, 7-8 p.m., Ludlow Municipal Center, 808 Elm St., Ludlow.
By Maria Hehman
TFavorite and fantastical thrive on Dixie Highway
his Streetscapes checks out some longtime and well loved eateries on and off of Dixie Highway. Sushi, iconic American dishes and fantastical brews all await.
Sake Bomb Sushi
Sake Bomb Sushi is nestled in a small strip along bustling Dixie Highway. Its colorful exterior is easily spotted among the gas stations and chain restaurants. The inside is just as vibrant and welcoming as the exterior. Its menu is primarily sushi and Korean cuisine.
Sake Bomb carries some creative sushi rolls that are hard to find just anywhere. For fish fans, the caterpillar roll with BBQ eel, cucumber and avocado, or the Cincinnati roll with mango, cream cheese, avocado, smoked salmon and tempura flakes are great flavor-packed options. With almost 50 options, it’s hard to order anything outside of their specialty rolls.
With ramen, chicken katsu, yakisoba noodles and kalbi short ribs, there are ample delicious options to go with Sake Bomb’s
sushi. Refreshments include the place’s namesake, sake, as well as soju, a Korean rice liquor similar to vodka in taste. The dessert menu features bingsu Korean shaved snow ice in flavors of mango, strawberry, Oreo and Korean red bean.
Barleycorn’s
This location of Barleycorn’s has long been a Northern Kentucky staple. Barleycorn’s is a mix of a sports bar and a family friendly restaurant. Its interior is decorated in eclectic and vintage decor coupled with a few sports-bar games in the corner. The main dining area is where the bar is, with a second elevated dining area and a final dining room upstairs. One of the coolest parts of Barleycorn’s Dixie Highway location is how the space honors the original architecture of the building.
Barleycorn’s menu is traditional American bar food. It’s most famous for burgers and doc-style wings. Doc-style wings are fried, tossed in sauce, then fried again for extra flavor and crispness. Although there is no going wrong with a burger or wings, the sandwiches and other entrees are just as delicious. The bar boasts countless choices for beers – just look at the back of the bar that’s lined with draft beer taps. The outdoor patio is a summertime favorite to enjoy all that Barleycorn’s has to offer.
A bit off the beaten path of the typical bar scene, yet still only a mile off Dixie Highway, sits Fabled Brew Works. Fabled Brew Works invites guests to step into an alternate universe where good beer and goblins coexist. Its unique environment matches its beers and evokes fantastical worlds already imagined and those yet to be discovered.
This may be the best brewery for families to visit, as kids will have just as much fun here as adults. Along the back wall of draft brews is an open tree trunk that matches the Fabled Brew Works logo.
Other than brewing beer, Fabled also serves mead, an alcohol derived from honey. Its beers and meads all have names that pay homage to famous fantasy characters. With over 25 drinks on tap, there are options for everyone.
Patrons who want to step outside of the adventure-themed tap room can relax on an outdoor patio, even with their furry friends.
Fabled Brew Works often hosts local food trucks in its large parking lot. It’s an inviting place that offers a unique experience and warrants spending a couple hours in an alternate universe.
What to Know If You Go
Sake Bomb Sushi
Location: 3072 Dixie Highway, Erlanger
Hours: Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-2:15 p.m., 4:30-9:15 p.m.; Saturday, noon-9:15 p.m.; Sunday 1-9:15 p.m.
Website: sakebombcatering.com Phone: 859-360-2281
Barleycorn’s
Location: 2642 Dixie Highway, Lakeside Park
Hours: Sunday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-midnight
Website: barelycorns.com Phone: 859-331-6633
Fabled Brew Works
Location: 331 Kenton Lands Road, Erlanger
Hours: Monday, closed; Tuesday-Wednesday, 4-9 p.m.; Thursday, noon-10 p.m.; Friday, noon-11 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
Website: fabledbrewworks.beer Phone: 859-727-2337
Bacon chicken wrap from Barleycorn’s. Photo by Maria Hehman | LINK nky contributor
Barleycorn’s exterior. Photo by Maria Hehman | LINK nky contributor
Sake Bomb Sushi’s colorful exterior shines from bustling Dixie Highway. Photo by Maria Hehman | LINK nky contributor
Fabled Brew Works
Fabled Brew Works mixes fantasy-inspired brews with a fantasy-inspired setting. Provided | Fabled Brew Works via Facebook
NOTICE TO CUSTOMERS OF DUKE ENERGY KENTUCKY, INC.
RECOVERY BY ENVIRONMENTAL SURCHARGE OF DUKE ENERGY KENTUCKY, INC.’S AMENDMENT TO ITS 2021 AMENDED ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE PLAN
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that Duke Energy Kentucky, Inc. (“Duke Energy Kentucky” or “Company”) is filing with the Kentucky Public Service Commission (“Commission”) on or about July 19, 2024 in Case No. 2024-00152, an Application pursuant to Kentucky Revised Statute 278.183 for approval of the construction of the Limestone Conversion Project (Project) located at its East Bend Generating Station (“East Bend”) and an amendment of the Company’s Environmental Compliance Plan to include the Project for the purpose of recovering the capital and operations and maintenance (O&M) costs associated with the Project through an increase in the environmental surcharge on customers’ bills beginning March 1, 2025 under the Company’s existing Rider ESM, also known as the environmental surcharge mechanism. The total capital cost of the Limestone Conversion Project in the Company’s Amended Environmental Compliance Plan is estimated to be $125.8 million.
Federal and state environmental regulations require Duke Energy Kentucky to build and upgrade equipment and facilities that produce energy from coal to operate in an environmentally sound manner. Specifically, the Company is seeking Commission approval of a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for the construction and operation of the Project. This construction project requires an amendment of Duke Energy Kentucky’s Amended Environmental Compliance Plan that was approved by the Commission in 2022.
Additionally, Duke Energy Kentucky is seeking an order approving the recovery of the costs of the Project through its Environmental Surcharge tariff. The Project is required for the Company to continue to comply with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s federal Clean Air Act, and other environmental requirements that apply to Duke Energy Kentucky facilities used in the production of energy from coal. The total capital cost of the Project for which the Company is seeking recovery at this time is estimated to be $125.8 million. O&M costs related to the Project will be similar to O&M costs incurred today and are not distinguishable.
The impact on Duke Energy Kentucky’s customers is estimated to be an increase of 1.0% for residential customers and 1.0% on average for nonresidential customers in 2025, 2.8% for residential customers and 2.7% on average for non-residential customers in 2026, 2.1% or residential customers and 2.1% on average for non-residential customers in 2027, 1.8% for residential customers and 1.7% on average for non-residential customers in 2028, and 1.8% for residential customers and 1.8% on average for non-residential customers in 2029. For a Duke Energy Kentucky residential customer using 1000 kilowatt hours per month (kWh/mo.), the initial monthly increase is expected to be $1.32 during 2025, $3.63 in 2026, $2.72 in 2027, $2.25 in 2028, and $2.33 in 2029.
The rates contained in this notice are the rates proposed by Duke Energy Kentucky; however, the Kentucky Public Service Commission may order rates to be charged that differ from the proposed rates contained in this notice. Such action may result in rates for consumers other than the rates in this notice.
Any corporation, association, body politic or person with a substantial interest in the matter may, by written request within thirty (30) days after publication of this notice of the proposed rate changes, request leave to intervene; intervention may be granted beyond the thirty (30) day period for good cause shown. Such motion shall be submitted to the Kentucky Public Service Commission, P.O. Box 615, 211 Sower Boulevard, Frankfort, Kentucky 40602-0615, and shall set forth the grounds for the request including the status and interest of the party. If the Commission does not receive a written request for intervention within thirty (30) days of the initial publication the Commission may take final action on the application.
Intervenors may obtain copies of the application and other filings made by the Company by requesting same through email at DEKInquiries@dukeenergy.com or by telephone at (513) 287-4366. A copy of the application and other filings made by the Company are available for public inspection through the Commission’s website at http://psc.ky.gov at the Commission’s office at 211 Sower Boulevard, Frankfort, Kentucky, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and at the following Company office: Erlanger Ops Center, 1262 Cox Road, Erlanger, Kentucky 41018. Comments regarding the application may be submitted to the Public Service Commission through its website, or by mail at the following Commission address. For further information contact: PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION DUKE ENERGY KENTUCKY COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY 1262 COX
Brody Benke to Middle Tennessee State and Dixie Heights’ Kabanza Mwamba to Tennessee-Chattanooga) with a scholarship. A few others earned preferred walkon spots.
This season should see as many, if not more, with many other promising juniors who have already picked up offers. Seniors who have offers or have committed are Ryle’s Dillon Smith to Louisville, Cooper’s Austin Alexander to North Carolina and Beechwood’s Mattox Kelly to Illinois State. Several others haven’t made a commitment yet but have Division I offers, including Cooper’s Isaac Brown and Isaiah Johnson, Conner’s Dylan Stewart, Beechwood’s Luke Erdman and Cole Howard, Highlands’ Adam Surrey and Jackson Arnold.
Then there’s a strong 2026 class expected to have a number of Division I players. That list starts with Cooper quarterback Cam O’Hara, Ryle’s Jacob Savage and Highlands’ Max Merz, who all had a big offseason and courted several offers.
New faces, different places
Bishop Brossart, Boone County, Holy Cross, Newport, Scott and Walton-Verona all had coaching changes in the offseason. A couple (Newport and Scott) hired coaches with previous head coaching experience, while the other four hired first-time varsity head football coaches.
Newport’s Paul Wiggins comes from Bishop Brossart, where he led the Mustangs to a 67-43 record and three district championships in his 10-year tenure. Scott’s Justin Franklin makes his way here from North Oldham, north of Louisville, where he was defensive coordinator. Before that, he led Carroll County’s program from 2019-21.
Boone County brought in Dan Court and his 14 years of coaching experience as an assistant at four different schools, including his alma mater, Highlands. Holy Cross hired Curt Spencer to replace longtime coach Bruce Kozerski, who stepped down after 20 seasons. Spencer has been on staff at Holy Cross in some capacity for the last 10 years and also served as a high school official. Brossart hired Kozerski’s son, Adam, to lead the program. Adam Kozerski had been on staff at Holy Cross with his father since 2012, but already being in the building as a calculus and algebra teacher at Brossart helped make his decision.
Walton-Verona enters a new era with Gary Pence, succeeding Jeffrey Barth after his 15 seasons at the helm. Pence is just the third coach in Bearcats program history, coming over from Cooper, where he was an assistant the last decade.
Last ride at Davis Field
April 29 was a historic day for Dayton Independent Schools as the district rolled out Project One, the groundbreaking of a $14 million dollar project to create a sports complex and learning space that will unite the district’s high school and elementary schools at a unified campus.
It also will signal the end to O.W. Davis Field
down the street. The Greendevils have been playing home games at Davis Field since it was built in 1934, the second oldest high school football stadium in the state. The new stadium with a turf field is projected to be ready by the start of the 2025 season.
Former Dayton Superintendent Jay Brewer has dubbed it Dayton’s Field of Dreams.
Coming home
Newport will finally get to play home games again this season after playing the last two years on the road due to required construction at Newport Stadium. Work won’t be completely done by the Sept. 13 Wildcats home opener, but the $3 million renovation includes new turf, bleachers and a press box.
Locker rooms and concessions will be completed later. The team will work with a makeshift locker room this season, a garage next to the stadium.
“We’re trying to make that as homey as possible,” head coach Paul Wiggins said. “We cleared it out, we swept it, we’re going to put some LED lights in there.”
The Sept. 13 game with Boone County will be Newport’s first regular season home game in 1,071 days.
Newport Central Catholic broke ground Aug. 9 on its athletic facility. It’s expected to be ready by 2025, which means the Thoroughbreds won’t have to play at another school on their designated home games. The project includes an on-campus, multipurpose athletic complex that will provide a home field for the boys and girls soccer, track and football teams, and a practice facility for the baseball and softball teams.
Bellevue also has plans for renovation of Leo Gilligan Field in the near future. The Tigers are one of two teams that still play on grass, and they’ll be the last when Dayton moves to its new field in 2025. Walton-Verona finished their renovations at the Walton-Verona Sports Complex as well.
Realignment coming in 2025
With KHSAA set for realignment in 2025, this year marks the end for some programs in certain classes. As mentioned earlier, Highlands moves down from 5A to 4A as the lone significant change for the area. It also brings back a district rivalry with Covington Catholic. The two will no longer face one another in August, but in October, which is how it should be, with a lot more at stake.
The other big move will be St. Henry entering Class 2A as a first-year program in 2025. The Crusaders have nearly 50 student-athletes out for practice in preparation for the upcoming 2024 JV/freshman season. They’ll be in a district with Beechwood, Walton-Verona, Bracken County, Gallatin County and Trimble County.
Dayton held its groundbreaking in April for a new field to replace O.W. Davis Field, the second oldest high school football stadium in the state. Provided | Dayton High School
Ryle’s Dillon Smith is committed to the University of Louisville, one of several area NKY players headed to play Division I football next year. Provided | Raider Sports Network
Preseason polls show plenty of contenders for
NKY football titles
MaxPreps, a website specializing in coverage of high school sports, has put out its preseason football polls for each class in the state of Kentucky.
Northern Kentucky showed out in the polls with eight teams ranked in the top 10 of their respective classes. The highest ranking was Cooper, which landed at No. 2 in 5A.
The Jaguars are the 5A runners-up from the 2023 season and return a majority of their players for the upcoming season.
Highlands is right behind them at No. 3 in 5A, the Bluebirds coming off a state semifinal appearance, losing to Cooper in the semifinal round.
Dixie Heights is No. 10 in 5A, the Colonels coming off a season in which they earned a playoff victory against Woodford County before losing to Highlands in the second round.
Beechwood represents the next legitimate threat to bring a title to NKY, coming in at No. 3 in Class 2A. The Tigers also return a wealth of production and experience from the 2023 team that went 12-2 and lost in the semifinals.
Moving to another state runner-up, Covington Catholic starts out at No. 7 in Class 4A. The Colonels went 14-1 in 2023, losing to Boyle County in the state championship game.
Newport Central Catholic is ranked No. 8 preseason in Class A. The Thoroughbreds are looking to break through this year, having made five straight state quarterfinal appearances with just one of those seasons getting into the semifinal round in 2022.
In 6A, Ryle and Simon Kenton are back-toback at Nos. 8 and 9. The Raiders are the reigning district champions and advanced to the quarterfinals last season with a lot of pieces returning. The Pioneers bowed out in the first round last season, a flurry of close losses to end their 2023 campaign.
Others just outside the top 10 include Newport at No. 11 and Ludlow at No. 12 in 1A and Lloyd Memorial at No. 14 in 3A.
The Kentucky High School football regular season begins Aug. 23.
Coaches association releases preseason volleyball poll
The Kentucky Volleyball Coaches Association has released its preseason poll prior to the upcoming KHSAA season that begins Aug. 19.
Five of the top 25 teams come from the 9th
Region; Notre Dame leads the way, coming in at No. 6 with five first-place votes. Following the Pandas is Ryle at No. 12, St. Henry at No. 13, Highlands at No. 14 and Conner at No. 25.
The No. 6 ranking for Notre Dame can be looked at as somewhat of a surprise as they return all but one player from a state runner-up team in 2023 that finished with a 33-6 record, the lone in-state losses coming to state champion Assumption three times. The Pandas went 15-0 in 9th Region play as they look for their 11th state title in program history this season.
Ryle lost five to graduation, coming off a 24-13 season and a region semifinal appearance.
St. Henry was probably hit hardest by graduations, losing six seniors from last season’s 31-9 team that won the All “A” state title and made the region championship before falling to Notre Dame.
Highlands enters year two under the second stint from Jim DeLong and despite the loss of six seniors, returns six of its top nine rotational players. Conner rounded out the top 25 and will also endure a nearly complete roster makeover with the loss of 10 seniors.
Baioni rounds third, heads for home from Highlands
Fifteen years and four region championships later, Jeremy Baioni has decided to step down from the baseball program at Highlands, informing the school he was resigning July 31 as head coach.
Baioni cited wanting to focus more on his day job and to spend more time with his family. He’s a business intelligence developer and analyst at Children’s Hospital, and his kids are now out of high school. He also said he looks forward to helping out with his brother’s construction business.
Baioni ends his Highlands tenure with a 319-258 record, four region championships and two state runner-up finishes,
making him the most accomplished coach in program history.
Baioni helped get dozens of kids to the next level and play in college and expanded the program. From the roughly 30-35 kids initially, current numbers are now in the 60s.
He helped get a turf infield to Highland Park in 2020, the home for the Bluebirds home games off campus.
In his tenure, the Bluebirds four-peat of region titles from 2015-18 had been achieved only once before, when Newport Central Catholic won seven straight region titles from 1948-54. Beechwood followed from 2019-23 with four straight region crowns of its own. Highlands made state championship runs in 2015 and ’18, losing in the title game in both appearances.
While he’s stepping away from the game as a coach, he’ll still be a part of it in some capacity as a vital member of Prep Baseball Kentucky, one of the country’s biggest and most respected independent scouting services.
Highlands posted the head coach opening Aug. 2 in hopes of filling the position soon. Offseason work will continue by the current staff in place. Whoever takes over will start a new era of Bluebirds baseball: 12 seniors also departed from the 2024 team.
Notre Dame enters the KVCA preseason poll ranked No. 6 with five first-place votes. Provided | Rory Glynn
Highlands baseball coach Jeremy Baioni resigned July 31. He guided the Bluebirds to four region championships and 319 victories in 15 seasons. File photo
Cooper enters the 2024 season ranked No. 2 in MaxPreps preseason Class 5A football poll. Provided | Brandon Wheeler
