LINK Kenton Reader Volume 1, Issue 5 Dec 16, 2022

Beechwood pushes through injuries for third straight state title

We are grateful to all LINK’s Partners - those organizations in the community who believe strongly in what we are doing, and have thrown their full support behind us. These NKY institutions are helping bring a voice back to our community.

PRESIDENT & CEO Lacy Starling

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Mark Collier

CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER Michael Monks

MANAGING EDITOR Meghan Goth

PRINT EDITOR Kaitlin Gebby

The LINK nky Kenton Reader is a weekly newspaper. Application to Mail at Periodicals Postage Prices is Pending, permit number 32 in Covington, Kentucky. The LINK nky Kenton Reader office of publications and the Periodical Pending Postage Paid at 700 Scott St., Covington, KY 41011.

For mailing address or change-of-address orders: POSTMASTER: send address changes to The LINK nky Kenton Reader: 621 Madison Ave, Covington, KY 41011 859-878-1669 | www.LINKnky.com

Facebook @LINKnKentucky

Twitter @LINKnky

Instagram @LINK_nky

HAVE A TIP? News@LINKnky.com

WANT TO ADVERTISE?

Marketing@LINKnky.com

WANT TO SUBSCRIBE?

Scan this QR code here

NKY Atlas to give leaders new insight to region

BY KENTON HORNBECK | LINK nky REPORTER

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

on the cover

Beechwood starts to celebrate in the fourth quarter as the final clock approaches zero at the KHSAA Class 2A state championship game at Kroger Field in Lexington. Brandon Wheeler | LINK nky contributor

Speaking at the newly renovated Turfway Park in Florence, Northern Kentucky Tri-ED CEO Lee Crume was anxious to reveal the region’s newest resource in its battle for increased economic prosperity.

Crume, along with TriED research director David McAleese and Florida State University economics professor Dr. Jerry Parrish, unveiled the Northern Kentucky Atlas, a data dashboard for the region. The tool features over 200 unique data sets for Kenton, Campbell and Boone counties, including statistics on access to high speed internet, food insecurity, per capita income and travel time to work.

Parrish and McAleese explained to a crowd of regional business leaders how the free visual resource works, why it’s important and how it can be utilized to further contextualize the intricacies of the Northern Kentucky market.

Tri-ED partnered with Chicago-based analytics startup Metopio to create the Atlas by curating publicly available information and statistics.

“The Northern Kentucky Atlas provides an open and interactive source for data on wide ranging topics pertinent to our region,” McAleese said. “The platform enables us to collect, analyze and disseminate data to the community while also putting the power in the hands of individual use.”

The region’s economy has evolved to include more workers, diverse industries and connected infrastructure.

Previously an agriculture-focused economy with swathes of land owned by generational farmers, the region now boasts 21st century industries like the logistics hub at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport and a quickly growing life sciences sector.

While the modernization of the economy has materially changed the lives of those in this region, this change has brought about new challenges.

Leaders are worried about an aging and retiring workforce, and the region’s educational and training opportunities to close the trade skills gap. They are looking for answers on the unemployment rate, and how to move disengaged workers into a meaningful economic role.

The data provided in the Atlas is designed to help leaders and individual businesses pinpoint specific variables related to these issues and to help identify data points

that may have been overlooked.

The Northern Kentucky economy is doing well, according to Crume. It has a high labor force participation rate at 68%, the highest number of college graduates in the region’s history and high speed internet access across all three counties, even stretching down into rural areas.

“We’re a prosperous community. Sixty-eight percent labor participation rate is a fantastic number. It is well above the Kentucky average, above the Ohio average and above the US average. That is something we should really feel good about,” said Tri-ED CEO Lee Crume. “The median income of this community is a really good number. If you look at these other numbers, we might then start to say, ‘How do we make sure we stay on this prosperous track?’”

The Atlas aims to drill beneath the surface and highlight where there are economic disparities. Data measurements can be seen at the county, city, zip code and census levels. When researchers get to the zip code level, the economic disparities become more identifiable, McAleese said.

“We are on the lower end of the poverty rate. We’re on the lower rate of housing cost burden. I could go on,” said McAleese. “However, as you start to drill down below the region’s surface getting down to smaller geographies, you start to see that, yes, there is some of that disparity. There are areas in our region where particularly childhood poverty, poverty rate of those under the age of 18, are fairly high. When

Florida State University economics professor Dr. Jerry Parrish speaks during an event that unveiled the research that led to the launch of the Northern Kentucky Atlas, a data dashboard designed to provide deep insight into the community. Photo by Joe Simon | LINK nky contributor

you start to look at zip codes, there are certain areas where we definitely are at risk of leaving them behind.”

This phenomenon is highlighted by the map feature of the Atlas which can show an overview of the counties segmented by zip codes. The Atlas provides the user with visuals to show the economic disparities among Northern Kentucky’s population areas.

It shows 5.54% of Fort Thomas families in the 41075 zip code live in poverty, which is below the 10% average poverty rate for Northern Kentucky, according to Tri-ED data.

In contrast, the zip code next door which includes Newport, Woodlawn, parts of Southgate and Wilder, has one of the highest poverty rates in the region. Atlas data shows 24.11% of these residents with a 41071 zip code are living in poverty. The Atlas will allow leaders and the public to see these bordering zip codes, their differing poverty levels and the factors that contribute to them, like urban density, cost of living, median earnings for workers, and education levels.

Economic disparities between urban, suburban and rural areas can also be viewed. A good way to measure this is to utilize the Atlas’ Hardship Index and filter the search down to zip codes.

The Hardship Index is a composite score reflecting hardship in the community. The score incorporates unemployment, age dependency, education, per capita income, crowded housing, and poverty into a single score that allows comparison between geographies.

Rural zip codes such as 41063 in Kenton County have a 46.4 score on the Hardship Index, compared to urban zip codes, like 41014 in Covington, which has a 76.6 score. Urban zip codes typically score the highest on the Index, followed by some rural areas. Suburban zip codes, like those in Edgewood, Lakeside Park and Crestview Hills, have the lowest Hardship Index scores –the Atlas shows a 15.7 score for those three communities.

“This not intended to discourage but rather to get us thinking about where we can lean in on some of these challenges, how we can explore these issues with the help of the Atlas to understand what the data is telling us and to use the collective leadership in this room to brainstorm around how we can enhance or refine our strategies,” McAleese said at the Tri-ED forum.

Crume and McAleese both told LINK nky that the Atlas will continue to add meaningful metrics, like library card usage and cargo and passenger data from CVG. There’s also potential for the Atlas to include data from the surrounding rural counties of Pendleton, Grant and Gallatin in the future.

Complex problems require data-driven solutions. As Northern Kentucky continues to evolve socially, economically, politically and educationally, resources like Atlas will be an important key to solving the region’s issues of tomorrow.

How to use the Atlas

The Atlas is available to the public for free at atlas.northernkentuckyuse.com.

On the site is information about how and where the data was collected, comparable markets to Northern Kentucky, and a 4-minute instructional video on how to use the Atlas. For each datapoint, the Atlas shows users the resource the information was originally extracted from as well.

Users can search by topic, use a quick search tool, or view the user guide to see an in-depth look at what the Atlas can do.

Under the topics menu are eight categories the data is organized into: demographic, infrastructure, quality of life, education, economic, health, housing, and workforce. Under each of those topics are subcategories. For example, listed under quality of life, users can see data on crime, food access, depression, land, and pollution.

The data is whittled down further into groups. If one wants to see crime, they can select whether they want to see data on burglaries, aggravated assaults, homicide, and several other key words. Likewise, if someone wanted to see what access to the internet is like across the region, each county, city, or zip code, they can look under the infrastructure tab in technology, where access to internet is the first selection.

Once users find the data, it can be viewed on the map of the three-county region. It can also be viewed as a bar graph and both views can be downloaded into an image. In the same menu, the item can be viewed by rank, giving users a look at the same piece of data across the three-county region.

Northern Kentucky Tri-ED CEO Lee Crume speaks during a presentation to introduce the Northern Kentucky Atlas data system. Photo by Joe Simon | LINK nky contributor

They can see the data source, and are given the option to download the raw data. Most of the data is from surveys, so users will also see a confidence interval.

When viewing access to internet in Kenton County, the Atlas shows around 9.3% of households can only access the internet through cellular data rather than a broadband connection. When viewed by rank, the data shows 7.6% of homes in Boone County only have access to cell data, and 11.4% of homes in Campbell County only have cell data – ranking Campbell County third in the region for access to the internet. The confidence interval for this data category shows that Campbell County’s 11.4% datapoint could be off by 1.23%.

The Atlas also allows users to customize their search by adding map layers, changing the topic, adjusting the year the data was collected and by adding filters by keyword to create a heat map using multiple variables. The map settings can also be customized to increase visibility, and same options are available for the chart view.

Users can compare the data to other markets from the list provided by the Atlas by typing the market from the list into the places tab.

If a user isn’t looking for something specific, they can select a county to view under places and a new option will appear. A data tab shows information for all 200-plus topics available for each county.

This image shows the data table available for users to view all topics related to a geographical area in the Atlas.

This graphic, downloaded from the Northern Kentucky Atlas website, shows that 9.29% of households in Kenton County can only access the internet through cellular data rather than a broadband connection.

This image shows the plain view of the Atlas map without any applied filters or categories of data.

Scan this QR code to visit the NKY Atlas

Next man up mentality earns Tigers third straight state title

BY EVAN DENNISON | LINK nky SPORTS EDITOR

Down to its third string running back and needing a first down to clinch a third straight title, Beechwood High School football team did what its been doing all year.

They tapped into the next man up mentality that had carried them all season and prevailed one more time.

Running back Alex Courtney broke down the sideline for 43 yards for a first down with under a minute to play, the Tigers doing it again, hoisting the championship trophy at midfield for the third straight season.

It was only fitting that one of their last snaps put them in a similar position as one of their first snaps of the season.

First it was freshman quarterback Cash Harney taking the opening week snaps for quarterback Clay Hayden dealing with an injury. Harney helped get the Tigers off to a 4-1 start to the year as Beechwood didn’t skip much of a beat, averaging 34.6 points per game in those contests with a freshman under center.

Then came the unfathomable when senior running back Mitchell Berger went down with a knee injury. The state’s leading scorer at the time and do-it-all running back was lost for the season. Berger had 1,119 yards rushing, 21 rushing touchdowns and was one of the team’s leading receivers with 19 grabs for 251 yards and two receiving touchdowns. Oh, Berger was also 19-for-19 on extra point attempts and even kicked a field goal. Despite missing the final seven games of the season, Berger still finished

22nd in the state in scoring with 162 points. But were their title hopes lost?

Not with this team.

Next man up.

“When you lose a Mr. Football candidate, we have never had to deal with that. You have to remember Mitchell’s talent on the field, everybody sees, but it’s everything he does when nobody’s looking. It’s the locker room stuff. I think that along with the quarterback being out, we have a freshman quarterback, Cash stepped in and played his tail off in the first half of the season. So I think next man up would be the theme for this team,” Tigers coach Noel Rash said, who is now 8-1 in state championship games.

It just meant sophomore running back Chase Flaherty would be the main man in the backfield. More would rest on the shoulders and throwing arm of Hayden, and receivers Liam McCormack and Antonio Robinson having to increase their production on the outside at receiver.

After Berger went down, the Tigers outscored teams 311-48 in those seven games. The only one in doubt was the final one. The first four playoff games they had outscored teams 214-26. But Mayfield provided the toughest challenge yet.

Things didn’t come as easy, but one thing was certain…the defense was there for the occasion. A senior-heavy defensive side of the ball shut Mayfield out in the first half. Senior linebacker Austin Waddell was named MVP of the game.

Beechwood takes the field prior to the KHSAA Class 2A state championship game with Mayfield. Brandon Wheeler | LINK nky contributor

Beechwood coach Noel Rash grins on the sideline during the Tigers KHSAA Class 2A state championship game with Mayfield. Rash won his eighth title with the Tigers, now sporting a 8-1 in state title games. Brandon Wheeler | LINK nky contributor

The Beechwood contingent cheers on their team from the stands at Kroger Field in Lexington. Brandon Wheeler | LINK nky contributor

“I make some simple calls and he makes the complex calls on the field. He runs the show for us out there. Then when you have to run against him and you want to cut back in the middle against that dude, you better strap it on. He made a difference today,” Rash said in the postgame press conference.

But the resilient Cardinals, who had their town destroyed by one of the deadliest tornadoes in American history less than a year ago, sure weren’t going to fold. Down 14-7, a touchdown with 1:13 left and suddenly they were an extra point away from tying the game up.

Special teams play a major role when the stakes get bigger. Beechwood is all too familiar with that. In 2020, it was a blocked extra point in overtime that helped them prevail over Lexington Christian Academy. In 2021, it was a Jake Conrad 36-yard field goal with 1:50 left, that lead to Beechwood beating LCA, 23-21. Now in 2022, a Cardinals missed extra point off the left upright was another special teams play going the Tigers’ way.

“That’s something we pride ourselves on and I think most of the programs that get to that final four stage do. Things went our way, I feel terrible for that kid. But there’s so many more plays left out there on that field, none of this comes down to one kid and one play,” Rash said.

It truly was a full team effort for the Tigers in 2022. From the first man all the way down to the 64th man on the roster.

Some standouts throughout the season were Hayden throwing for 1,822 yards and 21 touchdowns, and Harney throwing for 638 yards and seven touchdowns. Flaherty ran for 768 yards and 19 touchdowns. McCormack led the Tigers in receiving with 670 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, followed by Robinson with 588 yards and seven receiving touchdowns.

Defensive numbers are harder to come by, but defensive lineman Xavier Campbell led the team in sacks with 11, and defensive back Carson Craycraft had eight interceptions, two of them returned for touchdowns. Defensive backs Luke Sleet, Robinson, Courtney and McCormack all had multiple interceptions, with Berger leading the way with two of the team’s 12 fumble recoveries.

Beechwood’s dominance clearly showed in the numbers, posting 40.6 points per game while allowing just 7.8. The offense churned out a whopping 358.4 yards per game while the stingy defense allowed just 157.6 yards per game.

The Tigers will graduate 17 seniors, according to the KHSAA roster, but will once again have a bright outlook with so many having to step up into roles they may not have been used to with the injuries suffered throughout the year.

Despite the adversity, the Tigers were dominant once again in 2022. The championship was their 17th in program history, the third most all-time in the state.

Beechwood’s administration and community members were recognized with a special plaque before the Tigers state championship contest with Mayfield for their relief efforts in last year’s devastating tornado that ripped through Mayfield. Brandon Wheeler | LINK nky contributor

Gateway’s Dr. Chris Rickels promoted to dean

Dr. Chris Rickels was recently promoted at Gateway Community & Technical College — he will now represent the school as the dean of Business, IT, and Professional Studies.

Most recently, Rickels was the associate dean of Arts & Sciences and an assistant professor in philosophy at Gateway.

He first joined Gateway in 2015 as a program coordinator in communications, humanities and foreign languages.

Local businesses honored with NKY Tri-ED Build + Elevate Growth Awards

NKY Tri-ED awarded many regional businesses with their Build + Elevate Growth awards during the 2022 Tri-ED Annual Forum & Awards.

The goal of the awards, which were held at the newly renovated Turfway Park, was to recognize the businesses that excelled in categories such as capital investment and new jobs announced in Tri-ED’s four targeted industry clusters which include advanced manufacturing, life sciences, supply chain management and information technology. In total, there were 2,356 jobs announced in 2022 with $291 million raised in capital investment across these Northern Kentucky businesses.

Supply chain management was the targeted sector that added the most jobs at 1,382. 42% of the award winners were in the advanced manufacturing sector, closely followed by supply chain management at 37%. Boone County announced the most new jobs, followed by Kenton County then Campbell County.

Kimberly Rossetti, vice president of economic development at Tri-ED, presented representatives from each business with their awards.

Spreading a little luck and love: Paddy’s on Main sponsors gifts for 25 families

Covington’s Paddy’s on Main is spreading some extra Christmas cheer this year.

The bar stated on its Facebook that they have dedicated $10,000 to purchase gifts and gift cards to be delivered on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

“Here at Paddy’s, we believe in being there for each other,” they shared. “This extends to all the great people in this neighborhood that we have so grown to love. We wish you all a merry Christmas, with many more to follow, with you, our neighbors.“

Golf Courses of Kenton County host breakfast with Santa, toy drive

The holiday spirit is in full swing at the Golf Courses of Kenton County.

From now until Christmas Eve, anyone who donates a toy as part of the golf course’s toy

drive will receive a voucher for either a free 18-hold cart fee or a free large-range bucket.

Santa will also be at the course for breakfast on Saturday, Dec. 17, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The cost is $10 for children and $15 for adults and includes a breakfast buffet, crafts and photos with the big man himself.

To reserve your spot, call (859) 371-3200 as there are only 10 children allowed per time slot.

Aviatra accelerators hires program manager

Aviatra Accelerators, a Covington-based nonprofit accelerator focused on empowering women entrepreneurs, has hired Kourtney Terry, owner of Taste-T-Love Baby Food and graduate of Aviatra’s Launch accelerator to serve as Aviatra’s program manager.

With a background in healthcare, Terry most recently held positions in buying and

operations with Premier Health Partners.

For more information on Aviatra Accelerators visit aviatraaccelerators.org.

Excellence in Education Award nominations now open

Nominations are now open for the 2023 Excellence in Education Celebration Awards where outstanding students, educators, community partners, and business leaders will be recognized.

Winners will be announced at the end of February and honored at the Excellence in Education Celebration on April 25, 2023.

To nominate an outstanding individual or business, to apply for the St. Elizabeth Healthcare Scholarship, or to read about each scholarship, head to nkyec.org/excellence-in-education-awards.

Nominations for the Golden Apple Award, Student Services Award, A.D. Albright Administrator of the Year Award, Extraordinary Service Award and the Robert J. Storer Business-Education Champion Award are all due by 5 p.m. on Jan. 6, 2023.

Nominations for the Business Engagement of the Year Award, Academic AllStar Awards, Career & Technical All-Star Awards, Student Leadership Awards, Against All Odds Awards and the St. Elizabeth Healthcare’s Scholarship Program nominations are due by 5 p.m., Jan. 20, 2023.

KYTC offering new scholarship in construction management

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) is expanding its two civil engineering scholarship programs to include a construction management scholarship, which provides tuition assistance, hands-on experience, and employment after graduation.

KYTC will award up to 30 new scholarships for the 2022-2023 school year to prospective and current college students pursuing civil engineering and engineering technology degrees. The application deadline is Feb. 1, 2023.

The new construction management scholarship is for students focusing on a fouryear construction management degree who attend Northern Kentucky University, Eastern Kentucky University, Western

Kentucky University, Morehead State University, or Murray State University. A limited number of scholarships will be offered, and they will be worth up to $59,200 (also ranging from $7,200 to $7,600 per semester).

The scholarship begins during the summer and offers job placement at KYTC after graduation. Scholarship recipients agree to work for KYTC for a year for every year they receive the scholarship.

Scholarship recipients will be notified in April.

Real ID enforcement delayed by two years in Kentucky, across U.S.

Enforcement of the Real ID will be delayed by two years in Kentucky and across the United States, the Department of Homeland Security recently announced.

The delay offers Kentuckians, and those across the country, two more years to request a compliant driving or identity card that maintains air travel access and military base entry, Gov. Andy Beshear said in a release. Real IDs are indicated with a star, which grants the ID holder access to air travel and some federal buildings that require identification.

The former deadline to receive a Real ID was May 3, 2023; that date has been moved to May 7, 2025.

The Real ID Act is a federal law that sets standards for all U.S. states and territories regarding the issuance of state-issued credentials. Once the enforcement date takes effect, every air traveler 18 years of age and older will need a Real ID-compliant driver’s license or identification card, or a federally-compliant form of identification, to pass through airport security checkpoints for domestic air travel, enter military bases, or enter federal buildings that require identification.

“DHS continues to work closely with U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories to meet Real ID requirements,” Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas said. “This extension will give states needed time to ensure their residents can obtain a Real ID-compliant license or identification card. DHS will also use this time to implement innovations to make the process more efficient and accessible. We will continue to ensure that the American public can travel safely.”

Please send any events, birthdays, anniversaries, engagements, weddings, or other special announcements to LINK nky via email, at news@linknky.com, with the subject line “Town Crier.” Please note, meeting times and dates are subject to change. Contact organizers for the most up-to-date information.

Dec. 16-24, 2022

Note: City and county offices are closed from Dec. 23 to 26 for the Christmas holiday.

Boone County

Dec. 19: Boone County Board of Adjustment Meeting, 6 p.m., Boone County Administration Building, 2950 Washington St., Burlington

Dec. 20: Boone County Fiscal Court Meeting, 5:30 p.m., Boone County Administration Building, 2950 Washington St., Burlington

Dec. 21: Boone County Planning Commission Business Meeting, 7 p.m., Boone County Administration Building, 2950 Washington St., Burlington

Dec. 21: Boone County Planning Commission Public Hearings, 7:30 p.m., Boone County Administration Building, 2950 Washington St., Burlington

Florence

Dec. 20: Florence City Council Meeting, 6 p.m., Florence Government Center, 8100 Ewing Blvd., Florence

Campbell County

Dec. 20: Campbell County Municipal Board of Adjustment Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Campbell County Administration Building, 1098 Monmouth St., Newport

Dec. 21: Campbell County Fiscal Court Meeting, 5:30 p.m., Campbell County Administration Building, 1098 Monmouth St., Newport

Alexandria

Dec. 20: Alexandria Planning and Zoning Meeting, 7 p.m., 8236 W. Main St., Alexandria

Cold Spring

Dec. 16: City of Cold Spring Coat Drive, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cold Spring City Building, 5694 E. Alexandria Pike, Cold Spring (drive is ongoing through January, Monday and Friday)

Dayton

Dec. 21: Dayton VFW Post 2899 Bingo Night, 5 p.m., 828 Sixth Ave., Dayton (every Wednesday)

Fort Thomas

Dec. 19: Fort Thomas City Council Meeting, 7 p.m., Mess Hall in Tower Park, 801 Cochran Ave., Fort Thomas

Dec. 21: Fort Thomas Farmer’s Market, 3 p.m., Mess Hall in Tower Park, 801 Cochran Ave., Fort Thomas

Dec. 21: Fort Thomas Planning Commission Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Mess Hall in Tower Park, 801 Cochran Ave., Fort Thomas

Dec. 22: Fort Thomas Holiday House Decorating Contest, 6 to 8 p.m., throughout Fort Thomas neighborhoods. Check ftthomas. org for further details.

Highland Heights

Dec. 17: Rain Date for Santa’s Tour Through the City, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., throughout Highland Heights (only if event on Dec. 10 was rained out)

Dec. 20: Highland Heights City Council Meeting, 7 p.m., Highland Heights City Building, 176 Johns Hill Road, Highland Heights

Newport

Dec. 16: Santa Claus at Newport on the Levee, noon to 6 p.m., One Levee Way, Newport (continues Dec. 17 and 23).

Dec. 22: “Elf” is the film for Movie Night at Newport on the Levee, 6 p.m., One Levee Way, Newport. Families are invited to dress in an Elf-inspired outfit.

Southgate

Dec. 21: Southgate City Council Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Southgate City Building, 122 Electric Ave., Southgate

Wilder

Dec. 19: Wilder City Council Meeting, 7 p.m., Wilder City Building, 520 Licking Pike, Wilder

Kenton County

Covington

Dec. 16: S’mores and More, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., at NaturePlay outdoors, Behringer-Crawford Museum, 1600 Montaque Road, Covington (Family fun night, free)

Dec. 17: Family Fun Day, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., seasonal crafts, Behringer-Crawford Museum, 1600 Montague Road, Covington (museum admission fee)

Dec. 17: Covington Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Braxton Brewery, 27 W. 7th St., Covington

Dec. 20: Covington Board of Commissioners Meeting, 6 p.m, Covington City Hall, 20 W. Pike St., Covington

Dec. 21: Special Meeting of Board of Devou Properties, Inc., 11:30 a.m, Devou Golf and Event Center, 1201 Park Drive, Covington

Dec. 21: Covington Board of Architectural Review and Development Meeting, 5:30 p.m, Covington City Hall, 20 W. Pike St., Covington

Dec. 21: Devou Park Advisory Committee Meeting, 6:30 p.m, Devou Golf and Event Center, 1201 Park Drive, Covington

Dec. 21: Polar Express Reading and Craft, 2 to 3 p.m., Behringer-Crawford Museum, 1600 Montague Road, Covington (museum admission fee)

Dec. 21: S’mores and More, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., at NaturePlay outdoors, Behringer-Crawford Museum, 1600 Montague Road, Covington (Family fun night, free)

Dec. 22: Polar Express Reading and Craft, 11 a.m. to noon, Behringer-Crawford Museum, 1600 Montague Road, Covington (museum admission fee)

Edgewood

Dec. 19: Edgewood City Council Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Edgewood City Building, 385 Dudley Road, Edgewood

Dec. 20: Edgewood Senior Cards, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Edgewood Senior Center, 550 Freedom Park Drive, Edgewood (open to all, card games).

Dec. 22: Acoustic Jam, 6 to 9 p.m., Edgewood Senior Center, 550 Freedom Park Drive, Edgewood (open to all).

Continues on page 12

Mainstrasse Village is famous for its architecture and restaurants, but one of the village’s statement-piece buildings is the Boyd Mansion, located at 606 Philadelphia St., in Covington.

Listed for $1.5 million, this large, historic structure is located in the heart of Mainstrasse, across the street from the Carroll Chimes Bell Tower in Goebel Park.

James G. Arnold, Covington’s first public school teacher and later city councilman,

A $1.5M mansion in Mainstrasse

BY CHARLES INFOSINO | LINK nky CONTRIBUTOR

In 2002, the Lawrence Firm purchased the house for redevelopment as a professional office building.  Under the direction of architect Joanne Hann, the addition was removed and replaced with one more appropriate for the original building’s architecture.  Following the Secretary of the Interior’s Guidelines, the new addition did not copy the original but rather, complemented it as a contemporary interpretation.

Three years later, in 2005, 606 Philadelphia St. received the “Historic Preservation Award for an Appropriate New Addition” award from the City of Covington.

Kim Hermann

Executive Sales Vice President

built the Second Empire/Victorian Gothic mansion in 1874. It was a wedding present for his daughter, L.B. Boyd.

The owner of the Boyd Mansion converted it to a multi-family residence in 1930.

In 1959, the mansion became The Park Hotel, and it operated for several years as both a hotel and boarding house. Although the exterior and the first floor still retained most of their architectural integrity, the building was marred by an incompatible rear and side addition.

The, 14,296-square-foot brick mansion is on a 0.24-acre lot. This office building, which is currently on the market, features an elevator and some doors that tower over 12 feet tall. There are three floors of office space, multiple conference rooms, a kitchenette, off-street parking, many storage areas, and an elevator from the parking entry. The flooring features carpet, tile, and wood.

The first floor includes a conference room and office spaces. The second floor has several office spaces and a kitchenette. The third floor features offices, a small conference room, and a majestic chandelier overlooking the stairway.

A head-on view of the home shows its distinct architectural features. Photo provided | Coldwell Banker Realty

The large conference room can serve as a dining room.

Photo provided | Coldwell Banker Realty

You can walk or take the elevator to the second-floor offices. Photo provided | Coldwell Banker Realty

The first floor features wood flooring, a fireplace, and an ornate chandelier. Photo provided | Coldwell Banker Realty

What business do you wish we had in

Northern Kentucky?

Powered by Merk & Gile Injury Attorneys

Shawn Humphries: Rooster’s

Ian Byrne: Butterbees!

Courtney Kleier: I wish we had a latenight breakfast cereal café and a “coffeeshop” that instead specialized in hot chocolate.

Erlanger Mayor Jessica Fette: Shop Rite, Wawa, Biscuit World

Christin Reynolds: Pei Wei or a Coopers Hawk!

Jen Hoffman: The return of Florence Antique Mall

Laura Marsh Rider: Publix!!

Craig Barnes: Authentic Italian market. Having moved back here to NKY after 37 years in St Louis I miss the “The Hill” Italian neighborhood.

James Davey: Jungle Jims

Amanda Henry: Crumbl Cookies!

Laughing Bees Honey, a Covignton-based business: More locally owned small businesses that serve the needs of their communities.

B.J. Santiago: Nice steakhouses

Aaron Weeks: Old Chicago’s

J.B. Smith: The return of local Butcher shops where grass fed beef sold for retail sales.

Erlanger

Dec. 19: Erlanger residents (with proof of residency) can pick up free luminary kits (10 white bags and 10 candles) at the Erlanger City Building, 505 Commonwealth Ave., Erlanger. Pick up from Dec. 19 to 24. City is also collecting nonperishable food items for BeConcerned.

Dec. 20: Erlanger City Council Caucus Meeting, 7 p.m., Erlanger City Building, 505 Commonwealth Ave., Erlanger

Dec. 24: Erlanger Luminary Night, after dark, throughout Erlanger neighborhoods

Fort Mitchell

Dec. 17: Fort Mitchell Night at PNC Festival of Lights, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Cincinnati Zoo, 3400 Vine St., Cincinnati (Pick up discounted tickets for residents at Fort Mitchell City Building, 2355 Dixie Highway, Fort Mitchell, M-F, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

Dec. 19: Fort Mitchell Day Screening of “The Polar Express,” 10 a.m., Cinemark Florence 14, 7860 Mall Road, Florence. (Residents with proof can pick up discounted tickets at Fort Mitchell City Building, 2355 Dixie Highway, Fort Mitchell, M-F, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

Fort Wright

Dec. 17: Holly Jolly Days for Fort Wright – 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Behringer-Crawford Museum, 1600 Montague Road, Covington (Fort Wright residents free admission day, proof needed)

Dec. 21: Fort Wright Community Improvement Committee Meeting, 5 p.m., Fort Wright City Building, 409 Kyles Lane, Fort Wright

Dec. 21: Fort Wright City Council Caucus Meeting, 6 p.m., Fort Wright City Building, 409 Kyles Lane, Fort Wright

Ludlow

Dec. 22: Ludlow City Council Caucus Meeting, 7 p.m., Ludlow Municipal Center, 51 Elm St., Ludlow

Villa Hills

Dec. 19: Fire Authority Meeting, 6 p.m., Crescent Springs Volunteer Fire Dept., 777 Overlook Drive, Crescent Springs

Note: Villa Hills Finance Committee meeting on Dec. 19 and Council Meeting on Dec. 21 have been canceled.

LINK Streetscapes: Newport Powered by Duke Energy

STORY AND PHOTOS BY MARIA HEHMAN | LINK nky CONTRIBUTOR

There are Northern Kentucky classics and staples that even I, a longtime resident of the area, have somehow missed. In this streetscapes, come explore a world famous restaurant, an inventive coffee shop and a rustic bourbon bar.

Pompilios: 600 Washington Ave.

With all the buzz from Robert DeNiro’s new film “Wise Guys” filming locally, I was reminded of Northern Kentucky’s Italian treasure Pompilios.

Pompilios transports guests back in time with Tuscan wallpaper and stained-glass windows that fill the dining room.

I started with an Italian classic cocktail, an Aperol Spritz. It’s my go-to cocktail since visiting Italy. Pompilios cocktail and wine selection feels endless, and each one has a perfect pair with an Italian-inspired dish.

Trying to do right by my Italian grandfather, I ordered the tomato vodka cream penne pasta. The rich, cheesy and zesty sauce made me want to lick the bowl clean.

Pompilios pairs history and authentic meals, with attentive service. When visiting, guests should expect a wait, especially during the holiday season.

For those who want guaranteed seating, reservations are available, or you can order a drink at the bar while waiting for a table.

While I may not be the biggest fan of bourbon, Northern Kentucky is blessed with the Bourbon Trail, also known as the B-Line, and a series of designated bars that specialize in the spirit for which Kentucky is globally recognized.

The Prohibition Bar’s statement piece, aside from its 1920s aesthetic, is the wallto-ceiling bourbon bottles displayed behind the bar. They emit an amber glow as the back-lit shelves highlight each bottle.

Most people visit here for the bourbon, but those who are unaccustomed to the fiery drink, this Prohibition Bar has a coffee-serving twin, Newberry Coffee, that’s open late.

The Prohibition Bourbon Bar at Newberry Bros. boasts a “look and feel of a small prohibition-era speakeasy, and features the largest collection of bourbon and rye whiskeys found anywhere in the world –thousands of them – including several of the rarest, well-aged whiskeys you’ll find anywhere. The bar also has a great selection of Scotch, Irish & Japanese whiskeys, cocktails, wine and beer.”

They highly recommend reservations, as they book up quickly and often cannot accommodate the flood of walk-ins.

Flow Future Coffee and Fleurish Grounds: 846 Monroe St.

Another combo business in Newport is just around the corner on Monroe.

Flow Future Coffee and Fleurish Grounds, which uniquely serves both coffee and kombucha.

Now, I thought that I knew coffee until I met the owner, Rhys. This man knows coffee better than anyone I’ve ever met. He brews Flow’s coffee by a process of his own design. He explains the science behind his brewing to curious customers, like myself. The secret in his science extracts more flavor and depth out of coffee than traditional brewing methods, so one can truly taste the unique characteristics of the coffee beans.

Rhys presented me with the creamiest, smoothest coffee with a caramelized finish to it.

Beyond the coffee and the science, Flow offers a warm chemistry and ambiance that elevates the drinking experience.

The front of the house hosts Fleurish Grounds, a plant, vintage and accessory shop all in one. They have a curated selection of vintage apparel, many of which are timeless staple pieces that deserve a home. Fleurish, in my opinion, makes a perfect spot for holiday gift shopping. They sell plants, books, greeting cards, and accessories that make for good gifts beyond the holiday months. Like the back portion of Flow, the atmosphere here is unique and inviting.

Whether you’re looking to visit something new and inventive or something timeless and true, Newport offers a mix of tradition and ingenuity that make for the perfect places to visit.

Prohibition Bourbon Bar at Newberry Bros.: 530 Washington Ave.

Pompilios’ tomato vodka penne and aperol spritz.

Newberry Brothers Coffee and Prohibition Bourbon Bar.

Iced coffees from Flow Future Coffee.

KHSAA lays out football realignment plan

There will be some changes coming in football to Northern Kentucky.

The KHSAA released enrollment data for football realignment based on their calculation of the 2019-20 and 2022-23 school years, eliminating the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years because of COVID. So the 1920 and 22-23 years were doubled in factoring each member school’s enrollment.

This is currently a proposal, but will be recommended at the Jan. 18 Board of Control meeting with realignment for the 2023-26 football teams finalized by Feb. 22. Member schools have until Dec. 21 to respond if they wish to withdraw from district play, request to play in a higher class or make other reclassification project comments to be considered.

The way things are proposed right now, 32 schools will play in Class 1A and 6A, 39 schools playing in each of Class 2A-5A.

A handful of Northern Kentucky teams are impacted, whether they move up or down. Here’s a breakdown of NKY teams and what the enrollment data shows:

Class 1A — Newport Central Catholic, Bellevue, Ludlow, Dayton, Bishop Brossart, Holy Cross, Newport

Class 2A — St. Henry (not playing varsity until 2025), Beechwood, Walton-Verona

Class 3A — Lloyd Memorial

Class 4A — Holmes, Covington Catholic

Class 5A — Highlands, Scott, Boone County, Cooper, Conner, Dixie Heights

Class 6A — Campbell County, Ryle, Simon Kenton

In the enrollment data, Newport drops

from 2A to 1A, Holy Cross does as well.

Lloyd Memorial moves up from 2A to 3A. Scott moves up from 4A to 5A.

Dixie Heights drops down to 5A from 6A.

Ipsaro, Meyer dazzle to start season

The Ninth Region Player of the Year race is already off to a blazing start. Covington Catholic’s Evan Ipsaro and Holy Cross’ Jacob Meyer have already made their marks.

Ipsaro’s first three games: 24.7 points per game, 7.3 assists per game, 4.3 rebounds per game while shooting 51 percent from the field, 36 percent from three and 91 percent from the free throw line.

Meyer’s first two games: 34 points per game, 5.5 assists per game, 12.5 rebounds per game, 62 percent from three and 84 percent from the free throw line.

Both are playing in big holiday tournaments, Ipsaro and Cov Cath head to Ocala, Florida, December 27-30 for the Kingdom of the Sun Holiday Tournament. Meyer and Holy Cross headed to Lexington for the White Greer and Maggard Holiday Classic at Lexington Catholic December 27-29.

Cooper hands Mount Notre Dame their second loss in 103 games

Cooper’s girls team looks primed and ready to defend their Ninth Region title. The Lady Jaguars handed Mount Notre Dame (OH) just their second loss in 103 games with a 67-36 victory on December 3.

Logan Palmer led Cooper with 16 points in the contest, with Whitney Lind Cooper

adding 15.

“We came into the locker room and just decided we needed to be more connected,” Lind said. “We just didn’t come out clean. We were sloppy and turning it over. Matching their physicality made it much better for us in the second half.”

Liz Freihofer and senior guard Kay Freihofer added 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Scherr leads SEC in assists

Ryle grad Maddie Scherr is catching on rather quickly at the University of Kentucky. Transferring from Oregon after two seasons, Scherr is averaging 6.4 assists in the Wildcats’ first seven games of the season.

The junior and former Miss Kentucky Basketball has been filling the stat sheet, averaging 6.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Scherr also has 11 steals and five blocked shots.

Scherr’s assist per game total has her tied for 13th in the country.

Ruthsatz sets wins record

Covington Catholic’s Scott Ruthsatz has set the all-time wins record in program history. With the Colonels win over St. Henry on December 6, Ruthsatz won his 314th game as the head man in charge, surpassing Dan Tieman, who coached the team for 15 seasons with a 313-146 record before retiring in 2000.

Ruthsatz is in his 12th season with the Colonels, compiling a 31468 record.

Oddly enough, the game Ruthsatz did it in was against Dave Faust, who is chasing the all-time wins record in the 9th Region. Faust is just a few wins behind Kenny Shields, who compiled a 460257 record in 23 seasons at St. Thomas and Highlands. Shields’ record is more than 30 years old.

Simon Kenton wins Notre Dame Panda Archery Tournament

Simon Kenton’s archery team won the Notre Dame Panda Tournament with a team score of 3,268, defeating the nine-team field by 70, with Dixie Heights coming in second with a 3,198.

The Pioneers Logan Sizemore won the individual high school division with a score of 288, Villa Madonna’s Jacob Smith also shot a 288, but Sizemore had the tiebreaker with 21 tens compared to Smith’s 19.

Simon Kenton’s Macie Smith and Kilee Spegal finished third and fourth with scores of 285 and 284, respectively.

St. Henry’s Corisa Wellman rounded out the individual top five with a 283. In the team scoring, Walton-Verona (3,142), Beechwood (3,127) and Villa Madonna (3,074) rounded out the top five.

Presented by:

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

Evan Ipsaro is off to a blazing start to the season. He’s averaging 24 points per game while getting others involved. Photo provided | LINK nky

Maddie Scherr, now at Kentucky, leads the SEC in assists. Eric Evans | Oregon Athletics