LINK Kenton Reader - Volume 2, Issue 2 - December 1, 2023

KENTON

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 2 — DECEMBER 1, 2023

THE VOICE OF NKY

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NKY grapples with how to care for those experiencing homelessness: ‘It seems like an issue of perspective’ By Nathan Granger The Cold Shelter The line stretched along the outside of the Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky and into an adjacent alcove. People laden with bags sat on nearby curbs, waiting to secure a place to sleep for the night. It was Nov. 1, the first day the shelter began offering its winter sheltering service. The evening was chilly but tolerable, not as cold as the night before, when snow flurries peppered children in Halloween costumes as they roamed the neighborhoods trick-or-treating. The forecast for the following week showed highs in the 70s, so the worst of the winter weather was yet to come. “A person is three times as likely to die sleeping outside as they would be if they are sleeping inside a shelter,” said Kevin Finn, president and CEO of Cincinnati’s Strategies to End Homelessness. The figures he cited come from a study that looked at a cohort of 445 people experiencing homelessness in Boston over a 10-year period in the early 2000s. The study appeared in Continues on page 3

People seeking shelter line up at the Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky. Photo by Nathan Granger | LINK nky

Understanding NKY’s housing shortage By Nathan Granger

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istings for two-bedroom condos in Newport’s luxury riverfront housing complex Ovation went up on Zillow this week, with purchase prices starting at $975,000. Nearby on Fifth Street, an apartment complex called The Cadence of Newport has two-bedroom apartments listed for $1,495 per month. Yet, many in the community still remember the apartments by their former name, Victoria Square, which used to charge only $710 per month for an apartment.

Two-bedroom apartments at The Cadence of Newport rent for $1,495 per month. Photo by Haley Parnell | LINK nky

In short, recent discussions have taken a pessimistic tone: On the ground, it seems to many that there’s an overabundance of newer, higher-end luxury developments while smaller and more accessible forms of housing appear to be drying up.

Although there are some exceptions, broadly speaking, these worries have a basis in reality. In fact, for many, finding secure, affordable housing has become more and more of a challenge. Let’s unpack the specifics and examine how it got that way. Housing in NKY In September, the Northern Kentucky Area Development district released a study of housing in Boone, Kenton, Campbell, Gallatin, Carroll, Owen, Grant and Pendleton counties that revealed some troubling trends for housing in the region. Conducted in partnership with the county Continues on page 9

Inside LINK: Why we wrote about homelessness in NKY p10 Streetscapes samples books, margs, grub on Sixth Avenue p16 Beechwood's girls cross-country runners are masters at running it back p. 17

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JAMA Internal Medicine, a medical journal published by the American Medical Association. “And a person sleeping outside on the streets is 10 times as likely to die as people who are not homeless,” Finn said. PRESIDENT & CEO Lacy Starling CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Mark Collier MANAGING EDITOR Meghan Goth SPORTS EDITOR Evan Dennison 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: 31 Innovation Alley, Covington, KY 41011 859-878-1669 | www.LINKnky.com

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The self-described low-barrier shelter will celebrate its 15th anniversary this year. It offers 68 beds for overnight stays, along with laundry and shower facilities, storage lockers, phone-charging stations and an on-site medical clinic to people experiencing homelessness. It requires few prerequisites or tests, like a background check, to get a bed. It offers these services to male guests throughout the year, while also administering a work residence program for men to help them find gainful employment and longer-term shelter. Between November and March, it opens its doors to men and women as an emergency shelter. When it was founded in 2008, this was its flagship service, and many in the community still refer to the organization as the cold shelter, even though it operates year-round. Located in Covington’s Westside neighborhood on 13th Street across from the Linden Grove Historic Cemetery and Arboretum, the shelter is one of the few places in the region where a person experiencing homelessness can walk in and get a bed with few questions asked. Although there are other agencies offering services to unhoused people in the region, few are as large as the cold shelter, and no others operate on a low-barrier model. Exact numbers are difficult to pin down, but there are data sources that shed some light onto the size of the homeless population in Kentucky. Almost 4,200 people in Kentucky received services at various kinds of shelters in 2022, according to the Kentucky Homeless Management Information System. That’s a 6.6% increase from the 3,941 who received shelter in 2021. The Department of Housing and Urban Development, on the other hand, indicates there were 3,984 homeless people in various sheltering programs throughout the state of Kentucky in fiscal year 2022, based on point-in-time measures, which log the number of people staying in shelters during the last 10 days of January. Neither of these measures includes people who were unable to access shelter. In addition, a recent study from the Northern Kentucky Area Development District looked at housing trends throughout the region and found that demand for small one- and two-bedroom houses, as well as low-cost rental properties, has outpaced the available supply in Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties. This means that, at the most basic mathematical level, it’s extremely difficult for people with low incomes to access affordable permanent housing. In short, homelessness isn’t going away. Arguably, it’s getting worse. And yet, beginning in August, when a group of residents from Covington’s Westside publicly leveled grievances at the agency, the Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky has become the focal point for both how the region ought to confront the problem of homelessness and how shelters and

This map shows where the Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky is in Covington’s Westside neighborhood. Map provided | Google Maps

similar service agencies should operate. To investigate the issue, LINK nky interviewed Westside residents, the shelter’s leadership, people experiencing homelessness, former employees of the shelter and experts on homelessness. Throughout the investigation, unresolved questions of security, service, labor and communal responsibility intermingled to create a complicated picture — one where simple solutions are elusive.

neighborhoods’ attempts to stop the establishment of service providers, like homeless shelters, and affordable housing developments in their areas.

Life in the city

The neighbors’ initial statements highlighted problems with littering and ostensible drug behavior either in the Linden Grove Cemetery, located across the street from the shelter, or the area around it, as well as alleged instances of harassment.

“We knew the shelter was coming,” said Aaron Wolpert, a longtime resident of Covington’s Westside neighborhood, referring to the shelter’s move from its original location on Scott Street in February of last year. Two other Westside residents, Fritz Kuhlmann and Nicole Erwin, joined Wolpert when he first brought grievances about the shelter to the attention of Covington’s Board of Commissioners in August. In statements at commission meetings and in a press release, which Erwin penned and sent out to local news media, the neighbors described what they viewed as an uptick in criminal activity in the area around the shelter since its relocation. Despite their complaints, the trio said they knew what they were getting into when they decided to live in Covington. “We’re urban people,” Kuhlmann said. The neighbors said that they had attempted to bring their issues to the shelter itself first and only appealed to the city after the shelter failed to resolve their concerns directly; appealing to the city was a last resort, they said. Moreover, Wolpert and Kuhlmann have lived in Covington since the mid-2010s, and they said homelessness is an inevitable part of city life — one they know and accept. “If we had some sort of baseline aversion to the unhoused, we wouldn’t live in Covington,” Wolpert said. As such, they reject the idea that their issues are a case of “NIMBY-ism,” as Erwin put it. NIMBY is an acronym for Not In My Backyard and refers to people who are against something perceived as unpleasant in the area where they live but aren’t against it being located elsewhere. Often the label NIMBY is attached to wealthy

“When, on face value, you hear a group of people who are upset with a shelter, it’s, ‘Oh, they don’t want it there,’” Erwin said. “We’re … grateful for the services being provided. But if they are not being run correctly, it is a disservice to everyone.”

Kim Webb, the shelter’s executive director, said that there were about 17,000 bed nights provided by the shelter last year; those nights were offered to about 1,400 different people, a sizable chunk of whom were over the age of 55. About two-thirds of the guests who came in during the winter stayed in the shelter for less than 14 bed nights, meaning that most guests do not stay long-term. The shelter held a listening session with the Residents of Westside neighborhood association on Aug. 31 in response to the press release. Following the meeting, the shelter set up a hotline, where neighborhood residents could submit complaints directly to the shelter. Webb viewed the establishment of the hotline as an olive branch to the neighborhood — as another way to demonstrate that they wanted to “be good neighbors,” she said. Wolpert told LINK he wasn’t happy with the results of the listening session and hotline, and Erwin expressed skepticism that a hotline administered by the agency about which complaints were being made was effective for accountability. Still, there were Westside residents who spoke with LINK nky who came to the shelter’s defense. “I guess I’m just a little perplexed,” said Hali Greene, another Westside resident. “To me, it seems like an issue of perspective.” Greene works in service organizations Continues on page 4

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across the river and attended the listening session. She said she personally hasn’t experienced any negative interactions with shelter guests. “I’m just not seeing what some of these outspoken neighbors have said,” Greene said. “To those individuals who have been most vocal in their opposition to the shelter, to be good neighbors, we need to show compassion.”

A chart displaying the difference between supply and demand for different sizes of housing in Boone County. Blue indicates demand exceeding supply. Red indicates supply exceeding demand. Data & table provided | Northern Kentucky Area Development District

Another Westside resident, Peter Nerone, said most of the problems around the shelter, especially drug dealing, predate its relocation. Nerone also sits on the shelter’s board of directors and on the board of overseers for Linden Grove Historic Cemetery and Arboretum. He said that, overall, the neighborhood’s perspective on the shelter has been mixed. Most residents, Nerone said, do express concerns about homelessness in the area, but they are also appreciative of the few providers that are working to address the problem. “I would put it on a bell curve,” Nerone said. “And I would say the three most vocal, the ones that were authors of that press release, are on one extreme of the bell curve.” “There were a lot of concerns in that neighborhood before the shelter moved in,” Nerone also said. “I don’t think suddenly scapegoating in the shelter for all those long-standing problems is doing anything towards addressing those problems.”

A chart displaying the difference between supply and demand for different sizes of housing in Campbell County. Blue indicates demand exceeding supply. Red indicates supply exceeding demand. Data & table provided | Northern Kentucky Area Development District

Still, Wolpert made a second statement to the city commission on Sept. 26, in which he said that “the situation has worsened.” He talked about an incident that occurred on Sept. 9, in which Floyd Lee, a registered sex offender who lists the shelter as his address on the Kentucky Sex Offender Registry, exposed himself to a woman who was sitting in the cemetery. Police reports indicate that Lee was charged with indecent exposure, something Lee later admitted, according to the report. Lee is one of three registered sex offenders who list the shelter as their address in the Kentucky Sex Offender Registry. The other two are Raymond Wilder and Amador Guzman.

A chart displaying the difference between supply and demand for different sizes of housing in Kenton 7047065_100_sehada_print_ad_womens_ob_10.375x3.389V1.pdf 1 10/25/23 12:37 PM & table County. Blue indicates demand exceeding supply. Red indicates supply exceeding demand. Data provided | Northern Kentucky Area Development District

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The shelter allows guests to use the shelter’s street address to receive mail, apply for government documents, register to vote and apply for jobs, staff said, in hopes

that it will enable them to become more independent over time. In order to protect their guests’ privacy, they said they could not share if and when Lee — or anyone else for that matter — was staying at the shelter. The police report also redacted Lee’s address information, meaning that LINK nky could not with certainty confirm if Lee had been consistently staying at the shelter at the time of his arrest, in spite of the information on the sex offender registry. On Sept. 26, Wolpert made the case that the shelter shared responsibility for any bad behavior committed by former guests in and around the shelter, citing a provision within the city’s ordinance that states “the service provider shall have a plan to minimize disruption or damage caused by clients’ behavior on properties located within two blocks of the facility.” But Webb and others made the opposite case. “If any adult is off this property, whether they shelter with us or not, they are an adult and they’re held accountable to those actions to the extent of the law,” Webb said. Joe McGee, a former lawyer and nurse who has volunteered at the shelter, agreed. “The shelter cannot control people’s lives,” McGee said. “They do not belong to the shelter. The shelter is not their parents. They’re adults. They’re responsible for their own actions.” Driven by a deep sense of Christian mission to help others, McGee said he spends many of his days with the region’s homeless population, helping out as he can. People refer to him as “this preacher man,” he said, although he pointed out that he’s not actually ordained. Webb and McGee both said that anyone committing a crime in the area should be subject to normal policing like everyone else. The police department actually flagged the cemetery for special area checks following complaints early in the year, meaning that officers would dedicate extra patrols to the area in hopes of heading off anything dangerous or illegal happening. None of these checks ever yielded any evidence of criminal activity. The most recent special area check occurred in August. Police records show that there were 22 police incidents at the cemetery from January 2023 to the beginning of September, including the incident of indecent exposure on Sept. 9. This

is a reduction from the 58 police incidents, including special area checks, that occurred at the cemetery in 2022 and an increase of the eight incidents that occurred in 2021. Running a service agency in Northern Kentucky The state system to fund shelters like the emergency shelter often leaves Northern Kentucky on an island, experts told LINK nky. “Northern Kentucky has very little control over the resources that are available to help people, because they’re a part of this statewide structure that is not really intended for urban or urban-like areas,” said Finn of Strategies to End Homelessness, referring to the way the state of Kentucky determines which service providers get funded and which don’t. Moreover, Finn said, the region itself has done a very poor job of collecting and analyzing the data surrounding homelessness, deriding the state’s homelessness data management as outdated and inefficient. If the region came together to form its own standards and practices on the issue, it would be in a much better position to disburse funding and centralize data collection, rather than relying on an obsolete, statewide system that was “really intended for rural communities,” Finn said.

Floyd Lee is arrested at Linden Grove Historic Cemetery and Arboretum. Photo provided | Nicole Erwin

“Northern Kentucky doesn’t have a clue because they’re not bringing their data together in any way,” Finn said.

data to the Northern Kentucky Homelessness Information Management System. However, Webb said that Kentucky’s system is onerous and not ideal for the night-by-night type of services the shelter offered. Instead, it uses the same system as Strategies to End Homelessness, which sends the shelter’s data to Kentucky on a regular basis. Finn confirmed this process was in place.

Even Nerone, who works with the shelter, didn’t paint an optimistic picture of how institutions throughout the region were tackling the problem of homelessness.

“You cannot run a good homeless services system and really understand the issue of homelessness in your community without good data,” Finn said.

“In Northern Kentucky, there just is no coordination at all,” Nerone said, although he also said that might be changing; he pointed to efforts in Campbell County, for instance, and added that he would be open to forming a group of community stakeholders — such as elected officials, businesses, residents and service providers — to holistically and systematically understand the issue of homelessness.

When Webb spoke with LINK nky, she responded to many of the neighbors’ initial complaints, one of which was that recent fundraising efforts the shelter carried out did not seem to be contributing to increased services.

Finn said he believed the Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky is “the most data-driven homeless service agency in Northern Kentucky,” in contrast to the rest of the region.

Public tax documents for the shelter indicate that the organization’s assets grew from about $3 million at the beginning of 2021, the last year for which documentation was publicly available, to about $5.5 million at the end of 2021. Most of the funds raised in 2021 came in during the organization’s capital campaign, which garnered about $1.7 million for the shelter.

Covington’s local ordinance requires shelters in the city to report their occupancy

Operating expenses, on the other hand, grew from $520,890 in 2020 to $986,069

in 2021. Both of those figures include worker salaries. Webb’s salary in 2021 was $81,868. That compensation level is, in fact, somewhat lower than directors at other shelter institutions in the city: The director of Fairhaven Rescue Mission’s salary in 2019 was $111,769, and the director of Welcome House’s salary was $110,682 in 2019. The median pay for community and social service managers nationwide was $74,240 in 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The shelter building itself was worth about $2 million as of the end of 2021. Webb said that the shelter’s finances were all in compliance with legal standards and that its accounting is subject to independent audits. The money raised from recent fundraising efforts, on the other hand, “gave us the ability to bonus our staff for the hard work they do. It also paid for our utilities to stay open,” Webb said, in reference to the organization’s new building, which is considerably larger than its former facility on Scott Street. Plus, Webb said, the move to a new building came with a host of new expenses.

“We had a 75% increase in our program expenses because we doubled our square footage, tripled our staff to provide those services and provide a year-round health care clinic,” Webb said. “Our insurance went up,” she said. “Our utilities went up. We go through a lot of water. I would love to have someone coming in and pay my water bill for the amount of showers we do for those basic necessities.” Despite the perspective given by Webb’s comments, as well as the broader systemic constraints on agency funding, the neighbors aren’t the only ones that have raised concerns. Working in the shelter Anne Alig said she remembers when she decided to leave her job as an outreach advocate at the shelter. “I happened to be doing my paperwork in a closed office, and I heard someone yelling,” she said. Peeking out of the office, she saw another staff member and one of the shelter’s guests, Lewis Thompson, standing in the main area. Alig said the staff member had her arms crossed and was telling Thompson to leave because he had broken the rules. Continues on page 6

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Next, Alig said, Chris Vier, the operations manager, tried to intervene, “yelling and flailing his arms, as well.” Thompson shouted back, which finally prompted Alig to leave the office. “I screamed and said, ‘Enough!’” Alig told LINK nky. “And that’s when he pulled a knife from a bag.” Alig said that Thompson — whom police reports indicate stands at just over 6 feet tall and weighs 270 pounds — then threatened to kill everyone in the shelter before setting about destroying the interior, carving things on the wall with the knife, smashing windows and breaking a large TV set in the central room. Alig and the remaining staff members and guests fled into the back area of the shelter. Alig said that Vier exited through the front. Someone called the police, and reports indicate Thompson was eventually taken into custody at around 11:45 p.m. on April 4. The police report corroborates the broad strokes of Alig’s account. Police communications from the night of the incident indicate that the knife Thompson used was a box cutter and that he had, in fact, threatened to kill people. Communications also suggest Thompson hit one of the employees at the shelter, but they do not say whom. According to the incident report, Thompson had locked himself in the bath-

room by the time the police arrived. When it was all said and done, the damages totaled about $5,000. In spite of the traumatic nature of the incident, she said it wasn’t the event itself that made her consider leaving. Rather, it was the staff’s response. Alig said that the shelter brought in a therapist to debrief the staff for about an hour, but that was the extent of management’s response. “The following day at noon, I kept coming into the shelter and seeing all of the damage that hadn’t been fixed, and I was really traumatized,” Alig said. “And I asked if I could leave to go home that day, and (Vier) said, ‘What do you need to go home for?’ And I was really just disgusted at that point, that it was like nothing had happened. So that was it for me at the shelter.” Alig resigned the following month after having worked there for about a year-anda-half. Another former shelter employee, Deborah Zepf, said she left the shelter on good terms after about three years as an employee, but that safety was among the factors that contributed to her decision to leave. “It’s not safe,” Zepf told LINK nky. Zepf and Alig said guests would at times

try to sneak weapons, including guns, into the shelter, and although there are security checks upon entry, they were often inconsistently applied. Zepf also described the hand-held metal detectors used in the security checks as cheap and unreliable. If there were problems or a lack of beds, Zepf said, guests would often refuse to leave. Drug activity was also an ongoing problem, she said. Police records indicate that there were 249 police incidents at the shelter from the beginning of 2023 to the beginning of October, including numerous cases of stalking, guests refusing to leave and incidents categorized as a guest having an “emotional crisis.” The incidents resulted from calls made by both shelter staff and guests. This incident number is high compared with the other shelters in the city. Welcome House’s two locations have made 54 calls to police in 2023. Fairhaven Rescue Mission made 20, and Homeward Bound made 51, as of Oct. 23, 2023. It’s difficult to make direct comparisons, though, as each organization handles different numbers of people and offers different services to different populations. Moreover, Justin Bradbury, Covington Police Department’s public information officer, said that the shelter was generally helpful, especially as it related to helping the police department manage sheltering

the homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic, when sheltering space was limited due to lockdowns. Likewise, the fact that the shelter frequently deals with people who have addiction and mental health problems may skew the data a bit, he said. Incidents like the one Alig describes present a question about homelessness services: Is a lack of safety an inevitable part of working in a low-barrier shelter, especially when dealing with populations with outsized rates of addiction and mental illness? “It’s a complicated situation,” Bradbury said. Most of the night workers at the shelter are women, but almost all of the guests are men outside of the emergency winter sheltering hours. The one male supervisor, Zepf and Alig said, often left early in the night, leaving the mostly female staff alone with as many as 68 men without any dedicated security staff. In spite of these worries, others who spoke to LINK nky said that there is a level of danger one has to accept if they’re going to engage in this kind of work. “I’m not sure there’s any way to make it 100% safe if you’re going to serve that clientele,” McGee said. Even the shelter itself admitted the work carried risks. “Working with people who are in crisis is demanding and can be stressful work,” a spokesperson from the shelter said. “We encourage staff to leave work behind each day. The most important strategy is selfcare. Not everyone is suited for this work.” Others who spoke with LINK nky talked about the dangers of living outside, which explains the prevalence of weapons among the shelter’s population. Former shelter resident Jess Sissom, who’s still dealing with homelessness, said he carries a large knife on his belt wherever he goes. “When you’re out here sleeping on the ground, you’re susceptible to everything, whether it’s man or beast,” Sissom said. That means people need to have something to defend themselves with, Sissom said.

Kim Webb, center, and board members of the Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky at the ribbon-cutting for the new location. Photo provided | Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky

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“There’s a reason people that are homeless

would carry a weapon,” said Brian Sergent, former operations manager of the Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky. Sergent joined the shelter’s team as operations manager in 2021 before its move to the new location. He said he was involved in the planning for the location change but left the organization before the new building opened in February 2022. He has nearly 30 years of experience working in homeless, disability, addiction and mental health services, including at the Welcome House, another homelessness service provider in Covington. He’s also a veteran. Sergent understands the broader complexities of homelessness, but he said that doesn’t mean that there weren’t things he would have liked to have seen done better at the shelter. “There wasn’t as much of an emphasis that should have been put, from my perspective, on training and developing staff,” Sergent said. “It was mostly about, you know, just making sure bodies were there and people and schedules were filled.” He also said he would have liked to have seen the staff trained in trauma-informed care, a widely used methodology for service providers that helps them humanely account for their clientele’s trauma, which often has wide-ranging effects on behavior and social skills. Alig said such training was minimal. She said she received some brief training on administering naloxone spray and a one-time training on active shooters, but nothing that would help the workers deal with the ongoing issues that many people experiencing homelessness have to face on a daily basis. Employees received “no de-escalation training,” or other training on how to deal with fights and aggression, Alig said. “No mental health training, addiction, you know? You’ve got mental health and addiction in there.” The shelter denies this. “Training includes de-escalation, CPR/ First Aid/AED, Universal Precautions, Covid guidelines, mask wearing, Emergency Responses for fire, lockdown, weather and Naloxone,” reads a statement the shelter sent to LINK nky. “Additional training includes active shooter training, mental health first aid, peer support, boundaries, harm reduction, DEI, LGBTQ+ and any other additional training throughout the year.” “Our guests know that if they break the rules, they must leave the shelter and they have nowhere to go,” a shelter representative said in another email. “This helps with compliance.” When it comes to pay, Zepf and Alig described it as low – they made $13 per hour when first hired. Furthermore, they said turnover was very high. Multiple sources attested to the low wages that accompany service jobs of this kind, even among people who have specialized training, such as social workers. Workers employed in organizations that help people find permanent housing are, on average, “paid $42,912 and the average emergency shelter employee is paid $27,830 (per year),” according to a Sep-

tember report from the National Alliance to End Homelessness. This falls roughly in line with what Alig and Zepf reported to be their starting pay rates. “They would require salary increases of 15 and 77 percent respectively to afford the average cost of a one-bedroom apartment,” the report goes on to say. Service workers range from basic administrative staff to advocates like Alig to professionals with more specialized training, such as licensed social workers. Even those professionals with graduate-level training can end up on the lower end of the wage scale. Kevin Lotz, a professor of social work at Northern Kentucky University who ran a shelter in New York for 16 years, described the treatment of social workers in particular as “pure exploitation.” “Every social worker (in New York) is abused and exploited and underpaid,” Lotz said, adding that many of the social workers he’s worked with over the years often had to work other jobs to make ends meet, in spite of the years of training and study they put in. Then there was the way former employees and guests described how people staying at the shelter were treated. Alig said the workers at the shelter frequently mistreated the guests. Shouting and arguing were common. One of the most common comparisons the guests made about the staff, Alig said, were corrections officers in a prison. Dean Raney, another former resident of the shelter who’s still dealing with homelessness, said directly that the staff “ran it like a jail.”

consistent with Kim Webb’s management style,” Schierberg said.

clearing out of homeless encampments throughout the city.

Furthermore, Schierberg said, the move from the Scott Street location as well as the expanded services in the current shelter are all the result of Webb’s efforts.

Noel Langdon Sr., one of the shelter’s residents, described it as “a real trying experience.”

“This would not have happened without her,” Schierberg said. “She’s the one that worked the relationship with St. Elizabeth (and) Kenton County to get that property to where it was. (She) spearheaded the fundraising.” In addition, the on-site medical clinic, Schierberg said, is “something that’s come under Kim’s leadership” By the end of his tenure, Sergent said that some of the staff had approached him in hopes of relaying their complaints to the board of directors. Schierberg said that there was an established process whereby staff could make complaints against the executive director, but that no one had begun the process since his tenure began in 2019. LINK nky was not permitted to interview current employees at the emergency shelter. All things considered Many of the issues present at the shelter have appeared at similar institutions in the commonwealth. As reported by the Courier Journal in April 2019, a low-barrier shelter in Louisville called Wayside Christian Mission experienced similar instances with security and crowding following the

The Courier Journal reported that because the shelter didn’t get as much money from the city as it requested on a monthly basis, providing security has been one of its biggest challenges. When Wayside signed on to open the shelter, the Courier Journal reported, it counted on more support from the police, particularly off-duty officers to serve as security guards. Instead, people living in the shelter take rotating shifts acting as security in the gymnasium. They wear ball caps that say “security.” Back in Covington, the neighbors maintain that funding for the emergency shelter isn’t an issue, given their recent fundraising efforts, and Westside resident Wolpert has since stepped up his efforts to redress the neighbors’ concerns, meeting with city commissioners to make his case. At the Covington Commission meeting on Oct. 10 after meeting with some Westside residents, Covington City Commissioner Ron Washington publicly stated that he wanted to explore new enforcement mechanisms for the city’s shelter ordinance in the face of neighborhood grievances. “I also want to express on the record that (at) the meeting with the residents, at no time did any of the residents tell me they wanted the cold shelter to close,” WashingContinues on page 8

Guests were allowed to submit written grievances about their treatment to staff members, who would then slide them under the managers’ doors for review. Alig said that grievances would pile up quickly. The management’s relationship with lower-level staff was also questionable, the former employees said. Sergent, Zepf and Alig all stated that Webb, for example, had a habit of berating both the other managers and the lower-level staff for small infractions. “I witnessed her screaming at managers multiple times,” Alig said. Alig said this led to a “hostile” culture where people were afraid to speak up for fear of retaliation. “The morale and the work environment is toxic there,” Alig said. Sergent agreed. “Any time that you have a negative culture like that, problems breed,” he said. Webb did not respond to these accusations directly, but Andrew Schierberg, an attorney and former police chief who serves as president of the shelter’s board of directors, said that these descriptions did not comport with interactions he’d had with current staff members, saying that Webb had the “full confidence of the Board of Directors.”

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“Based on what I’ve heard from current staff, what I’ve experienced in interactions with (Webb), what they described is not DECEMBER 1, 2023 7

Continued from page 7

ton said. “They didn’t. Actually, they said, ‘We want to work with them.’” City staff and the directors of all of the shelters in Covington met during the week of Thanksgiving to discuss how to best revise the city’s ordinance. Washington told LINK nky the city hoped to revise the ordinance with an eye to making it more enforceable.

pay your staff accordingly, you’re going to get what you pay for,” Alig said. “You’re going to get employees that don’t care, that aren’t trained, that don’t have the knowledge to deal with this population. “And the biggest thing is that you’re re-traumatizing this population by being untrained,” Alig concluded.

“We need the shelter,” Zepf said, “but things have to be changed.”

It’s not clear whose statements reflect the truth of the training at the shelter, given the fact that LINK nky was not allowed to interview current employees. However, Alig affirmed her statements even after the shelter responded to LINK’s inquiry about training.

How much change is necessary — or even possible?

In any case, not everyone buys this line of reasoning.

With only one institution providing low-barrier, emergency services, the risk is that too many constraints could further restrict the number of services available to people without housing.

“Saying they should have better training for their staff is like saying to a starving child, ‘You’re too skinny,’” Finn said, especially given how difficult it can be for agencies to corral enough money to operate.

“Some places make everybody blow the Breathalyzer, but then you’re not a low-barrier anymore,” McGee said.

As far as concerns for security, “the vast majority of domestic violence, sexual abuse, physical violence occurs in people’s homes,” Lotz said. “So the fact that a homeless shelter should be exposed or relegated to such extreme scrutiny is … inequitable.”

Even the people who were the most critical of the shelter recognized that it filled a need.

If anything, McGee said, there needs to be more shelters like the Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky, adding that for every person who gets shelter, there are many more who don’t.

For his part, Lotz said he admired the emergency shelter.

“It’s a great program,” McGee said. “They get people from homelessness to independence, but what about all the people who are still on the street and are not sheltered? All the shelters are full; all the affordable housing that they get vouchers for have waiting lists.”

“That shelter, on a scale of one to 10, is like a nine,” Lotz said. “My shelter that I ran in New York was like a three.”

Shortly after the shelter began its winter program, McGee said that “people are very grateful and glad to be out of the cold,” based on his observations as a volunteer.

“That’s not really consistent with the low-barrier model,” Schierberg said. “You don’t want intimidating factors to make people not want to come into shelter.”

Nerone said the shelter’s operations on the whole do more good than harm, even if there are problems.

Wherever one falls on the question of the shelter itself, the people farthest downstream from these discussions — the people who are experiencing homelessness — are the ones who are most affected by the community’s decisions.

“There are definitely problems,” Nerone said. “But … I think it’s contributing to the solution and not creating the problem.” When asked if the shelter’s board of directors would be willing to consider investments in security for the shelter, such as hiring of full-time security personnel, he said he would pitch the idea to the other board members at their next meeting. “I want them to be successful,” Sergent said. A place where unhoused people can show up and get a bed with few questions asked “is rare, and so the fact that the shelter does that is huge.” Still, Sergent said, the systemic constraints placed upon shelters ought not be used as rationalization not to do due diligence. “The emergency shelter was dealing with people that a lot of other places weren’t going to deal with or had been kicked out of other places,” Sergent said. “But now that I tell you that, that’s all the more reason why you need really good training and really good procedures in place.” Alig agreed, adding that without adequate training, the shelter wouldn’t be able to aid the people it is tasked with helping. “That’s just the sad truth, and if you don’t 8 DECEMBER 1, 20233

Schierberg echoed McGee’s worries about making the shelter too inaccessible when it came to expanded security.

When asked what a good institution for helping the homeless would look like, Sissom responded this way: “I would say, if I had to give my opinion, what would be a good institution to help the homeless, it would be, first of all, people working there who care,” Sissom said. “They care about you. That’s No. 1. It’s all about care.” “People are dying out here,” Sissom added. McGee said that there’s no easy, singular solution to the problem, as its causes are manifold and solving it takes time and patience. “Our society has produced this problem, and the result of it is what we see on the street,” said McGee. “You have to have some proactive way of trying to help these people get off the street, get off drugs, get a job, get an apartment, but it’s long-term,” McGee said. “It’s person by person. ... You can only help one individual at a time. “There’s no easy fix.”

Northern Kentucky Young Professionals in front of the emergency shelter after having cooked 68 meals for residents of the shelter in March. Photo provided | Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky Facebook page

How to help Here are some ways you can help people experiencing homelessness in the Northern Kentucky region: Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky What: Low-barrier shelter for men and, during cold months, women Location: 436 W. 13th St., Covington Phone: 859-291-4555 Website: emergencyshelternky.org • The shelter welcomes volunteers to cook meals and/or serve guests. To sign up, go to bit.ly/46qkPtw • To volunteer doing things like laundry, greeting guests, organizing donations and more, go to emergencyshelternky.org/help-out/ volunteer/ and fill out the form at the bottom of the page; you can also email Britt Schroeder at britt. schroeder@esnky.net. • To make a monetary donation to the shelter, go to to bit.ly/412F13X • If you’d like to donate items, go to this website to find a list of items the shelter needs the most and how to drop them off: emergencyshelternky.org/help-out/wish-list/ • For any other questions about how to volunteer or donate, email info@ esnky.net Welcome House of Northern Kentucky What: Shelter for single women over 18 with and without children Location: 205 W. Pike St., Covington Phone: 859-431-8717 Website: welcomehouseky.org

How to help: • Donate a meal or give a monetary donation here: www.welcomehouseky.org/donate/ • To donate your time at Welcome House doing things like sorting donations or preparing shelter activities, go to www.welcomehouseky. org/about-us/volunteer-application-form/ • For more information about how to get involved at the Welcome House, go to welcomehouseky.org/get-involved Fair Haven Rescue Mission What: Shelter for men 18 or older who are experiencing homelessness. Must have a picture ID and pass a Breathalyzer test for admission. Location: 260 Pike St., Covington Phone: 859-491-1027 Website: fairhavenmission.org How to help: To make a monetary donation, go to fairhavenmission.org/#donate Homeward Bound Shelter What: Shelter for homeless and runaway youth run by Brighton Center Location: 13-15 E. 20th St., Covington Phone: 859-581-1111 Website: brightoncenter.org How to help: • To learn how to volunteer with the Brighton Center, including donating or volunteering in person, go to brightoncenter.com/ get_involved/volunteer

Continued from page 1

fiscal courts, the engineering firm Stantec, as well as local businesses and civic organizations, the study suggested that these counties need “to build 6,650 housing units to support economic development in the next 5 years, which equates to 1,330 units per year.” Broken down by income level, the study showed that the largest need is for what it called “workforce housing,” which refers to households whose wages range from $15 to $25 an hour, with monthly housing costs between $500 and $1,500. The region needs about 3,000 more housing units to provide for people within that income range.

… is low-income residents earning up to 60% of the area median household income of $103,600,” the study states. “Current housing in Boone, Kenton and Campbell is positioned for middle to upper-middle professional incomes, but affordability for warehouse, service, and low wage healthcare workers is currently lacking and will be exacerbated by incoming residents,” the study states. The study illustrates the discrepancy with a bar graph showing median wages for common professions in the region compared with the available housing stock. A teacher making the median salary of $43,740, for example, could only afford 26% of the region’s available rentals and 16% of available for-sale housing.

“About half of the new housing demand

Why? As indicated in the study, the region’s economic and population growth has outpaced its ability to house everyone. “Right now there are almost 2.7 workforce jobs for every housing unit that those jobs could afford,” Nels Nelson, senior associate at Stantec Urban Places, the firm’s housing and urban planning division, said at the meeting of the Boone County Fiscal Court where the findings of the study were presented. “And that’s going to be a limiting factor in the future.” What’s more, macroeconomic trends in the housing market itself have disincentivized both the buying and building of smaller housing. Housing values have risen precipitously since the start of the pandemic. Although the acceleration of prices has slowed a bit over the last year, they’re still trending upward at an alarming rate. The east south central census division of the United States, of which Kentucky is a part, saw a 14% increase in housing prices from August 2021 to August 2022, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Prices rose about 5% from August 2022 to August 2023. On a larger scale, housing prices throughout the country have increased 83.1% since their previous peak in April 2007. “In Greater Cincinnati, when you raise the cost of a home by $1,000, you have priced out over 1,200 families from being able to buy that home,” said Brian Miller, executive vice president of the Building Industry Association of Northern Kentucky.

Purchase prices for two-bedroom condos in the new Ovation development start at $975,000. Photo provided | Zillow

right?” he said. “So that means that you have a fixed supply, and when you move people out of the new market, it means you have more people in the used market. Supply and demand: You’ve got a fixed supply with a higher increase in demand, (and) costs go up.” Inflation and pressures on the supply chain haven’t helped, although those pressures have eased up a little in recent months. As costs to build go up, this makes it harder to turn a profit on smaller starter homes and rental properties; builders are unwilling to risk investing in smaller properties because they’re less likely to recoup the costs incurred in building them. This puts more strain on the existing supply of smaller homes. This situation means that builders will inevitably cater their projects to demographics that can pay enough to turn a profit. “Lately, that has been the affluent,” Miller said. The housing study projects that median household salaries for Campbell, Carroll, Kenton and Pendleton counties are likely to increase over the next two years, whereas the other counties are likely to see a slight decrease. “Subsidized housing programs can generate new affordable apartments, as does Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH),” the study said. “Strategies to increase this housing stock and to preserve NOAH rents are necessary and viable strategies to ensure adequate workforce housing.”

“You cannot make more used homes,

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Inside LINK: Here’s how – and why – we wanted to better understand homelessness in Northern Kentucky By Meghan Goth

A

s a community, we have, in many ways, lost nuance.

complaining about the shelter and its leadership. Several of our region’s other local news organizations did just that.

People are right or left. They are a hero or a villain. They are good or bad.

We could have interviewed the neighbors, given their voices a platform, reached out to the shelter for the perfunctory comment, and moved on.

But nothing is quite that simple, is it? Things aren’t always one way or the other. Two things can be true at the same time. And the context surrounding a person or a business or a situation can help reveal just how gray the topic of housing – or education or health care or almost everything we’re grappling with here in NKY – can be.

As Kenton County reporter Nathan Granger made phone calls and records requests and interviewed just about anyone he could find connected to the shelter, we began to piece together a nuanced, complicated situation.

When we set out to write about the Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky, we could have simply published a press release that a few Covington residents wrote,

What we ended up with is a long, multifaceted story. In order to understand the complexity of the situation of homelessness in Northern Kentucky, you’re going to have to commit to it. Please don’t skim it. Take a

break if you need one, but read all of it. The story became not just about this one shelter; soon we saw it was about the state of the unhoused in our region, whose responsibility it is to look out for them, and what kinds of systems – or lack thereof – exist to create a safety net for one of the area’s most vulnerable populations.

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Log onto kynect.ky.gov or call 855-4kynect and give us your current contact information so we can reach you.

10 DECEMBER 1, 20233

To be clear, no one ever said, over the course of our reporting, that they thought the shelter should close. Even those who had complaints about the shelter saw its societal value.

The emergency shelter is a low-barrier shelter. That means those who stay there don’t have to undergo Breathalyzer tests or background checks. We spoke to many people who have worked with the unhoused population throughout the years, and what we learned is that there are inherently things that come along with caring for those experiencing homelessness that would mean Breathalyzer or background checks would keep them from coming through the doors.

Just about anyone who had a complaint about the shelter also said they recognized how dire the need was for it to exist.

Many deal with physical and mental health problems. Many are grappling with addiction.

When you’re done reading the story, you’ll probably have opinions. Feel free to share those opinions with Nathan or with me. You can reach us at ngranger@linknky.com and mgoth@linknky.com.

But does that mean our community shouldn’t care for them?

People wait in line to stay the night at the Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky. Photo provided | Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky Facebook page

ing people who struggle with their mental health or addiction or any other number of things.

In a place where the cold can literally kill people, the emergency shelter is one of the only places in the region that provides a place to stay for those with nowhere else to go. No questions asked. This means people who work in low-paying jobs are help-

Our reporting showed that both of those things could be true. So Nathan kept asking questions. He kept writing, and he kept revising. And we kept editing. We kept sending him back out to interview more people, to get another perspective, to find more context.

But hopefully you’ll also see how complex this issue is, and that there are no villains. There are no heroes. There are just people who need help, people trying to help them, and a community of people trying to figure out what they think, how they can help and what solutions should exist.

kenton county briefs Covington Parks Dept. recognized for excellence by statewide organization

people as possible.”

bar announced on its Facebook page.

Every year at its conference, the society honors parks and recreation departments that have accomplished extraordinary things. Oldiges said the award was comparable to “winning your conference championship.”

“Unfortunately like most good things, our time on West 6th St. is coming to an end. Green House Bar will be closing for good after this Saturday the 25th,” read the post.

Green House bar in Covington’s Mainstrasse closes its doors for good

Starting Nov. 21, patrons were able to enjoy items from The Gruff’s menu, including cold and hot sandwiches, loaded salads and appetizers. Plus, there will be plenty of stuff for kiddos.

The Covington Parks and Recreation Department was honored as an outstanding department at the Kentucky Recreation and Parks Society’s annual conference in Bowling Green.

SERVE

Two popular NKY spots are teaming up in Fort Thomas. The Post Taps & Bottle Shop in Fort Thomas has announced that it is adding a kitchen featuring grub from Covington’s The Gruff.

Covington Parks and Recreation Department earned statewide recognition. From left: Susannah Whitehouse, summer intern; Ben Oldiges, department manager; Alicia Chappell, Recreational Program coordinator; and Greg Stacy, Park Project coordinator. Photo provided | City of Covington

“It’s all because of the team we have here,” Ben Oldiges, department manager, said in a recent press release. “There have been a lot of challenges over the last three years – the pandemic and lots of staff turnover – but we have a really good team in place right now. This past year, everybody really worked hard, buckled down and put in extra hours to make our department well-rounded and inclusive to as many

Fort Thomas spots pair up: The Post adds kitchen with food from The Gruff

the best

“We couldn’t be more excited about The Gruff coming in to serve up delicious eats,” Lindsay Keogh, owner of The Post, told LINK nky. “It is the perfect pairing and something we hope the community will enjoy and support. We love investing in our town and know it will be a great addition.” The kitchen will be open from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Outside food will not be permitted during those hours. This Post is located at 1136 S. Fort Thomas Ave. in Fort Thomas. Find more information at facebook.com/ThePostFT.

Recycle broken Christmas lights at select NKY locations beginning Dec. 1 The City of Covington and Cohen Recycling have partnered to provide the public with locations to drop off old and defective Christmas lights to be recycled for free.

Green House, located at 424 W. Sixth St. in Covington, announced its closure. Photo provided | Green House website

A Mainstrasse bar closed after Thanksgiving weekend. Green House, located at 424 W. Sixth St. in Covington, closed for good on Nov. 25, the

Guests will be able to place orders at a kiosk and, once their order is ready, they will get a text and can walk over to the walk-up window and grab food.

The Post Taps & Bottle Shop in Fort Thomas now features food from The Gruff. Photo provided | The Post

“One thing that can help ease the frustration of having to buy new lights is knowing that you’re disposing of the old ones responsibly,” said Sheila Fields, Covington’s Continues on page 12

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Continued from page 7

upon in 2020 that was voided when the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, known as KYTC, directed Villa Hills to modify the design in compliance with KYTC requirements, such as drainage, retaining walls and environmental impact, said Bayer Becker representative Katie Dillenburger.

solid waste and recycling manager, in a press release. “And we have four locations spread throughout the city where you can do so.” People can drop off loose, defective light bundles at the following locations from Dec. 1 to Feb. 1: • The lobby at City Hall, 20 W. Pike St. (open 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday). • Covington Fire Department’s Station 5 at 1255 Hands Pike (the bin is outside and available 24/7). • The lobby at The Center for Great Neighborhoods, 321 M.L. King Jr. Blvd./W. 12th St. (open 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Thursday, and 9 a.m.-noon, Saturday). • The lobby at Covington Public Works, 1730 Russell St. (open 7 a.m.-3 p.m., Monday-Friday).

Kenton County seeks developer for apartments above new parking garage Kenton County is seeking a developer for the apartments slated to appear atop the county’s new parking garage, for which a contractor was selected at the end of October. The garage itself will replace the current employee parking lot. The construction of the garage will be integrated into the construction of the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor project and is scheduled for comple-

A rendering of the Covington Apartments. Image provided | Kenton County

tion in 2025. “We strive to think innovatively when addressing our challenges,” Judge/Executive Kris Knochelmann said in a press release. “When we knew we needed to build a parking garage next to the Kenton County Government Center to accommodate the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor project, we wanted to use that opportunity to bring new residential housing to the city of Covington. We’re excited by the opportunity to further the revitalization efforts of the 12th Street interchange by bringing online much-needed units.”

Villa Hills Council discusses redesign of intersection at Collins, Amsterdam Villa Hills City Council discussed a newly drafted contract with engineering firm Bayer Becker that would task it to redesign the intersection at Collins and Amsterdam roads at a Nov. 15 meeting. The draft follows an initial contract agreed

The proposed contract would cost the city $357,195 in engineering expenses. After the original contract’s cancellation, the Public Works Committee was awarded a federal funding grant to cover 80% of the construction costs, with the city covering the remaining 20%. The new contract comes after the city conducted design and safety studies stipulated in the grant. The intersection at Collins and Amsterdam roads is a three-way stop and is one of the busiest intersections in the city, said City Administrator Craig Bohman. “As the city grew, the intersection has not changed, and so there is more traffic that goes through the intersection than it is really designed to handle,” Bohman said. Council will vote on the contract at its Dec. 20 meeting.

Vehicle registration, other services at county offices unavailable beginning Jan. 1 Various vehicle documentation services will be unavailable to the public statewide beginning Jan. 1 for seven to 10 days, according to a recent announcement from

the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. The temporary stoppage will allow the state’s county clerks’ offices to migrate their records to a new electronic records-keeping system. As such, both state and local officials have advised people to take care of any needed documentation updates before the close of the year. “If you normally renew your tags in December, please consider renewing online or coming to the office by Dec. 28, 2023,” said Kenton County Clerk Gabe Summe. “Also, 2024 car taxes don’t get uploaded till Jan. 1, 2024, so these taxes can’t be paid in advance.” She added that anyone who needs to transfer a car title, pay a delinquency or request a handicap permit for their vehicles should come into the county office before Dec. 28. The following services will not be available during the transfer: • Vehicle and boat registration renewals • Vehicle and boat titling and transfers • Disabled parking permit issuance • License plate issuance County offices may also have limited hours over the holiday season, so residents should consider this. Services are expected to gradually return beginning on Jan. 8, according to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

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

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12 DECEMBER 1, 20233

• AJ’s Towing & Recovery • Boone County Clerk • Campbell County Clerk’s Office • Campbell County Fire District #1 • Campbell County Fiscal Court • Campbell County Planning & Zoning • 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 Erlanger • City of Fort Thomas • City of Fort Wright • City of Independence • City of Lakeside Park • City of Ludlow • City of Newport

• City of Silver Grove • City of Southgate • 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 • Northern Kentucky Port Authority • Northern Kentucky Water District • Planning & Development Services of Kenton County • The Baker Firm PLLC • The Hidden Chapter Bookstore LLC

news from other places Hip-hop star, fashion mogul A$AP Rocky must stand trial on gun charges, judge rules

failure to implement reporting programs for suspicious transactions. Binance founder and CEO Changpeng Zhao pleaded guilty to a felony charge on Nov. 21 related to his failure to prevent money laundering on the platform. Zhao has announced that he stepped down as the company’s chief executive.

A Los Angeles judge has ruled that A$AP Rocky — hip-hop star, fashion mogul and partner of Rihanna — must stand trial on charges that he fired a gun at someone. Photo by Allison Dinner | Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Los Angeles judge says there is enough evidence for A$AP Rocky to stand trial on charges that he fired a gun at a former friend and collaborator outside a Hollywood hotel in 2021. Superior Court Judge M.L. Villar made the ruling on Nov. 20 at a preliminary hearing after hearing roughly a day and a half of testimony. Rocky has pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. His attorney attempted to cast doubt on the case while questioning a police detective. The 35-year-old hip-hop star, fashion mogul and two-time Grammy nominee is in a relationship with Rihanna, with whom he has two young sons. He could get up to 24 years in prison if convicted on all charges, prosecutors said. Villar said “the totality of the video and testimony” shows there is sufficient evidence for the defendant to go to trial. She emphasized that preliminary hearings have a much lower evidence standard than a trial.

Largest crypto exchange Binance fined $4 billion; CEO Zhao pleads guilty WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government has dealt a massive blow to Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. The company agreed to a roughly $4 billion settlement with the U.S. over violations of the Bank Secrecy Act and apparent violations of sanctions programs, including its

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said the settlement is one of the largest corporate penalties in U.S. history. “Using new technology to break the law does not make you a disruptor, it makes you a criminal,” Garland said. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Binance processed transactions by illicit actors, “supporting activities from child sexual abuse, to illegal narcotics, to terrorism, across more than 100,000 transactions.” Binance did not file a single suspicious activity report on those transactions.

Before fatally shooting five co-workers, Ky. man wrote in journal about ease of buying gun

Connor Sturgeon, who fatally shot five co-workers at Old National Bank in April, wrote in his journal about how easy it was to buy a gun and ammo. His writings were released Nov. 21 by Louisville police. File photo by Timothy D. Easley | Associated Press

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The man who fatally shot five co-workers at a Louisville bank in April wrote in his journal that he wasn’t sure if his mental health struggles would preclude him from purchasing a gun and then later, after acquiring one just days before carrying out the mass shooting, remarked on how easy the transaction turned out to be. The journal writings by Connor Sturgeon were contained in a 64-page report released Nov. 21 by Louisville police, where authorities say they have now closed the in-

vestigation into the actions of the 25-yearold who also died that day in an exchange of gunfire with authorities. Sturgeon wrote that it “was so easy” to purchase the assault rifle, a Radical Firearms RF-15, from a Louisville gun store, according to the police file. He bought the rifle, 120 rounds and four magazine cartridges for $700 six days before the shooting, and the process took about 45 minutes, he said.

closely with investigators on the scene,” Walmart said in a statement. The shooting happened almost exactly one day after a man shot and killed a woman before fatally shooting himself outside a Walmart in Anchorage, Alaska.

Jan. 6 rioter gets 90 days; judge says he showed no remorse during court case

“Seriously, I knew it would be doable but this is ridiculous,” he wrote. He also acknowledged his struggles with mental illness and said he was dissatisfied with his job and the direction his life was taking. He wrote that he was “very sick” and suggested that he had lied about his health to avoid further treatment or institutionalization.

Gunman shoots 4 shoppers, self in Ohio Walmart store — second shooting at the retailer BEAVERCREEK, Ohio (AP) — A gunman opened fire on Nov. 20 inside a Walmart in Ohio and wounded four people before killing himself — ­ the second shooting in 24 hours to take place at a store operated by the retail giant. The attack at the Walmart in Beavercreek, a suburb of Dayton, injured four shoppers: three women and a man. Police said three were in stable condition after the shooting and one was in critical but stable condition. Authorities declined to release the identities of the victims, including their races, saying they had not ruled out that the attack was racially motivated. “Tragedy struck our beloved community Monday evening, and, in the face of adversity, the strength of our community shines through,” Beavercreek Mayor Bob Stone said during a Tuesday news conference.

This image from video from a police-worn body camera provided by the Justice Department and contained in the government sentencing memorandum shows Frank Rocco Giustino, left, at the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. Photo provided | Justice Department via AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — A New York massage therapist who joined the mob of Trump supporters attacking the U.S. Capitol was sentenced on Nov. 21 to three months in jail, capping a case in which he skipped court hearings, profanely insulted a prosecutor and berated the judge who punished him. Frank Rocco Giustino pleaded guilty in February to a misdemeanor charge related to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol. But he was arrested last month after failing to appear in court for an earlier sentencing hearing. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg told Giustino that he seemed to have no remorse for his conduct on Jan. 6 or any respect for the court’s authority. “Your behavior from the moment of the (guilty) plea until sentencing has been about the worst of any Jan. 6 defendant I’ve had,” the judge said.

Walmart said it was working closely with investigators to try to determine why the shooter, identified as 20-year-old Benjamin Charles Jones, of Dayton, opened fire.

Giustino said he condemns the violence at the Capitol and didn’t intend to be disrespectful.

“We’re heartbroken by what’s happened at our Beavercreek, Ohio store. This remains a developing situation, and we’re working

The judge sentenced Giustino to 90 days of imprisonment with credit for the roughly 30 days that he has remained in custody while awaiting sentencing.

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DECEMBER 1, 2023 13

calendar

December Friday

Saturday 1

Sunday 2

City of Florence Fire/ EMS Department, Florence Police Department & Meijer Toy Drive, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Meijer, 4990 Houston Road, Florence. Come help fill the firetruck for the Boone County Family Resource Centers, which will distribute donations to those in need. Have your photo taken with Santa on a firetruck while helping your community. Free. Visit Florence-ky.gov for more information.

Monday 3

Holiday Walk & Tour De Tinsel Bike Ride, 4-7:30 p.m., Fort Thomas City Building, 130 N. Fort Thomas Ave., Fort Thomas. Free. Visit fortthomas.ky.org for more information.

4 Union Commission meeting, 6-7 p.m., City Building, 1843 Bristow Drive, Union Edgewood City Council meeting, 6:30-7:30 p.m., City Building, 385 Dudley Road, Edgewood Wilder City Council meeting, 7-8 p.m., City Building, 520 Licking Pike, Wilder Kenton County Board of Education meeting, 7-8 p.m., Kenton County Sanitation Department, 1045 Eaton Drive, Fort Wright Independence City Council meeting, 7-8 p.m., City Building, 5409 Madison Pike, Independence

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

14 DECEMBER 1, 20233

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

5

6

7

Where We Stand: 2024 Legislative Preview, 4-5 p.m., registration, networking, cocktails and appetizers; 5-6 p.m., panel discussion and audience Q&A. Boone County Distilling Co., 10601 Toebben Drive, Independence. NKY Chamber event will feature a panel of members of the Northern Kentucky Caucus and Senate leadership. $35 for NKYP members, $40 for members, $55 for future members. Preregistration required. Visit NKYchamber.com/WWS for more information.

Fort Thomas Holiday Market, 3-7 p.m., Fort Thomas Mess Hall, 801 Cochran Ave., Fort Thomas. Shop for art, gifts and food, locally grown and created. Visit fortthomasfarmersmarket.com for more information.

Women’s Initiative Professional Series: Mental Wellness in the Workplace, 7:30-10 a.m., Gateway Community & Technical College, 790 Thomas More Parkway, Edgewood. Panelists will explain how to foster a supportive workplace environment, address gender-specific stressors, advocate for mental health needs, and the role of mentorship. Program is part of NKY Chamber. $20 for NKYP members, $40 for members, $50 for future members. Preregistration required. Visit NKYChamber.com/ Wellness for more information.

Florence City Council caucus meetings, 6-7 p.m., City Building, 8100 Ewing Blvd., Florence

Southgate City Council meeting, 6:30-8:30 p.m., City Building, 122 Electric Ave., Southgate

Covington Commission caucus meeting, 6-7 p.m., City Hall, 20 W. Pike St., Covington

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

Dayton City Council meeting, 7-8 p.m., Community and Meeting Center, 625 Second Ave., Dayton

Campbell County Fiscal Court, 9-10 a.m., Alexandria Courthouse, 8352 E. Main St., Alexandria Campbell County Fiscal Court meeting, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Alexandria Courthouse, 8352 E. Main St., Alexandria

Blue Christmas, 5:30-7 p.m., Life Learning Center, 20 W. 18th St., Covington. For people who find the holiday season challenging, Bluegrass Navigators is offering Blue Christmas, an event offering ways to cope. Candle-lighting ceremony, music, prayer, dinner, and door prizes. Printed materials available on the topics of grief, loss and coping skills. Free. RSVP or learn more: 859997-9337 or sfowler@ bgcarenav.org.

real estate

Charming Tudor home in Park Hills boasts tons of character Address: 1011 Rose Circle, Park Hills Price: $519,000 Bedrooms: Four Bathrooms: Two (plus one half-bath) Square feet: 2,578 School district: Kenton County County: Kenton Special features: Built in 1940, this charming Tudor-style home in Park Hills is for sale for $519,000. Featuring original woodwork, Rookwood tiles, hardwood floors and tiled bathrooms, this four-bedroom home is full of character. This house is perfect for an active family; it’s within a short walk of Devou Park and isn’t too far from Covington’s shops, bars and restaurants.

This Tudor-style home in Park Hills has plenty of charm. Photo provided | Lee Bledsoe with Pivot Realty Group

The main entryway shows off the home’s 1940s charm with original woodwork and stained glass windows. Photo provided | Lee Bledsoe with Pivot Realty Group

Rookwood tiles surround the fireplace at this Rose Circle property. Photo provided | Lee Bledsoe with Pivot Realty Group

Top Sales of the Week Address

WHO

YOU’RE WITH

MATTERS

Deron G. Schell Senior Sales Executive

HUFF REALTY 859.640.5149 dschell@huff.com

624 Overton Street 14138 US 42 3490 Makena Lane 10 Homestead Place 5 Raymond Avenue 6245 Obyrne Lane 3489 Mary Teal Lane 1892 Farmhouse Way 2245 Waterway Place 13538 Green Road 8458 Beechwood Court 874 Ridgepoint Drive 2490 Venetian Way 170 North Street 131 Electric Avenue 5 Dorothy Drive 2558 Crosshill Drive 3403 Cherry Tree Lane 47 W 28th Street 16 Lowe Road

City Newport Verona California Fort Thomas Cold Spring Union Burlington Florence Union Walton Alexandria Independence Burlington Southgate Southgate Highland Heights Crescent Springs Erlanger Covington Sparta

Recent NKY Home Sale Data

Price

Sale Date

Address

City

Price

Sale Date

$725,000 $665,000 $590,000 $430,500 $395,000 $394,000 $375,000 $340,000 $338,592 $333,000 $295,000 $295,000 $292,500 $292,000 $280,000 $240,000 $234,736 $230,000 $160,000 $127,000

11/15/23 11/14/23 11/13/23 11/14/23 11/14/23 11/20/23 11/17/23 11/16/23 11/16/23 11/15/23 11/13/23 11/17/23 11/17/23 11/16/23 11/15/23 11/17/23 11/13/23 11/13/23 11/20/23 11/17/23

3381 Apple Tree Lane 12 Old Stephenson Mill Road 406 Swan Circle 102 Stevenson Road 1031 Lytle Avenue 3815 Harvest Way 10886 Paddock Drive 112 Brookwood Drive 6184 Strawberry Lane 6349 Cliff Side Drive 12090 Ambruzzi Drive 230 Shaw Ave Avenue 55 Surrey Court 2051 Stonewall Trail 369 Chardonnay Valley 4 Grand Avenue 13538 Green Road 14045 Navaho Road 524 Grouse Court 20 Park Avenue

Erlanger Walton Elsmere Erlanger Elsmere Elsmere Walton Walton Florence Florence Walton Elsmere Florence Florence Walton Florence Walton Morning View Elsmere Elsmere

$206,000 $250,000 $160,000 $199,000 $230,000 $250,000 $425,000 $280,000 $260,000 $165,000 $414,237 $165,000 $265,000 $289,000 $415,000 $221,000 $333,000 $565,000 $248,000 $185,000

10/23/23 10/23/23 10/24/23 10/24/23 10/25/23 10/25/23 10/25/23 10/25/23 10/27/23 10/27/23 10/27/23 10/31/23 10/31/23 10/31/23 11/3/23 11/9/23 11/15/23 11/16/23 11/17/23 11/17/23

DECEMBER 1, 2023 15

features

Book nook? Margaritas? Good grub? Streetscapes samples ’em all on Sixth Avenue By Maria Hehman

S

treetscapes’ last visit to Sixth Avenue featured German cuisine, fried chicken and Honduran coffee. In less than a year’s time, two more businesses have been added to the fast-growing Dayton area. This Streetscapes explores those new additions, as well as a familiar favorite. Roebling Books and Coffee It’s only fitting that this Streetscapes begins with a hot Newsprint Latte, a white-anddark chocolate latte that warms guests up even on the chilliest days. Like its other two locations in Covington and Newport, this Roebling Books and Coffee location is a hybrid coffee shop and bookstore. This location feels more open than the original location right by the Roebling Bridge. The entrance, where guests order, has more seating space. This location is ideal for people wanting to socialize and spread out. Booklovers just need to step

into the room behind the barista bar, where hundreds of books line the wall. Like all Roebling Books and Coffee locations, it’s reminiscent of an at-home library. From classic literature to new releases, Roebling has a genre for all interests. This location is also home to Lil’s Kitchen, a concept derived from Lil’s Bagels in Covington, which closed at the end of 2022. The interior pops of pink, and the tasty treats and, of course, famous bagels can be found in this joint space. When it comes to coffee, Roebling carries the basics, drip coffee and iced coffee, as well as espresso-based beverages. Its specialty drink menu is small in comparison to large chains, but when it comes to coffee, it doesn’t have to be fancy — it just has to be good. Roebling knows good coffee. Other than the Newsprint Latte, the Redlegs Latte with raspberry and white chocolate is a great sweet treat to enjoy while cozying up with a new book. Los Potros Dayton The newest addition to the fast-growing Dayton area is Los Potros. This Tex-Mex restaurant offers ample options with hefty portions. Guests with an ample appetite should opt for the burritos or chimichangas. However, even the hungriest patrons have a hard time conquering the donkey burrito. It’s a massive stuffed burrito with guests’ choice of marinated chicken or steak, Mexican rice, refried beans, lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole and sour cream, smothered in cheese sauce. The sight of this burrito alone could fill one up. Tacos and fajitas, meanwhile, are great options for those who may fill up a little too much on chips and salsa.

Lil’s Kitchen offers cult-favorite bagels at Roebling Books and Coffee in Dayton. Photo by Maria Hehman | LINK nky contributor

No Mexican eatery would be complete without a margarita, or two. Los Potros carries six options for top-shelf margaritas, including the blue margarita, with blue

agave tequila, triple sec and blue curacao all blended with housemade margarita mix. For those wanting something more simple and standard, the house margarita can be ordered on the rocks or frozen and in five different flavors. Before the weather turns too cold, check out the spacious back patio and drift off to a tropical getaway. Hometown Heroes Sometimes the neighborhood bar is all anyone needs for good grub and drinks. Hometown Heroes has been a staple in the Dayton area for over five years, and it’s still serving some seriously good food. It may be best known for wings and burgers, but Hometown Heroes offers much more than what meets the eye. For starters, guests could order the typical fried pickles and onion rings and be satisfied. However, with options like fried pepperoni, and cheese fries topped with goetta, why not venture out and try one of these creative savory dishes? Burgers come in a variety of sizes and flavors, from mini burgers to a burger so large it has mammoth in its name. Their mammoth mushroom burger boasts two threequarter-pound burger patties topped with six slices of cheese and sauteed mushrooms and onions. Hometown Heroes advertises as being a kid-friendly sports bar, a rarity for a sports bar. It even has a kids menu for the little fans who accompany adults. The atmosphere is perfect for quick and cheap eats for all ages. With sports games playing on the TV and in-person game options, there’s plenty to keep the little ones entertained. Have a street, city or business you want to see covered next? Email Maria Hehman at mchehman@gmail.com and it could be featured on the next installment of LINK Streetscapes.

A Dayton mural welcomes travelers as they enter Sixth Avenue from Fairfield Avenue. Photo by Maria Hehman | LINK nky contributor

What to Know If You Go: Roebling Books and Coffee Location: 301 Sixth Ave., Dayton Hours: Sunday-Saturday, 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Website: roeblingbooks.com Phone: 859-308- 7086

Los Potros Location: 441 Sixth Ave., Dayton Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Phone: 859-261-1891

Hometown Heroes Location: 640 Sixth Ave., Dayton Hours: Sunday, noon-6 p.m.; Monday, closed; Tuesday, 4-9 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday, noon-9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, noon-10 p.m. Website: hometownheroessports.wixsite.com/hometownheroes Phone: 859-206-8120

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Beechwood’s girls cross-country runners are masters at running it back By Marc Hardin

M

embers of the Beechwood High School girls cross-country team tightened their shoes and affixed numbers to their red tiger-striped uniforms as they prepared for action at the Trimble County meet in Bedford. They jogged in place to keep their legs loose. They had a little pre-race pep rally among themselves then grouped together at the starting line. Less than 20 minutes later, the first of them began breezing to the finish as Beechwood won its maiden race of the season. The winning scenario reprised itself with comforting regularity throughout the schedule for co-head coach Tricia Sturgeon, who helped the Tigers achieve something rarely seen in Northern Kentucky cross-country. From the first race that day in mid-August to the last race in late October at the KHSAA Class A state meet at Kentucky Horse Park, the Beechwood girls never stopped winning. No matter where they ran, no matter the terrain, the weather, the level of competition, nobody got ahead of the Tigers and remained ahead. Nobody fell behind the Tigers and rallied to beat them. Beechwood pushed the pace at the beginning of the race. The Tigers put the pressure on with

The Beechwood girls cross-country team finished off an undefeated season with a second consecutive championship at the KHSAA Class A state meet on Oct. 28. Photo provided | KHSAA

a pack mentality in the middle of the race. And they had the final say with a finishing kick at the end. From start to finish at each meet, from the beginning of the season to the end, the Beechwood girls cross-country team was perfection personified, and that sounds pretty cool to sophomore runner Lily Parke. “We had a team that backed each other up,” Parke said. “We had a really strong seven again this year. No matter what happened, no matter who finished ahead of who, everybody was supportive.” No team finished ahead of the Tigers in 2023. They competed in 11 events and won them all, including the conference meet, the regional meet and the state meet for the second year in a row.

Lily Parke, one of six all-state runners for Beechwood, has finished second individually in the Class A state cross-country race two years in a row for the back-to-back state champion Tigers. File photo | Provided

At this year’s state meet, the Tigers put five of their competing seven runners among the top 15 finishers. Parke led with a second-place finish of 19 minutes and 27.35 seconds over the 3.1-mile course. She was followed by sophomore Nora Wilke in third and juniors Isabel Ginter (11th), Charli Gerrein (13th) and Annie Harris (15th). All finished with a clocking of 21 minutes or faster, except for Harris, who missed the mark by less than 8 seconds. At the time, coach Sturgeon said it was

nearly a perfect race. She could have said the same about the season. The only difference: The team finished the season absolutely perfect, with no qualifications. No losses. Nothing worse than first. Every time. How difficult is that to do in cross-country? “We won state the year before, and there were four meets we didn’t win. It’s very difficult. It doesn’t happen a lot,” Sturgeon said. “So many things can happen. Illness. Injuries. Sometimes a girl will miss a day. For two weeks, we had a girl on the elliptical machine twice a week maybe for 45 minutes at a time. There’s race anxiety. Maybe for some reason you’re off a little bit.” They still won. “Sometimes a girl will just have a bad day, and the fact they’re teenagers,” Sturgeon said. “We ran in big meets against schools with a lot more kids than us. We competed in events where we were probably the smallest school.”

For a small-school squad, the Tigers had a sizable roster numbering 24. The Tigers also featured senior Catie Hazzard and junior Lana Holt to round out the top seven. The Tigers were so deep, six runners were named all-state: Parke, Wilke, Ginter, Gerrein, Harris and Hazzard. Parke and Hazzard are also state champions in track and field. They were part of the winning 1,600-meter relay team as the Beechwood girls won last season’s Class A state title. “We have a really good cross-country runner, a solid No. 2 and 3, and 4 through 7 were really close in terms of times. Those four were interchangeable all season,” Sturgeon said. “As a group, they were consistent.” Sturgeon, a former high school runner at Holy Cross, directs the team along with cohead coach Tom Arnold and assistant Celia Fuller. “We’re lucky we have three coaches with head coaching experience,” Sturgeon said. “That’s a big reason why we’re successful.” Parke also plays a big part.

The Tigers still won. “It’s pretty amazing, especially when you consider the size of the schools we were going up against,” Parke said. “But we worked hard.”

“She runs very smart. She’s one of the hardest workers you’ll see,” Sturgeon said. “She’s always a front-runner. She never has a bad race. We know we always have a top runner at a meet. That takes a lot of pressure off the rest of the team.”

DECEMBER 1, 2023 17

obit

Rosalynn Carter, outspoken former first lady, dies at 96 By Bill Barrow and Michael Warren | Associated Press

F

ormer first lady Rosalynn Carter, the closest adviser to Jimmy Carter during his one term as U.S. president and their four decades thereafter as global humanitarians, has died at the age of 96. The Carter Center said she died on Nov. 19 after living with dementia and suffering many months of declining health. The statement said she “died peacefully, with family by her side” at 2:10 p.m. at her rural Georgia home of Plains. “Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished,” the former president said in the statement. “She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.” President Joe Biden called the Carters “an incredible family because they brought so much grace to the office.” “He had this great integrity; still does. And she did, too,” Biden told reporters as he was boarding Air Force One on the night of Nov. 19 after an event in Norfolk, Virginia. “God bless them.” Biden said he spoke to the family and was told that Jimmy Carter was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. Later, the White House released a joint statement from the president and first lady Jill Biden saying that Carter inspired the nation. “She was a champion for equal rights and opportunities for women and girls; an advocate for mental health and wellness for every person; and a supporter of the often unseen and uncompensated caregivers of our children, aging loved ones, and people with disabilities,” the statement added. Reaction from world leaders poured in throughout the day. The Carters were married for more than 77 years, forging what they both described as a “full partnership.” Unlike many previous first ladies, Rosalynn sat in on Cabinet meetings, spoke out on controversial issues and represented her husband on foreign trips. Aides to President Carter sometimes referred to her — privately — as “co-president.” “Rosalynn is my best friend ... the perfect extension of me, probably the most influential person in my life,” Jimmy Carter told aides during their White House years, which spanned from 1977-1981. The former president, now 99, remains at the couple’s home in Plains after entering hospice care himself in February. Fiercely loyal and compassionate as well as politically astute, Rosalynn Carter prided herself on being an activist first lady, and

18 DECEMBER 1, 20233

no one doubted her behind-the-scenes influence. When her role in a highly publicized Cabinet shakeup became known, she was forced to declare publicly, “I am not running the government.” Many presidential aides insisted that her political instincts were better than her husband’s — they often enlisted her support for a project before they discussed it with the president. Her iron will, contrasted with her outwardly shy demeanor and a soft Southern accent, inspired Washington reporters to call her “the Steel Magnolia.” Both Carters said in their later years that Rosalynn had always been the more political of the two. After Jimmy Carter’s landslide defeat in 1980, it was she, not the former president, who contemplated an implausible comeback, and years later she confessed to missing their life in Washington. Jimmy Carter trusted her so much that in 1977, only months into his term, he sent her on a mission to Latin America to tell dictators he meant what he said about denying military aid and other support to violators of human rights. She also had strong feelings about the style of the Carter White House. The Carters did not serve hard liquor at public functions, though Rosalynn did permit U.S. wine. There were fewer evenings of ballroom dancing and more square dancing and picnics. Throughout her husband’s political career, she chose mental health and problems of the elderly as her signature policy emphasis. When the news media didn’t cover those efforts as much as she believed was warranted, she criticized reporters for writing only about “sexy subjects.” As honorary chairwoman of the President’s Commission on Mental Health, she once testified before a Senate subcommittee, becoming the first first lady since Eleanor Roosevelt to address a congressional panel. She was back in Washington in 2007 to push Congress for improved mental health coverage, saying, “We’ve been working on this for so long, it finally seems to be in reach.”

be happy here after the dazzle of the White House and the years of stimulating political battles,” she wrote in her 1984 autobiography, “First Lady from Plains.” But “we slowly rediscovered the satisfaction of a life we had left long before.” After leaving Washington, Jimmy and Rosalynn co-founded The Carter Center in Atlanta to continue their work. She chaired the center’s annual symposium on mental health issues and raised funds for efforts to aid the mentally ill and homeless. She also wrote “Helping Yourself Help Others,” about the challenges of caring for elderly or ailing relatives, and a sequel, “Helping Someone With Mental Illness.” Frequently, the Carters left home on humanitarian missions, building houses with Habitat for Humanity and promoting public health and democracy across the developing world. “I get tired,” she said of her travels. “But something so wonderful always happens. To go to a village where they have Guinea worm and go back a year or two later and there’s no Guinea worm, I mean the people dance and sing — it’s so wonderful.” In 2015, Jimmy Carter’s doctors discovered four small tumors on his brain. The Carters feared he had weeks to live. He was treated with a drug to boost his immune system, and later announced that doctors found no remaining signs of cancer. But when they first received the news, she said she didn’t know what she was going to do. “I depend on him when I have questions, when I’m writing speeches, anything, I consult with him,” she said. She helped him recover several years later when he had hip replacement surgery at age 94 and had to learn to walk again. And she was with him earlier this year when he decided after a series of hospital stays that he would forgo further medical interventions and begin end-of-life care.

She said she developed her interest in mental health during her husband’s campaigns for Georgia governor.

Jimmy Carter is the longest-lived U.S. president. Rosalynn Carter was the second-longest-lived of the nation’s first ladies, trailing only Bess Truman, who died at age 97.

“I used to come home and say to Jimmy, ‘Why are people telling me their problems?’ And he said, ‘Because you may be the only person they’ll ever see who may be close to someone who can help them,’” she explained.

Eleanor Rosalynn Smith was born in Plains on Aug. 18, 1927, the eldest of four children. Her father died when she was young, so she took on much of the responsibility of caring for her siblings when her mother went to work part time.

After Ronald Reagan won the 1980 election, Rosalynn Carter seemed more visibly devastated than her husband. She initially had little interest in returning to the small town of Plains, where they both were born, married and spent most of their lives.

She also contributed to the family income by working after school in a beauty parlor. “We were very poor and worked hard,” she once said, but she kept up her studies, graduating from high school as class valedictorian.

“I was hesitant, not at all sure that I could

She soon fell in love with the brother of one

of her best friends. Jimmy and Rosalynn had known each other all their lives — it was Jimmy’s mother, nurse Lillian Carter, who delivered baby Rosalynn — but he left for the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, when she was still in high school. After a blind date, Jimmy told his mother: “That’s the girl I want to marry.” They wed in 1946, shortly after his graduation from Annapolis and Rosalynn’s graduation from Georgia Southwestern College. Their sons were born where Jimmy Carter was stationed: John William (Jack) in Portsmouth, Virginia, in 1947; James Earl III (Chip) in Honolulu in 1950; and Donnel Jeffery (Jeff) in New London, Connecticut, in 1952. Amy was born in Plains in 1967. By then, Carter was a state senator. Navy life had provided Rosalynn her first chance to see the world. When Carter’s father, James Earl Sr., died in 1953, Jimmy Carter decided, without consulting his wife, to move the family back to Plains, where he took over the family farm. She joined him there in the day-to-day operations, keeping the books and weighing fertilizer trucks. “We developed a partnership when we were working in the farm-supply business,” Rosalynn Carter recalled with pride in a 2021 interview with The Associated Press. “I knew more on paper about the business than he did. He would take my advice about things.” At the height of the Carters’ political power, Lillian Carter said of her daughter-inlaw: “She can do anything in the world with Jimmy, and she’s the only one. He listens to her.” Ceremonies celebrating the life of Rosalynn Carter will take place after the Thanksgiving holiday in Atlanta and Sumter County, Georgia, the Carter Center announced. The repose on Nov. 27, at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, was open to the public. A private funeral and interment took place on Nov. 29, with the broadcast on TV and streamed online.

DECEMBER 1, 2023 19

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