LINK Kenton Reader - Volume 1, Issue 12 - February 10, 2023

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

Falling in love in a coffee shop

BY GRACE TIERNEY | LINK nky REPORTER

PRESIDENT & CEO Lacy Starling

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Mark Collier

MANAGING EDITOR Meghan Goth

PRINT EDITOR Kaitlin Gebby

SPORTS EDITOR Evan Dennison

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on the cover

Married couple and VillaMocha shop owners Dan Richardson and Alison Spears pose for a photo inside their coffee shop. Photo by James Robertson | LINK nky contributor

“I always say that Dan makes my life magic.”

Alison Spears gripped her VillaMocha-labeled coffee cup – named for the coffee shop she and her husband Daniel Richardson own – as she recalled how the two met.

Flashback to 1999 when Richardson walked into Common Grounds Cafe in Covington, where Spears was working as a barista. She thought he was cute and both Spears and Richardson ended up going to the same party later that night where they bonded over music, family and friends.

While connecting at the party, they realized that their older brothers had grown up going to Beechwood and playing football together.

“That’s kind of why we love coffee shops,” said Spears. “We met in a coffee shop but we also have this big group of friends and family and we’re still all so close. We have pretty much grown up together so I wanted to make a place where people could make friendships the way we did.”

The night after they met, Spears wanted to see the Blair Witch project and she really wanted to watch it with a certain someone.

“I called every Richardson in the phonebook,” said Spears. “After a few calls to not the right Richardsons, his Dad picked up the phone and I said ‘may I speak with Dan?’ and his Dad said, ‘Dan, there’s a girl!’ And he picked up the phone and said ‘Hello?’ and I said, ‘Is this my Dan?’ without telling him my name.”

It was her Dan.

As the months went by the two began to date. Richardson even made her something special.

“I made her a whole mixtape of things we liked to listen to in the car, you know like old school hip-hop from when we were in like sixth or seventh grade, just stuff we loved.”

After dating for some time, Richardson ended up going to school in New Orleans and they broke up for about a year. When he returned, they decided to take a vaca-

tion to New Orleans and that’s where “her” Dan popped the question.

“We were in the back room of the Funky Butt Jazz Bar,” said Spears, “drinking Funky Butt Juice when he asked me.”

It wasn’t until a year later when they realized how stressful planning a wedding can be, and decided they would elope and go back to New Orleans.

“My parents eloped,” said Spears, “Dan was like ‘Are you serious?’ but we did and we went down there to get married that next Saturday.”

Once down in New Orleans, they found a woman to officiate the wedding, bought a tux and a white dress off the rack.

Spears said, “This is wedding appropriate, right?”

“The lady that married us was psychic,” said Spears. “And then her friend was a photographer that did portraits but only black and white. We soon realized, however, that we didn’t even have wedding bands so we just walked down Bourbon Street and bought some. I still have mine,” Spears said as she pointed to her Bourbon Street band.

They married on what’s called the Moonwalk which leads down to these wooden steps that take you to the Mississippi River. In front of the moonwalk was Café Du Monde, an iconic cafe in the city.

“As we walked back up the stairs after getting married we saw this guy with a guitar,” Spears said. “And I was like ‘Hey, do you want to play for our wedding?’ And gave him 20 bucks. A Green Day song is now our unintentional wedding song.”

After the wedding, they went to dinner, and on the way out Spears said to herself, “Dan makes my life magic.”

Dan Richardson and Alison Spears smile at each other over a cup of coffee inside VillaMocha coffee shop.

Photo by James Robertson | LINK nky contributor

Continued from page 3

The newlywed couple moved to the Pacific Northwest to Bellingham, Washington, where Spears worked as an art gallery coordinator, and they stayed there for about five years. It was at the gallery that they got their first experience launching a coffee shop.

“It was really a fun time,” Spears said. “We also added a little coffee shop to the gallery and through that we learned a lot about all the different types of coffee and what they mean.”

When they wanted to start a family, they decided it was time to move back to Kentucky. Spears said she really wanted her mom to be close by for help.

When their baby girl was born, they named her Lola to pay homage to their elopement in Nola.

After their move back to Kentucky, Richardson used his talents as a house music DJ to partner with local charities, like Welcome House, Toys for Tots, and other organizations. And that community spirit would be a cornerstone of the couple’s future business.

After Lola was born, Spears started to grow tired of her corporate job. Each day, she passed a hair salon in Villa Hills and dreamt of what could be.

“I would drive by this hair salon every single day and say, ‘If they ever go out of business I’m buying it, and I’ll call it VillaMocha,’” Spears recalled.

It was just a dream until one night, when Spears came home and her husband shared some exciting news.

“You know St. Amsterdam Hair Studio?”

Richardson asked. “I talked to Paul who owns the building and I got you a meeting.”

It wasn’t long after that Spears’, brother who owns a small remodeling business, got to work on their new VillMocha building and Spears wrote up and sent in her letter of resignation.

Inside VillaMocha, bright colors welcome guests in, along with the rich smell of warming coffee. Next to the windows you can find many of Spear’s well loved plants, one given to her by the woman who works next door at the Marathon gas station. There’s also art from local artists and personal friends of theirs.

“Alison and Dan have truly created something beautiful here at VillaMocha,” said Hunter Harris, an employee at VillaMocha. “They push us all to be our best, they provide support, a shoulder to lean on, and will

have our backs in our personal lives as well. The coffee shop is a safe place for all of us and all of our community.”

They also use their coffee shop to promote things like Pride month, Bengals games, holidays and other craft specialty drinks to support the local organizations they partner with.

“We just love coffee shops, we met in one, we also met groups of our friends in them,” said Spears. “To me, I just wanted to make a place where people could make friendships the way we did. We have so many amazing friends from that.”

Richardson and Spears first bonded over a simple cup of coffee, and now they strive to create bonds in their community through the same means.

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Coffee and treats are arranged on a countertop inside VillaMocha coffee shop. Photo by James Robertson | LINK nky contributor

Dan Richardson and Alison Spears smile as they recall how they met years ago. Photo by James Robertson | LINK nky contributor

Beshear touts economic growth, weighs income tax reduction during NKY visit

BY KENTON HORNBECK AND MARK PAYNE | LINK nky REPORTERS

Gov. Andy Beshear wouldn’t say if he would veto House Bill 1, the income tax bill set to be taken up by the Senate when the Kentucky legislature reconvenes in Frankfort for the second part of the 30-day legislative session.

After recently speaking at the Government Forum for the Northern Kentucky Chamber, Beshear said he would look closely at the bill to further reduce the income tax from 4.5 to 4% on Jan. 1, 2024.

Beshear diverted attention to the sales tax — which increases in certain areas under House Bill 1 to compensate for lost revenue from reducing the income tax.

“Certainly, the best plan of action to provide people relief would be a temporary reduction of the sales tax,” Beshear said. “When we talk about inflation. It’s that things cost too much.”

Beshear, who is running for reelection, said that while the bill could potentially harm families in the long run, he will consider whether it helps families in the near future.

“While it may hurt our fiscal stability in the long run, I’m gonna have to look at how it can help our families now, so we’ll carefully consider it,” Beshear said.

The bill passed the House in early January before heading to the Senate, and codifies language from 2022’s House Bill 8, which sought to eliminate the income tax slowly.

Rep. Steve Rawlings (R-Burlington) said

that the legislature could easily override a veto with supermajorities in both chambers.

Rawlings pointed out that Beshear focused on job growth and the economy in his comments, “so I would think that he would be quick to sign” the bill. At times, Beshear has said Kentucky’s economy “is on fire” and often highlights the state’s economic achievements.

The Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project, which Beshear, along with President Joe Biden, announced funding for in January, is viewed as a key driver of economic growth in Northern Kentucky going forward.

Federal funding for the bridge came from Congress’ passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. $1.6 billion in federal grant money will go toward paying the estimated $3.3 to $3.8 billion price tag of the project.

When asked if he had any concerns about inflation, supply chain issues and workforce challenges relating to the remaining $2 billion needed to complete the project, Beshear remained optimistic and said he expects ground will be broken on the project later this year.

With inflation and rising construction costs, Beshear told reporters during his visit to the region that he believes the project will be completed on schedule, but likely not under budget.

“Thankfully, there’s a lot of smart people, both on the Ohio and the Kentucky side.

We already have a lead engineer that helps with the project,” Beshear said. “We believe that we can do this. We’ll get it done on schedule. We might not get it done under budget with inflation but we think we can get it done somewhere close to and we’re going to get it done without tolls regardless.”

Beshear said he toured the Amazon Air facility in Hebron Tuesday morning and came away impressed.

“I got to get a firsthand tour of that Amazon facility,” Beshear said. “Do y’all realize that the biggest investment in the history of Amazon was made right here in Northern Kentucky?”

In addition to Amazon, Beshear mentioned a number of other companies in Northern Kentucky which have invested into building larger operations and expanding their facility size. Some of those mentioned include Levi Strauss, 80 Acres Farms and Nucor Steel. Whitehorse Freight unveiled their new Crestview Hills facility Tuesday after a $5.4 million investment into their company. Last week, North American Stainless announced a $244 million investment into their Carroll County facility.

With the amount of new jobs created, Beshear acknowledged the workforce challenges the region has faced in being able to fill those jobs.

“We’ve been working with this chamber,” Beshear said. “We’ve talked about the initiatives repeatedly in a number of different ways.”

These initiatives include working with the Kentucky Community and Technical College System to ensure that specific programs are tied to employers in the region and also investing between $240 and $280 million in career and technical programs in Kentucky high schools.

Despite overall economic growth, Beshear cited the numerous unprecedented tragedies Kentucky has endured since he first took office in December 2019, specifically the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine War’s effect on the national economy, western Kentucky tornados, eastern Kentucky floods and two ice storms. However, Beshear remained optimistic about the future of Kentucky.

“I truly believe we’ve moved on from that time of darkness and great difficulty and loss, into one of optimism, progress and prosperity,” Beshear said.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear delivers his State of the Commonwealth speech in front of a joint session of the legislature from the floor of the Kentucky House of Representatives, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023, in Frankfort, Ky.

Interim president talks next steps for NKU

BY HALEY PARNELL | LINK nky REPORTER

Approximately three months after the abrupt announcement of the departure of Northern Kentucky University President Ashish Vaidya, interim President Bonita Brown took on her new role.

As she wrapped up her first week as interim president, Brown said she spent much of the time prepping for what could be anywhere from six to 12 months in office. Brown said running a university is like running a city, which means taking lots of one-on-one meetings with various vice presidents and deans to learn more about strategies and concerns.

“I think once I kind of finish more of those, then I’ll be able to wrap my mind around all the information and probably figure out what kind of things we want to achieve in this period,” Brown said. “So, it’s coming. It’s coming.”

Brown was officially named interim president at the NKU Board of Regents meeting on Jan. 18. She was previously hired as vice president and chief strategy officer in 2019, a role she will return to at the end of her interim period. When the board selected its interim president, they added the stipulation that the candidate will not be able to serve as its permanent president.

Through her 20-plus years of experience in higher education, Brown said she has been collecting the skills and knowledge to fulfill this new position. She said she believes in service, and as the university moves through this transitional period, she

felt responsible for providing that service during the interim term.

Someone who has known Brown for most of those 20-plus years is Gretchen Bataille.

Bataille is president at GMB Consulting Group and a strategic partner at ROI Consulting Group. She previously hired Brown in 2005 as her general counsel at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where she served as interim chancellor. She hired her again in 2006 as her chief of staff upon moving to the University of North Texas, where Bataille served as president.

“She’s a woman who can really take any situation and figure out how to make it work,” Bataille said.

While working together at the University of North Texas, Bataille said it was a campus that had a lot of work to be done. Brown worked as chief of staff to create an ombudsman’s office and a policy and compliance office — neither of which existed at the university before Brown’s tenure.

Bataille said one project that stood out to her that Brown helped lead was a hurricane shelter set up at the University of North Texas after many people in the area were displaced by Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in September 2008.

“Bonita ran the whole thing,” Bataille said. “I mean, she figured out how to connect with the state offices, with federal offices, with the local shelters. There were a lot of children, and so she worked with the college of

education in their early childhood program to establish programs for the children who were in the shelter.”

She also worked with people in the community to get them resettled or put them in touch with transportation to get them back home.

After her efforts with that project, Brown wrote a chapter in the book “Managing the Unthinkable: Crisis Preparation and Response for Campus Leaders” called “A Shelter in the Time of Storm.”

As NKU Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, Brown was already meeting with deans, students, and various faculty and staff, which helped her gain a cross-divisional perspective. She said this helped her learning curve not be as steep as it may have been for someone else.

“This is a great place. I don’t want us to skip a beat,” Brown said. “And so, I thought, from my role as vice president and chief strategy officer, I know a lot about the university. It will probably be a smooth transition just to move into this interim role and kind of keep the momentum moving until we get a permanent president.”

Some speculated that Vaidya’s departure was due to the university’s more than $24 million budget deficit; however, NKU Board of Regents Chair Rich Boehne has said throughout the process that isn’t true. Boehne told LINK nky in November that Vaidya’s departure came down to a difference in vision for the university, and the

two parties mutually agreed to part ways.

As for the current budget situation, Brown said the university plans to utilize its repositioning plan that was announced at the Oct. 6 budget and strategy meeting.

“In that plan, it included scenarios where we were going to have to take budget cuts, or we’re going to have to realign funds or other parts of the plan,” Brown said. “So right now, we’re working on executing that plan. The goal is to right-size our budget to make sure that we’re not spending more than we’re bringing in.”

Brown said the university is also about to begin planning for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.

“There are some rumors out there that we’re going to close, that we’re broke. We’re not,” Brown said. “We just have to have the right size and make sure we’re aligning our spending with our revenue.”

The $24 million shortfall represents about 9% of NKU’s total annual budget.

Brown said she couldn’t speak on the difference in vision between the university and the previous president because it was a conversation between the president and the Board of Regents.

“I think as they’re looking at searching for a new president, they’re listening to hear who is a visionary,” Brown said. “I think they’re listening to hear the experience somebody has, and I think when a new per-

son arrives, they will work jointly with the board to kind of coalesce and learn about this area to develop a vision.”

Bataille said Brown was good at working with people and figuring out where they came from and their needs, which would prove to be good qualities when dealing with NKU’s budget and general presidential duties.

“I think a lot of people can be good administrators, meaning they know a lot of people and can figure out the budget, but it takes a leader to be able to explain to people what’s going on with the budget and what you need to change in order to change the budget trajectory,” Bataille said. “So, she’s beyond an administrator. She’s a leader.”

Speaking from experience, Bataille said being a university president takes someone with thick skin, adding that it’s a 24/7 job. She said this adds a lot of stress on the individual and their families.

The president is responsible for the final say on tough decisions, and they must be available at all times.

“It’s a lonely job because everyone’s going to look to the president and the president’s decisions, and not everybody’s going to like them,” Bataille said. “That’s where the thick skin comes in.”

Bataille said that even in the interim role, the president has to do everything they think needs to be done because the campus can’t remain in limbo until the permanent president is named. She said there is freedom in being an interim who is not trying to get a permanent job.

“I understand that she’s not eligible to ap-

ply to be named the permanent president,” Bataille said. “So, in some ways, it makes it easier for her to do what needs to be done. I think probably her biggest task is going to be regularizing the budget, and that’s not easy.”

Brown said she plans to utilize her previous experience in her new role.

Before coming to NKU, another aspect of Brown’s work was hands-on student success work. She led a cohort of 12 universities across the country and worked on student success with their leadership teams, like their presidents and vice presidents.

One memorable example of that work for

Brown was getting the presidents of the universities to sit down and go through the transfer process that students would experience if they were coming from a community college to a university.

“They are sitting around their computers, and I saw furrowed brows, and the presidents were clicking, and like, ‘We can’t find it. We can’t figure out how to do that,’” Brown said. “They were picking up their phone and saying, ‘Hey, I’m at this meeting, and I can’t find our transfer work.’ And so that was a real-time moment where they saw what the student experience was.”

Brown said that moment was a highlight for her because it showed presidents and

cabinet members that sometimes they think they are doing something well, but it needs to be considered from the student’s perspective.

“That’s why I came to NKU because this vice president and chief strategy role was over the strategic plan, which is called ‘success by design,’” Brown said. “Our strategic plan is singularly focused on student success.”

As for the permanent president, Brown said that the organizing to begin the search has ensued. She guesses that the process will take anywhere from six to 12 months.

The university has convened a presidential search committee which consists of five Board of Regents members and other university staff.

NKU Board of Regents Secretary Kara Williams will serve as chair of the committee. The NKU Board of Regents Vice Chair Nathan Smith and regents Ashley Himes, Elizabeth Thompson, and Brad Zapp will also serve on the committee.

Boehne said at the Jan. 18 meeting that he hopes to have the entire committee named at its March 15 meeting. The final decision of who is named president will ultimately come to the full Board of Regents, but the search committee will help canvas the applicants.

“I’m a consultant now and working with another campus where they have serious budget issues, and they’re going to have to let some faculty go, and that is painful, and it’s hard,” Bataille said. “And there are times when you have to make tough decisions in order to solve the bigger problem. And so I think she’s going to have a lot of work to do this year.”

Presenting

NKU interim President Bonita Brown works at her desk in her office on campus. Photo by Haley Parnell

Body of Covington man found in northern Cincinnati suburb

The body of Edward Allen Wischer, 76, of Covington, was found in Lebanon, Ohio on Tuesday.

Per Covington Police, Wischer was reported missing on Dec. 21 after last being seen at a Walmart in Fort Wright on Dec. 19.

Whitehorse Freight reveals Crestview Hills facility after $5.4 million expansion project

One of the most important growth sectors in the Kentucky economy is logistics and distribution.

DESERVE the best

His family told authorities Wischer suffered from Sundowner’s syndrome and dementia.

Texas EquuSearch, a non-profit that searches for missing individuals, was called in by Covington Police and they conducted a search near a cell tower in Lebanon. Wischer’s car was found in a field and his body was found nearby.

Police ask that any further inquiries about this incident be directed to Detective Sergeant Nate Trout at 513-228-3328.

Northern Kentucky has especially benefited from growth in that sector as countless logistics companies have announced facility expansions over the past few years. Now, logistics technology service company Whitehorse Freight can be added to the list.

“The sky is the limit when it comes to earning potential at Whitehorse Freight,” said Michael Bilokonsky, president and CEO of Whitehorse Freight. “I am extremely proud of our team and what we are building. Today’s event is an exciting next step for us, and I look forward to continuing to grow here in Northern Kentucky.”

Whitehorse Freight unveiled their new Crestview Hills facility during a ribbon cut-

ting ceremony Tuesday. Overall, the company invested $5.4 million on their move from Fort Mitchell, including the purchase of a building located at 2670 Chancellor Drive in the Thomas More Office Park.

In July, Whitehorse Freight was approved for tax incentives by the City of Crestview Hills which aided the company’s move.

For Whitehorse Freight, the expansion comes from increased customer demand and a desire to grow their employee base. The 51,000 square foot building will expand the company’s office space and overall operations. The investment is expected to create over 400 jobs, according to a press release from the Governor’s Office.

Region braces for Mardi Gras season

Laissez les bons temps rouler. That’s Cajun-French for “Let the good times roll!” and MainStrasse Village will really be letting the good times roll during their Mardi Gras celebration.

Amy Kummler, the owner of Up Over Bar in MainStrasse Village, organized the event. Up Over Bar is a Mardi Gras-themed bar where they say “It’s Always Mardi Gras at the Up Over! Come join our Nerd-Herd!”

The celebration will commence with a parade that starts Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. The parade will begin at Larry’s Dive Bar at Ninth Street and Philadelphia, go down Main Street, turn left and then head north to Fifth Street.

The parade will feature an estimated 20 to 30 floats, at least 30 big heads, CinCity Shakers (a Cincinnati dance team), Dance Flash Fusion (a Cincinnati dance group), Cincinnati Skate Collective (a group of Cincinnati area quad and inline skaters), Covington Street Hockey League, American Legion Post 513, cars, trucks and more.

Every year they make big heads for Mardi Gras. The theme for the big heads this year is 1980s cartoon characters, such as My Little Pony.

Following the parade, there will be the Mar-

di Gras Pub Crawl. Sixteen bars and restaurants will participate in the crawl. They will offer New Orleans Hurricane drinks and Cajun food. Del Gardo’s Cannoli will sell King Cake Cannoli and King Cake Tiramisu.

The event will end around 1 a.m. when the bars close.

95 years of Drees Homes: Locally-based homebuilder celebrates anniversary

Fort Mitchell-based Drees Homes, one of the oldest home builders in the Cincinnati/ Northern Kentucky area, celebrated their 95th anniversary last Tuesday.

Founded in 1928 by German immigrant Theodore Drees, the company has grown into the 19th largest privately owned home builder in the United States. Drees built his first home in Wilder, a brick cape cod that is still standing today.

In 1959, Drees’ son Ralph joined the company after serving in the Army. Ralph helped expand the company into 10 different metro markets across the country such as Dallas-Fort Worth, Indianapolis, Nashville, and Jacksonville, Fl. They also continued growing their imprint in Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky. Ralph passed away at the age of 86 in March 2021.

As a legacy home builder in Northern Kentucky, Drees Homes played a role in building and shaping the region’s housing market throughout the second half of the 20th century.

“Northern Kentucky used to have a lot of these villages and burgs,” said Drees Homes Northern Kentucky Division President Ben Taylor. “The suburbs began to develop outside of Covington. I think the Drees company was very influential in shaping the landscape here.”

Taylor told LINK nky that Drees Homes went from being a company that was primarily a tract builder — which is a home builder that builds homes in a neighborhood with a set number of floor plans and features buyers can choose — into a company that designs communities.

“A lot of what you see today, it really goes back to stuff we started in the 70s,” Taylor said.

In Northern Kentucky, Drees Homes is involved in building subdivisions across the metro, in places like Alexandria, Walton, Independence, Hebron, Crescent Springs and Villa Hills.

Going forward, Taylor said Drees Homes is “focused on the long game.”

‘We’re constantly developing new home plans that fit the needs of modern living,” said Taylor. “We’re continuing to focus on suburban areas, but we also pivoted in the last few years to do more infill locations.”

Today, Drees Home is led by Theodore’s grandson David, who took over as CEO in 2000. The primary focus of his tenure has been integrating 21st century technology into the company’s day-to-day operations, as well as continuing to promote family culture within the organization.

“Our company’s purpose of enriching lives by making dream homes easy is dependent on a focused approach that always begins and ends with quality, personalization and customer service,” Drees said in a press release.

NKY Chamber announces annual day in Frankfort for Feb. 23

The NKY Chamber of Commerce will take a group of members to the capital for the annual day in Frankfort on Feb. 23.

Members will have the opportunity to hear from and have discussions with members of the NKY caucus and the Kentucky Legislature.

Planned for discussion are key topics critical to economic development and business growth in Northern Kentucky. Additionally, discussions will cover policy priorities of the Chamber including workforce shortages, infrastructure, and tax reform.

Registration for Day in Frankfort is $60 for NKY Chamber members and $80 for non members.

‘Little Mermaid’ actress visits NKY

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration compared Punxsutawney Phil’s forecast to the national weather the last 10 years and found “on average, Phil has gotten it right 40% of the time.”

Animal Spotlight: Olivia

towncrier@linknky.com.

Feb. 10 to Feb. 18

Boone County

Feb. 16: Chick Picks Book Discussion: Billy Summers, by Stephen King, 10 a.m., Boone County Library Main Branch, 1786 Burlington Pike, Burlington. (for info, contact Karen Helmle at khelmle@bcpl.org.

Feb. 16: The Cincinnati Museum Presents: The Sad, Seamy, Sinister Side of Cincinnati, 6:30 p.m., Boone County Library Main Branch, 1786 Burlington Pike, Burlington.

Florence

“Singin’ In The Rain” recently opened at The Carnegie theater, and there was a familiar face in the crowd.

Jodi Benson, the original voice of Ariel in Disney’s 1989 “The Little Mermaid” watched her daughter perform in the popular musical. Benson’s daughter, Delaney Benson, is part of the traveling cast with Music Theatre International, and is playing the role of Kathy Selden in the musical.

“Singin’ In The Rain” is showing at The Carnegie through Feb. 12.

Phil predicts six more weeks of winter

PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) — A furry critter in a western Pennsylvania town has predicted six more weeks of winter during an annual Groundhog Day celebration.

People gathered Thursday at Gobbler’s Knob as members of Punxsutawney Phil’s “inner circle” summoned the groundhog from his tree stump at dawn to learn if he has seen his shadow — and they say he did. According to folklore, if he sees his shadow there will be six more weeks of winter. If he doesn’t, spring comes early.

The “inner circle” is a group of local dignitaries who are responsible for planning the events, as well as feeding and caring for Phil himself.

The annual event in Punxsutawney, about 65 miles (105 kilometers) northeast of Pittsburgh, originated from a German legend about a furry rodent. The gathering annually attracts thousands.

Meet Olivia, a 3-year-old cat at the Kenton County Animal Shelter. She’s a super sweet girl who is ready to find her forever home! She’s a pretty laid-back kitty who enjoys spending most of her just laying around. She loves a good nap, and Olivia would love to lay in your lap and get lots of pets.

She is positive for FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) which is one of the most common infectious diseases of cats around the world. In infected cats, FIV attacks the immune system, leaving the cat vulnerable to many other infections, so Olivia will need special care.

Although cats infected with FIV may appear normal for years, they eventually suffer from immune deficiency, which means common bacteria found in one’s daily environment can potentially cause severe illnesses. Though there is no cure for FIV, recent studies suggest that cats with FIV commonly live average life spans.

The primary mode of transmission for FIV is through bite wounds from an infected cat. Casual, non-aggressive contact, such as sharing water bowls or mutual grooming, does not appear to be an efficient route of spreading the virus. As a result, cats in households with stable social structures where housemates do not fight are at little risk of acquiring FIV infections, according to the animal shelter.

Come meet Olivia today and see if she would be the purrfect fit for your family.

Community Calendar

We love to share events, birthdays, anniversaries, and special announcements. Send items to the Town Crier via email at

Feb. 14: Florence City Council Meeting, 6 p.m., Florence Government Center, 8100 Ewing Blvd., Florence

Hebron

Feb 11: SWET DanceFit, 9:30 a.m., Boone County Hebron Branch, 1863 North Bend Road, Hebron (For details, go to bcpl.org. Continues Saturdays through Feb. 25)

Feb 14: Comfort Quilts for the Community, 9:30 a.m., Boone County Hebron Branch, 1863 North Bend Road, Hebron

Feb 14: Card Making, 6 p.m., Boone County Hebron Branch, 1863 North Bend Road, Hebron (For details, go to bcpl.org; registration required.)

Union

Feb. 10: Experience T’ai Chi, 10:30 a.m., Boone County Library Scheben Branch, 8899 U.S. 42, Union (For details, go to bcpl. org. Also on Feb. 24.)

Feb 11: Exploring Cultures Series: Bollywood Beats, 2 p.m., Boone County Library Scheben Branch, 8899 U.S. 42, Union (For details, go to bcpl.org.)

Feb. 14: Book Discussion: How to Walk Away, by Katherine Center, 6:30 p.m., Boone County Library Scheben Branch, 8899 U.S. 42, Union (For info, contact Shaun Powell at spowell@bcpl.org.)

Walton

Feb. 14: Walton Planning Meeting, 6:15 p.m., Walton City Hall, 40 N. Main St., Walton

Feb. 14: Walton City Council Meeting, 7 p.m., Walton Senior Center, 44 N. Main St., Walton

“The Little Mermaid” voice actress Jodi Benson is spotted in the audience at a show at The Carnegie in Covington. Photo by Jessie Eden | LINK nky

Olivia, an adoptable cat at the Kenton County Animal Shelter. Photo provided | Second Shot Photography

Feb. 16: Walton-Verona Schools Board of Education Meeting, 6 p.m., Early Childhood Center, 18 School Road, Walton

Campbell County

Feb. 14: Campbell County Planning and Zoning Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Campbell County Administration Building, 1098 Monmouth St., Newport

Feb. 15: Campbell County Fiscal Court Meeting, 5:30 p.m., Campbell County Administration Building, 1098 Monmouth St., Newport

Alexandria

Feb. 16: Alexandria Business Retention and Development Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Alexandria City Building, 8236 W. Main St., Alexandria

Feb. 16: Alexandria City Council Meeting, 7 p.m., Alexandria City Building, 8236 W. Main St., Alexandria

Bellevue

Feb. 17: Bellevue Planning and Zoning Meeting, 7 p.m., Bellevue City Building, 616

Poplar St., Bellevue

Cold Spring

Feb. 13: Cold Spring City Council Meeting, 7:30 p.m., Cold Spring City Building, 5694 E. Alexandria Pike, Cold Spring

Dayton

Feb 15: Dayton VFW Post 2899 Bingo Night, 5 p.m., 828 6th Ave., Dayton (every Wednesday)

Fort Thomas

Feb. 13: Fort Thomas Schools Board of Education Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Fort Thomas City Building, 130 N. Fort Thomas Ave., Fort Thomas

Feb. 15: Fort Thomas Planning Commission Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Fort Thomas City Building, 130 N. Fort Thomas Ave., Fort Thomas

Highland Heights

Feb. 14: Highland Heights Planning and Zoning Meeting, 7 p.m., Highland Heights City Building, 176 Johns Hill Road, Highland Heights

Southgate

Feb. 15: Southgate City Council Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Southgate City Building, 122 Electric Ave., Southgate

Feb. 16: Southgate Super Seniors Meeting, 11:30 a.m., Southgate Community Center, 301 W. Walnut, Southgate

Kenton County

Feb. 14: Kenton County Fiscal Court Meeting, 5:30 p.m., Kenton County Courthouse, 5272 Madison Pike, Independence

Covington

Feb. 10: Devou Night Rides, 7 p.m., Devou Park in Covington. The Cincinnati Off-Road Alliance and Devou Park Trail Collective will hold an evening ride. Check “Devou Park Collective” on Facebook for details. Repeats on Feb. 13 and 17)

Feb. 11: Student Financial Aid Workshop, 11 a.m., Kenton County Public Library Covington Branch, 502 Scott Blvd, Covington.

Feb. 14: Covington Board of Commissioners Legislative Meeting, 6 p.m., Covington City Hall, 20 W. Pike St., Covington (registration

required)

Feb. 15: Board of Devou Properties Meeting, 4 p.m., Devou Golf & Event Center, 1201 Park Drive, Covington

Feb. 15: Housing Authority of Covington Meeting, 4:30 p.m., Housing Authority, 2300 Madison Ave., Covington

Edgewood

Feb. 14: Edgewood Senior Cards, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Edgewood Senior Center, 550 Freedom Park Drive, Crestview Hills (open to all, card games).

Erlanger

Feb. 10: Erlanger Walking Club, 9 to 10 a.m., Kenton County Public Library Erlanger Branch, 401 Kenton Lands, Erlanger (registration required, go to kentonlibrary.org for more info.)

Feb. 15: GED Preparation, 4 to 7 p.m., Kenton County Public Library Erlanger Branch, 401 Kenton Lands, Erlanger (For more info contact Alex at 859-442-1166; repeats Feb. 8.)

Location: Covington

Price: $229/night

Beds: 2 bedrooms

Bath: 1 bathroom

Sqft: 1,029

Special features: This first floor apartment in Covington has all the elements a serious “Friends” fan will love, with the Central Perk coffee shop logo against a brick accent wall, and merchandise from the show scattered throughout the apartment. The kitchen isn’t as eclectic as Monica’s, though. Instead, it’s a modern setup with marble countertops, but there are still plenty of decorations to remind fans that they are in good company. The host told LINK nky they are planning to update the apartment with more features from the show in the near future.

Recent NKY Home Sale Data

The Central Perk logo from the show is displayed over a dining set in the VRBO apartment in Covington. Photo provided | VRBO

A bright couch and purple accent wall are the centerpieces of this “Friends” themed stay in Covington. Photo provided | VRBO

Purple and orange elements in the bedrooms continue the “Friends” theme in this VRBO rental. Photo provided | VRBO

LINK Streetscapes: Romantic spots for Valentine’s Day

BY MARIA HEHMAN | LINK nky CONTRIBUTOR

Valentine’s Day comes during one of the coldest, dreariest months of the year when many could use a day dedicated to love and warmth. A challenge for some each Valentine’s Day is finding a cozy, comforting, and hopefully romantic place to celebrate. This Streetscapes, feel the love found in Northern Kentucky’s eateries.

Carabello Coffee

Carabello has been an NKY staple since its founding by husband and wife duo Justin and Emily Carabello. They sought to create a space that would bring the community together. In a video about the origins of Carabello, Justin Carabello explains “coffee is the means to relationships,” which is why so many have found themselves enjoying a drink in their coffee shop, and usually in good company.

For those who aren’t looking to spend an arm and a leg for Valentine’s Day, Carabello is also an easy alternative without sacrificing romantic ambiance.

Each year, the Carabellos use their coffee shop to bring couples – new and not-sonew – together for Valentine’s Day. Carabello is transformed from a bright coffee shop to a candlelit room with linen-draped tables. The ticketed event offers couples a special tasting menu served over a one hour period. The menu is specially curated for this event and includes three drinks each and two desserts to share, all set to live music. Tickets are $46 per couple.

That event is planned for the evening of Feb. 11. The day before, Carabello is making room for gals with “Galentine’s Day.” The event is designed for best friends to grab a coffee and toast to their relationship with hot chocolate, desserts, two signature drinks and a photo booth for this ladies only event.

Bouquet

For those with dietary restrictions, dining out can be a challenge. However, Bouquet in Covington offers vegan dishes, varying charcuterie boards with plant-based

cheese, and is best known for its fresh, farm-to-table food.

The chefs at Bouquet take their food seriously. They frequently share photos of their artfully crafted dishes on social media to whet appetites with photos of perfectly pink steaks, zaatar onions and poblano peppers; or braised carrots with arugula, mushroom, corn and red pepper hummus.

Bouquet is located in the heart of Mainstrasse. Upon entering, guests are greeted by colorful walls, stained glass windows, and a spacious dining room. Bouquet uses every nook and cranny for its seating, so tables are plentiful but still feel private.

The location in Covington’s hub paired with its delicious menu and plentiful seating make Bouquet a great choice for couples looking to dine out this Valentine’s Day.

MRBL

For those seeking a decadent and romantic ambiance for the evening, this new-tothe-scene restaurant in Bellevue is a great option. A glass elevator takes guests to the restaurant, where the first thing one notices are the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the Ohio River and offer a view of the Cincinnati skyline.

MRBL specializes in surf and turf, with steak, lamb, and pork options alongside a sushi menu, seafood appetizers like the blue crab spinach dip, and ahi tuna tacos.

MRBL is celebrating Valentine’s Day on both Feb. 14 and Feb. 15 with a four course menu for guests to try both their sushi and steak offerings. Cost is $100 per person with an optional wine pairing that can be added on for $50 per person. MRBL also allows guests to preview its regular menu and make reservations online.

Ripple Wine Bar

Romance doesn’t always have to include candle lit dinners and caviar. Ripple Wine Bar takes a more modern approach to a romantic setting with white walls, light wood tables, and mosaic tiles to brighten up the space.

Sharing a bottle of wine and charcuterie board here can turn an afternoon into a mini-European vacation.

Ripple is also a tasteful option for those who aren’t looking for a multi-course meal, though the menu is plentiful with dishes like filet mignon, mushroom pasta and scallops with the right wine to match. Anyone who isn’t a sommelier can rely on the Ripple’s expert suggestions to maximize their wine tasting experience.

Valentine’s Day is about appreciating the most important relationships. Whether that’s with friends or significant others, Northern Kentucky has an array of options and experiences to fit any style.

Have a city, street or business you want me to check out next? Email me at mchehman@gmail.com and it could be featured on the next LINK streetscapes.

What to know if you go:

Carabello Coffee

Location: 107 E. Ninth St., Newport

Hours: Open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday

Website: carabellocoffee.com

Bouquet Location: 519 Main St., Covington

Hours: Open 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; closed Sunday and Monday

Website: bouquetrestaurant.com

MRBL Location: 119 Fairfield Ave., Suite 427, Bellevue

Hours: Open 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Wednesday through Saturday; 4:30 to 9 p.m. Sunday; closed Monday and Tuesday

Website: mrblsteak.com

Ripple Wine Bar Location: 4 West Pike Street Covington

Hours: Open 4 p.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 4 p.m. to midnight

Friday and Saturday; closed Sunday

Website: ripplewinebar.com

Settlement reached in St. Henry student death

In June 2020, St. Henry high school soccer player Matthew Mangine Jr. collapsed on the field during a training session and later died. The family has now reached a settlement with his former high school, the Diocese of Covington, and St. Elizabeth Healthcare, where the school’s athletic trainer is employed.

The settlement was reached three days prior to the case going to trial.

The wrongful death lawsuit, filed in November 2020, alleged that over 10 minutes passed after Mangine Jr. collapsed before EMS arrived and used an automated external defibrillator (AED) to try to revive him.

Additionally, the lawsuit alleged that the school was in violation of state law and Kentucky High School Athletic Association policies. Kentucky high schools are required by law to create and train location-specific emergency action plans, or EAPs, that outline the nearest location of emergency response equipment and how to use these devices properly.

At the time of Mangine’s collapse, the athletic trainer supplied by St. Elizabeth Healthcare was on the other side of the campus at another soccer practice, and the coach at the scene didn’t have the keys needed to retrieve the nearest AED. The medical examiner listed the cause of death as “undetermined” with the primary complaint as cardiac arrest.

Mangine’s family founded The Matthew Mangine Jr. “One Shot” Foundation, a nonprofit to bring awareness to emergency response and the installation of AEDs on sidelines of sports venues, following their son’s death.

Faust breaks Ninth Region career wins record

St. Henry boys’ basketball coach Dave Faust is now the all-time wins leader in the Ninth Region, passing Kenney Shields in the Crusaders win over Bluegrass United on Jan. 27.

Shields was on hand to present Faust the game ball afterwards, with Faust earning his 461st career victory and passing up Shields’ 35-year-old record. Now in his 31st year as head coach of the Crusaders, Faust had many former players in attendance to witness the feat.

Faust played at Newport Central Catholic, where he is a member of its hall of fame, before continuing his playing career at Thomas More, where he is also a member of the school’s hall of fame. As a high school coach, Faust has compiled a 461-383 record. He was 32 years old when he became St. Henry’s coach, beginning with the 199293 season.

He’s won the school’s only Ninth Region title to date and three All “A” state championships in 2003 and 2020 and ‘21. He’s won the All “A” Ninth Region tournament eight times.

Not just the boys’ basketball coach, Faust has also been a teacher all these 31 years.

EACH WEEK, NORTHERN KENTUCKY SELECTS

Holy Cross girls win All “A” state title, boys runner-up

The Holy Cross basketball programs nearly pulled off something that’s never been done before. Both the boys and girls teams headed to Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond to compete in the All “A” Classic state tournament and both nearly came home with the championship trophy, something that had never been done before in the 32 years of existence for both tournaments.

The girls won the title with a 65-61 victory over Bethlehem, defeating Leslie County, Owen County and Pikeville along the way. Junior Julia Hunt was named the tournament MVP while seniors Nejai Lewis, Aleah Arlinghaus and Sarah Bottom were named to the All-Tournament team.

The boys fell just short in the championship game to Evangel Christian, 65-62. They defeated Danville, Hazard and Owensboro Catholic to get to that point. Senior Jacob Meyer was named the tournament MVP. Seniors Sam Gibson, Javier Ward and Matthew Dreas were named to the All-Tournament team.

It was the second All “A” state title in program history for the girls. The boys were denied their fourth All “A” state title in their fifth trip to the title game.

Newport Central Catholic girls win region bowling title, Dayton boys runner-up

After earning the No. 2 seed in the first round of the 5th Region tournament, the Newport Central Catholic girls’ bowling team made their way through the bracket with wins over Highlands and Campbell County to win the region and remain undefeated.

The victory over Highlands was in four games, winning 3-1. They followed it up with a 3-0 win over the Camels.

The bowling team coached by Denny Barnes consists of: Mia Buemi, Rylee Clore, Eva Greene, Reagan Hill, Amy Kelly, Nora Kelly, Trinity Marron, Reilly McMahon, Katie Meyer, Allison Meyers, Avery Moeves and Annika Obert. Obert took home first place in the regional singles bowling tournament, Buemi finished fourth place individually as both qualified as individuals for the state tournament as well.

Despite having the No. 7 seed in the 5th Region bowling tournament, Dayton’s boys bowling team made a run all the way to the finals before losing to Pendleton County.

First they defeated Highlands, 3-2, then Simon Kenton, 3-1, before coming up short in the championship to reigning champ Pendleton County, 0-3.

Dayton’s boys team is coached by Rebecca Holaday and team members include: Nick Baldwin, Zyon Barnes, Diem Donnerson, Brayden Hall, Nick Holaday, Connor Huebner, Connor Hurtt, DeAngelo Jimenez, Landon Jones, Russell McIntyre, Jose Sanchez, Enrique Soard and Cooper Sparks.

Both teams competed in the KHSAA state tournament Feb. 6-8.

Presented by:

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

The Dixie Heights archery team Photo provided | Dixie Heights Archery FB page

Holy Cross won their second All “A” Classic state championship in program history with a 65-61 victory over Bethlehem. Evan Dennison | LINK nky

Kenney Shields, left, presents St. Henry head coach David Faust with basketball to commemorate Faurst’s 461st win, breaking Shields record for most Ninth Region wins all-time. Dan Rieffer | LINK nky