LINK Kenton Reader - Volume 2, Issue 12 - February 16, 2024 by LINK nky

KENTON

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 12 — FEBRUARY 16, 2024

THE VOICE OF NKY

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Trash to Treasure: Resellers in Northern Kentucky By Robin Gee

ickers. Flippers. Thrifters. Treasure hunters. They go by many different names, but resellers — those who buy and sell used, returned or overstock items directly to consumers — are a thriving segment of our economy. A 2021 survey of adults in the U.S. reported by Statistica showed there were 52.6 million clothing resellers alone in 2020, and that number was expected to more than double over the coming few years. Clothing is bread-and-butter for many resellers, but you’ll find people who buy and sell shoes, housewares, antiques, furniture, collectibles, tools, toys and just about anything that has value to someone. Resellers truly prove the old adage, “One person’s trash is another’s treasure.” There’s obvious value in gold jewelry, working electronics or gently used musical instruments, but there’s also a market for old medicine bottles, original Star Wars figures and ’80s bands tour T-shirts. You’ll find resellers throughout Greater Cincinnati, including Northern Kentucky. In fact, for the last three years, a group of

resellers has hosted a “Resellers Rally” on a BB Riverboat that draws hundreds of resellers from all over the U.S. The online explosion Before the Internet, those looking for second-hand bargains found them at flea markets, yard and garage sales, rummage sales, estate sales and thrift stores like Goodwill and the Salvation Army. All of those remain options for buyers and sellers today, but the explosion of online marketplaces has kicked the whole process up a few notches. Resellers have a variety of outlets from which to sell. For larger items especially, they may sell locally through online services such as Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. While it is possible to have items shipped to a customer farther away, these platforms are great for local pickups. Sellers list their items, buyers find them through searches and together they make arrangements for an exchange. The granddaddy of the online selling market is eBay. Started in 1995, the site boasted Continues on page 3

A volunteer tests and preps donations to ensure they are in good order for the Be Concerned thrift shop. Photo by Robin Gee | LINK nky contributor

NKY route one of several ideas for Cincinnati streetcar expansion By Robin Gee

incinnati streetcar advocates are spurring discussion on both sides of the river about potential expansion routes, including an idea for a route across the river into Northern Kentucky.

The Kentucky Corridor would run from downtown Cincinnati across the Taylor Southgate Bridge and into Newport, about 1.6 miles, then potentially across the Fourth Street Bridge into Covington, adding another mile to the route. Photo provided | Sustainable Cincy

Proponents presented their ideas on Feb. 1 at a public forum held at the First Lutheran Church in Over-the-Rhine. About 300 people attended the event, hosted by the Coalition for Transit and Sustainable Development of Greater Cincinnati, a program of the Covington-based Devou Good Foundation.

Kentucky Corridor. It would take the streetcar across the river from downtown Cincinnati, over the Taylor Southgate Bridge and into Newport, about 1.6 miles. Organizers were careful to say the forum was an early attempt to garner interest and gather public reaction and input into the nine expansion ideas. “Our objective today is not to make the case for building nine streetcar lines,” said Galen Gordon, a member of the coalition and emcee for the event. “We’re trying to get a consensus on which line we believe as a community should be built next.” He noted that funding would not be dis-

One of the ideas presented was called The

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Latonia looks at perception vs. reality about crime p8 Funds to develop former IRS site is omitted from House budget p9 Simon Kenton basketball standout is team-first p16

Q&A: World-renowned cardiothoracic (CT) surgical innovations in Northern Kentucky In the nation and the Tri-state, heart disease looms as one of the greatest threats to our health. More than 30 million adults in the U.S. are living with cardiac disease, and as the population ages, there is a critical need for advancements in heart disease treatment.* The Christ Hospital Health Network is doing everything it takes to advance surgical medicine through innovation, technical expertise, cutting edge research and collaboration to ensure everyone in the region has access to the nation’s best cardiothoracic (CT) surgical options. We invited three of their surgical experts to answer our questions: Dr. Geoff Answini, chief of cardiothoracic surgery, Dr. J. Michael Smith, medical director of the cardiovascular and mitral valve surgery program and Dr. Robert D. Dowling, surgical director of the heart transplant program.

What sets your CT surgery program apart from others in the region?

Geoffrey A. Answini, MD, FACS

Dr. Geoff Answini: CT surgery is performed on the organs and areas of the chest cavity, including the heart, and our network has been a hub of innovation in cardiac care since 1969, earning a reputation for providing regionally accessible world-class care. Recently, we were honored to receive a superior rating from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS), placing our CT surgeons among the “best of the best” in North America.

We develop innovative, minimally invasive CT surgical treatments and take a multidisciplinary approach to patient care, which means that each surgeon specializes in a specific aspect of heart disease. For example, Dr. J. Michael Smith is a globally renowned expert in surgical robotics who has performed more than 3,000 robotic heart surgeries. His rare skill enables us to offer our patients exceptional yet minimally invasive lifesaving treatments. Dr. J. Michael Smith: Less invasive procedures result in an easier recovery and better medical outcomes for our patients. Robotic surgery is a technological advancement where a surgeon uses robotic arms to manipulate miniature tools with incredible precision and advanced rotational capabilities, improving access to the heart during surgery. Previously, surgeons cut through a patient’s sternum to reach the heart, adding painful months to J. Michael Smith, MD the recovery. Now, with surgical robotics, there is less bleeding, fewer complications and a faster recovery. The average hospital stay for robotic mitral valve surgery is just a few days.

How has your CT Surgery program continued to evolve and grow? Answini: For many patients with heart failure, a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) is the only hope for survival. LVADs are surgically implanted heart pumps that help the heart circulate blood to the body’s vital organs. We were the first in the Midwest to implant EVAHEART2, an LVAD with pulsatile blood flow, which lessens

the complications with traditional LVADs. Our Heart Transplant Program represents another major step forward. Before our program was launched in 2022, desperately ill heart failure patients in the region were forced to travel great distances to obtain lifesaving treatment. Now, the full scope of heart failure care, including transplantation, is available close to home. Dr. Robert Dowling, heart transplant surgeon leading our transplant program, works as part of a dedicated team to pioneer the next generation of advanced LVAD technologies and mechanical/ biomechanical heart devices. Dr. Robert D. Dowling: Development is now underway for a fully implantable, rechargeable LVAD that eliminates the typical driveline, or cord, extending from the patient to a portable battery. This new device will be recharged wirelessly, like an iPhone, to improve a patient’s quality of life. To serve end-stage heart failure patients, who too often die waiting for a donor heart, we are also evaluating several artificial hearts to bridge the gap Robert Dowling, MD, PhD between the limited number of available transplants and patients who need a heart to survive.

What’s on the horizon for the CT Surgery Program? Answini: Our world-class CT surgery team is expanding as we attract the best and brightest physicians, including Dr. Saad Hasan, Dr. Jeffrey Griffin and Dr. Julian Guitron-Roig. In 2021, we also introduced the region’s first cardiology fellowship training program. Fellows compete for the opportunity to work with the renowned Drs. Smith and Dowling who mentor, teach and encourage the next generation of CT surgeons and future technological innovators. As much as we rely on and benefit from surgical innovations and advancements, our sincere care and concern for patients is something that machines and technology will never replace. Every physician, from our most experienced surgeons to the bright young cardiologists training under them, is committed to doing everything it takes to offer exceptional personal care, as we save lives. This compassionate and patient-centric approach helps reduce a patient’s anxiety, ensures they feel heard and encourages a positive outlook—which might be the best medicine we provide. The Christ Hospital Health Network consists of an acute care hospital located in Mt. Auburn, a remote hospital location in Liberty Township, five ambulatory outpatient centers and dozens of medical offices throughout the region. Our mission is to improve the health of our community by providing exceptional outcomes in an affordable way. *According to The Christ Hospital Health Network

Get piece of mind. To schedule a second opinion, call 513-654-1197 or visit thechristhospital.com/second-opinion.

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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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more than 17 million active seller accounts in 2023. Poshmark started in 2011 with a slightly different format and an emphasis on clothing sales. Etsy began primarily as an online marketplace for artists and crafters to sell handmade goods but started allowing reselling of manufactured goods in 2013. Newer online markets include Mercari, Depop, Whatnot and Grail. Although each platform has its own way of facilitating sales, they all charge sellers fees and a percentage of each sale. Sellers with a large enough inventory can pay for a “store” or “closet.” In exchange, these platforms help with collecting sales taxes, providing marketing support and offering discounted shipping and other perks.

He decided to ask $300, fully expecting no buyer would pay that much, but it would give him lots of room to negotiate. “Someone came in the middle of the night, in the rain, and gave me more than $300 for it. Wow. And it was like that for all of my furniture experiences. … I must have sold 15 furniture pieces, and they sold really quick and for more than I thought.” What also surprised him was that there was very little haggling when it came to furniture. Most of his furniture customers were young people setting up their first homes. His theory is that younger people didn’t grow up with experience negotiating prices as older generations did. For extra cash, take a look around

Reselling as a side hustle Chad Schultz lives in Newport. He does not have a reseller business, he said, but has used eBay and Facebook Marketplace many times over the years to help him declutter his house and recoup money spent on items he no longer needs. He joined eBay in 2004 and has sold hundreds of items since that time, he said. When he and his family moved into a new house, some of their old furniture didn’t fit in, and he was ready to buy some new things. This led him to look to reselling to earn money back to put toward his new house fund. “I sold maybe 40 things on Facebook Marketplace and maybe up to 100 things on eBay,” he said. “Anything I could ship, I’d try to sell on Ebay. … It would always get more money and be easier to deal with. “On Facebook Marketplace, what really surprised me was how well furniture sells. … I got this couch from an estate sale for $75. It was a wooden-framed couch. I wanted to resell it, and I thought maybe I’d sell it for $120.”

Schultz said there’s money to be made from things you no longer use. For example, he regularly resells clothing his stepson no longer wears. “Especially if it’s a brand name like Under Armour or Nike, that stuff will always sell pretty well. You won’t make a ton, but you could make some money. ... I can get maybe $8 back, which is pretty good to me. It doesn’t hurt to recoup.” You’d be surprised at what people are looking to buy, he said. “Here’s a good example. My uncle died and left a knife collection. And my uncle was not a collector of collectible things. He was more of a junk collector,” he said. “So I got these knives, and a handful of them were broken, not functional at all. … I went through and found comparable ones on eBay and started listing them. I think I got a couple hundred bucks. I ended up putting five of the broken ones in a lot and sold them for $20 — for five basically broken knives.”

When selling on any platform, he advised trying to give the buyers the full picture. You may be surprised what people will value, even if it’s not in perfect condition. “Just be honest; don’t undervalue your own stuff, but be honest about it,” Schultz said. A new way to sell: live auctions The Whatnot platform started in 2019. The unique draw of the site is its live auctions. Sellers hold auctions, describing and selling their wares via livestream to people who join in to watch and bid in real time. The site requires all sellers to take a course in selling on the platform, and buyers must register with their payment method. When a buyer purchases an item or a “bundle” of items from a seller during a live sale, the platform handles the sale and provides the seller with a shipping label. Fort Thomas native Chris Kidney, who goes by Chris_Kidney98 on Whatnot, said it was the live auctions and direct contact with buyers that attracted him to the platform. Instead of a buyer going to an eBay or Poshmark store to see one or two items, he said, on Whatnot he can show buyers hundreds, if not thousands of items during a threehour sale. “My best friend got me into selling clothes,” Kidney said. “We would go thrifting and then sell the clothes on Depop. He still does Depop as bradsVTG, and I do Whatnot. And I’ve sold more in a month than he has in three months on Depop. “Brad started on his own and has been in it longer than I have. He’s really taught me what clothing and oddities to look out for, and he’s been a wonderful mentor.” Kidney also said it’s important to know what you’re looking for. Continues on page 4

An intake volunteer arranges housewares behind the scenes at the Be Concerned thrift shop. Photo by Robin Gee | LINK nky contributor

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“You need to know the brands,” he said. “You need to look out for what sells better at the beginning of summer or at the end of summer. So it’s really a journey, a learning process.” How Whatnot works Kidney holds two live sales per week on Whatnot. He runs his sales from a room in his home filled with racks of his clothes. He keeps piles of popular brands near him but can auction items off as he goes. What happens in the comment section will dictate what clothes he’ll auction, he said. He will hold up items and describe them to the audience. If he sees interest in the comments, he’ll run an auction on the item. Whatnot allows him to set up the length of the auction time.

Megan McDonough Neiheisel shows her Newport workspace. She is wearing her grandad’s flannel shirt. Photo provided | Chris Kidney and Megan McDonough Neiheisel

If he shows an item and there is no interest in the comments, he puts it aside and goes to the next item. Buyers can ask him for certain items, and they can ask questions as he’s showing items. Kidney said he will sometimes sweeten the pot by offering buyers a chance to win a free giveaway item. He refers to his auctions as shows — and there is a level of showmanship involved. “I would not recommend Whatnot for just anyone, especially if you don’t like being on camera and or in front of people,” he said. “For Poshmark and eBay, all you have to come up with is the price, list the description and take photos. “I almost have to do a song-and-dance every time, which I literally have done for tips. … Something unique to my show is, for a tip of $5, I’ll break a mug. I’m just trying to be creative. … It’s almost like a variety show.” He’s brought on his friend, his dad and his brother to keep things lively, he said. “You really have to have high energy to create those shows where things are flying off the shelf.” Flippers add value to their finds

Chris Kidney (left) and Brad Brown are resellers. Photo provided | Chris Kidney and Megan McDonough Neiheisel

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Although the words are often used interchangeably, a picker picks through items to find things to sell. A flipper does that but is

looking for things that could be “upcycled,” repaired, restored or otherwise improved to sell. Megan McDonough Neiheisel is a fairly new reseller who definitely falls into the “flipper” definition. She works out of a rented garage near her house in Newport, repairing, refinishing and sometimes repainting furniture to resell through her two Instagram accounts, megNdidit and Rocky Fork Revivals. McDonough Neiheisel said she comes from a long line of people who love and collect old things. Her dad was a collector, and she grew up appreciating the quality and beauty of things made in earlier decades. Yet, it was reselling modern items that got her thinking about turning her passions into profit. “Last February, my husband and I decided to try to fill our evenings with less pointless things than staring at our phones and watching TV,” she said. “We bought a couple things from (auction site) Bid FTA, palette liquidation. That’s not my jam, because I like old stuff. But I thought that maybe, you know, I just kind of pictured us after work putting things together and then selling and seeing what happened.” McDonough Neiheisel said they had beginner’s luck and were able to put together several pieces to sell for a very good profit. Yet, they also ran into some challenges. “We bought something that said it was incomplete. It did not say, box one of two only, which is how it usually is listed,” she said. “And I was like, ‘Oh, we might be able to figure out how to make this work. It was a dresser. … And so we bought it, and it had everything except for the sides and all the hardware.” “I didn’t want to just throw it in a landfill, and I didn’t like the idea of not being able to complete it. So we ended up finding a ‘box two’ in Dayton,” she said. “But the first box we had bought was black. And then the second box we bought to finish it was fake wood grain.” She decided to strip and repaint the whole thing black. Lesson learned, but it sparked her to consider doing what she truly loved — finding older furniture to fix up to resell.

David Laake shows off the housewares section at the Be Concerned thrift shop. Photo by Robin From left, Be Concerned’s Executive Director Andy Brunsman, Board Member Nancy Hiltibrand and Business DeGee | LINK nky contributor velopment Director David Laake help set the organization’s direction. Photo by Robin Gee | LINK nky contributor

Everybody starts in the same place

Charity shop gets into the game

Furniture flipping has not been without its challenges. While passionate about rescuing old things, she often faces a learning curve. She admits she’s made some mistakes and had to do some “do-overs,” but with each project she gains new knowledge. She recently bought a beautiful old floral couch, but when she got it home she realized its cushions had deteriorated, so she’s now learning a new skill — basic upholstering.

One of the criticisms of modern day reselling has been that it has driven up prices in places like Goodwill and St. Vincent de Paul, and it takes good items out of the market that could go to people in need.

Her advice is if it’s something you feel passionate about, go ahead and try, even if you might make mistakes along the way. “That’s hard for me. I have a little bit of a perfectionist personality. And, you’re gonna mess a lot of stuff up. I’ve barely been doing this for three months, and it’s crazy how many things I’ve had to redo, but you learn the whole time,” she said. “You’ve just got to dive in. There’s a quote from The Rock my husband and I have been liking lately: ‘Day one or one day.’ So this can be day one, you can start today. ... Be prepared to feel very uncomfortable, because you may have no idea what you’re doing. But everybody starts at the same place.”

One local charity, Be Concerned, has found ways to use reselling to help raise funds to support its food bank and thrift shops. With two locations, one in Erlanger and one in Covington, its mission is to supply those in need with the basic necessities of life. To ensure its clients are able to get the things they need first and foremost, the organization provides them with vouchers for clothing and housewares that can be used in the thrift shops.

bit. … I pulled the statue out of what we call the metal man bin,” Laake said. “We scrap metal that we can’t use. And I looked at it. I went into Andy’s (Brunsman’s) office, and said ‘Hey, what is this?’ It was a little Oscar. … It was super heavy. And there was an inscription on it that said 1935.” After researching, they discovered that the item went to people who worked on the 1935 Clark Gable film “It Happened One Night.” The film swept all five major Oscar categories, and the studio made the mini-statue for all involved to celebrate. Laake contacted the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures and sold the statue to the organization for a $1,000 donation to Be Concerned. Reselling as another avenue of support

Last year, 1,484 no-cost vouchers were redeemed, said David Laake, business development director for Be Concerned. Part of his job is to find and cultivate new funding sources for the charity. This is what led to a unique situation in 2022 that opened the door to the idea of selling some of the more unique donated items online to benefit the charity. “How it all started was interesting. We had a statue that made its way around quite a

Be Concerned has an eBay store now where Laake puts collectibles and high-value items up for sale. The volunteer staff have been instructed to set aside anything they think might spark his interest. His office is stacked with potential finds. “I get really particular about the stuff I want to resell, because at the end of the day, I feel like if I can’t identify what it actually is, I’m not going to put it online and try to market

it,” he said. He pointed to his desk brimming with glassware, collectible mugs and other items there for his consideration. “As you can see in my office, this is a staging area for stuff that I’m working on getting priced up,” Laake said. “I’ve got these ashtrays, these mugs. Weird stuff like that. We get records and all kinds of fun stuff.” The thrift stores are open to the public, and he said many resellers stop by to look. Because he only deals in a few specific things, Laake said there are lots of “finds” left for resellers who are looking for artwork, glassware and clothing. In addition to pulling out potential items for eBay, volunteers sort through and remove things that should be recycled or discarded and take the extra time to clean and prepare items for sale. “One of the big things that has really helped our thrift store, raising a good amount of money for us, is we just give it the TLC that it deserves,” he said. “We do take a lot of time and pride in sorting our stuff to present.” Continues on page 6

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A RESELLER LEXICON

ADVICE ON GETTING STARTED If reselling intrigues you, here are a few basic tips from experienced resellers to get you started. • Don’t keep your plan a secret — friends and family can be good resources for items and for getting the word out about your business. • Where to find items? Check out thrift stores, charity shops, rummage sales, garage sales, online auction sites, flea markets, outlet bins (where you can get items by the pound), and your grandma’s basement. • Start with one or two selling areas. If you have a hobby or an interest, use that knowledge to help you choose what to sell. Educate yourself on areas that interest you, and watch out for changing trends. • Be sure you can find the items you want to sell. For example, you will not find many pieces of high-end ski wear or surfing gear in Cincinnati, but if Rookwood Pottery or Reds souvenirs are your thing, you’re in the right place. • Be careful with name-brand items. Some companies do not permit resale of their items, and there are fakes of higher-end brands. Services such as the Real Real and Check Check will authenticate items for a fee. • Your loved ones will appreciate it if you remind yourself you are not in the storage business. You are in the selling business. If something is just taking up space, it may be time to let it go. • The No. 1 rule is to be consistent. If you are listing items on an online marketplace, it’s better to list a few items a day than to sometimes list a big batch and other times just leave your store sitting. • YouTube is your friend. The reseller community is great at sharing knowledge. From their videos, you can learn how to price your items, what sells and what doesn’t, and advice on shipping and record-keeping.

At the Goodwill Outlet Store, known as “the bins,” resellers and bargain hunters dig through clothing and other items sold by the pound. Photo by Robin Gee | LINK nky contributor

New merchandise bins are wheeled out throughout the day at the Goodwill Outlet Store. Resellers wait behind a line until the bins are switched out. Photo by Robin Gee | LINK nky contributor

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Here are some terms that are common within the reselling community: • Antique – An antique is an item 100 or more years old. • Bolo – “Be on look out” for, used to describe desirable items to sell. • Death pile – The items a reseller has purchased but has not yet listed to be sold. • Flipper – A reseller who repairs, restores, decorates or otherwise upcycles an item to be sold. • Haul – A group of items acquired during a shopping spree or within a particular time frame. • Honey hole – A resource for items where resellers consistently find good items to sell. • MCM – Mid Century Modern, a home furnishing and decor design style, roughly from between 1945 and 1969. • Long tail/short tail – Long-tail items may take a long time to sell; short-tail are quick-turnaround items. • NIB – New in box. • NWT – New with tags. • Picker – A reseller, usually one who picks through items to find things to sell. • Retail arbitrage – Finding new but discounted items at retail stores and selling them for full price on Amazon. • Retro – A new item whose style is drawn from or reminiscent of styles in the past. • Thrifter – A person who finds second-hand items to sell or reuse, usually at bargain prices. • Sell-through rate – The number of a certain item sold on eBay in a 90-day period divided by the number of that item available to purchase expressed. For example, if 100 Red Starbucks Christmas mugs are sold and there are 200 of them for sale, the sell-through rate would be 100 divided by 200 or 0.5. To get a percentage, multiply by 100, and the sell-through rate is 50 percent. • Shop-along — A video taken by a reseller, while shopping at a thrift store, showing the items for sale. • “The bins” – Term used for the Goodwill Outlet Store locations. The bins are the last stop for Goodwill items, and items are thrown in together in bins and sold by the pound. • Vintage – Although often used to refer to any older item, the technical definition is anything produced between 20 and 100 years ago.

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cussed, and the forum was one of several ways the group would gather information, along with surveys, input on Facebook, and other meetings. The idea, he said, was to narrow down potential expansion routes to one or two of the most popular and feasible to present to Cincinnati City Council and other local leaders. The Kentucky Corridor Daniella Beltran, an urban designer with Cincinnati-based Yard and Co, noted that of the nine route ideas, five could be accomplished sooner with enough interest and funding. Four of the ideas would need further exploration and would need to be integrated into current construction projects and plans already in the works, she said. Of these, a route into Northern Kentucky would be closely tied to bridges and other river area projects underway. The Kentucky Corridor, as the advocates called it, would take the streetcar across the river from downtown Cincinnati over the Taylor Southgate Bridge and into Newport. It could then travel over the Fourth Street Bridge into Covington, adding another mile to the route. John Schneider, a retired redeveloper and longtime streetcar advocate, spoke about the challenges and considerations of the different routes. He outlined challenges having to do with the size and weight of modern streetcars and systems, which can affect the length and feasibility of potential routes. He described some of the thinking behind why some ideas for routes were chosen over others. “We have tried not to duplicate other projects or conflict with designs we know are happening,” he said. One example he gave was Cincinnati Metro’s plan to add bus rapid transit routes that would make duplication by streetcar routes unnecessary. He also cited plans by the city of Cincinnati to add bike lanes on some streets, as well as problems with having enough space to add streetcar stops on both sides of busy streets. He talked about the bridge projects already underway. As Beltran noted, he said, four of the potential routes would require com-

While some think the idea of streetcar expansion into Northern Kentucky seems remote, participants in a public forum expressed interest. Photo by Robin Gee | LINK nky contributor

pletion and integration with those projects. This pushes work on those routes, including the Kentucky route, out farther into the future than others. He urged the audience to push leaders for design accommodations now that could make future rail more feasible. “We need to design these four bridges to accept rail. If we don’t do it now, it’ll be incredibly expensive to do later or it won’t get done, because it would be too disruptive or maybe impossible if the bridge is not structurally designed for it,” Schneider said. Bridges can be built with what he called “sacrificial slabs,” a process that involves pouring a frame of concrete, letting that harden, and adding concrete inside the frame. This interior section could later be jackhammered out, and rails could be added at that time. “Right now, one of the routes you are going to see is going to connect Newport and

Covington if the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet builds that bridge over Fourth Street with sacrificial slabs,” he said. “If they don’t do it, I don’t think Covington will ever see streetcars.” The nine ideas Erin Graham, an architect with Covington-based Hub+Weber Architects, presented the nine ideas. The company, specializing in adaptive reuse projects, provided maps of each idea. Audience members were invited to view them set up in a community room and were encouraged to leave comments or add them online through a QR code provided. The other route ideas were: • The Mohawk route, mostly along McMicken Avenue • The West End route, north and south along Linn Street • The Camp Washington Corridor, along Central and Colerain avenues • The Clifton/Walnut Hills route, along

Calhoun Street, East McMillan and William Howard Taft • The Downtown-Uptown route, along Reading Road to Corryville • The Ezzard Charles Corridor, across Interstate 75 to the Cincinnati Museum Center (Union Terminal) • The South Fairmont route, across the Western Hills Viaduct to loop around the Lick Run Greenway • The Queensgate route, along Broadway to I-75 Organizers were asked how long it might take before the routes could be open to the public. The five routes not tied to bridge projects or other construction projects, if they had the funding and buy-in, could possibly be open in about five years, they said. The survey and all the route maps are available on the Sustainability Cincy website, sustainablecincy.org.

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Latonia community leaders, police discuss crime perception vs. reality in wake of recent incidents By Nathan Granger

agreed that the numbers didn’t bear out an increased trend in death, but he warned that guns were continuing to proliferate throughout the community.

community forum between Latonia residents, business leaders, police and elected officials took place on Feb. 5 at Post 203 of the American Legion, where attendees discussed the importance of community involvement and the reporting of crimes in the face of last month’s headline-grabbing gun violence. “This is just us trying to kind of come in and everyone get together and talk and bring about positivity in Latonia and (discuss) what we can do to make a difference and to help out,” said Latonia Uptown board President April Coffee.

“I want everybody to understand that gun availability is on the rise,” Francis said. “Homicides are not … but gun availability was really a major reason for this situation that developed,” he said, referencing the events from January. Bornhorn encouraged all attendees to stay engaged in their communities. He also emphasized that community members should report crimes and suspected crimes. April Coffee introduces the community forum in Latonia on Feb. 5. Photo by Nathan Granger | LINK nky

Latonia Uptown is a community group that organized the event. Members of the city commission, local business leaders and elected members of the Covington Schools Board of Education were all in attendance at the meeting.

been geared more toward intelligence-led policing,” Bornhorn said. “So our officers just don’t drive around, aimlessly looking for crime. We know where the bad stuff happens, and there’s not a whole lot of bad stuff happening in Latonia.”

Much of the event consisted of questions and answers between the attendees and two members of the Covington Police Department, Capt. Joshua Bornhorn and Officer Josh Knott, a community liaison officer.

Intelligence-led policing refers to policing based on reliable reports from sources within the community, rather than relying on patrols to stumble across crime haphazardly. To that end, Bornhorn discussed the police department’s data-gathering efforts based on human intelligence, which he said could be used to pinpoint particular hot spots of criminal activity throughout the city. The problem was, he said, the data was still largely incomplete, only dating back a few months, which wasn’t super helpful for establishing trends.

Bornhorn quickly established the central theme of his talk with the attendees: The perception of crime, specifically in Latonia, often doesn’t reflect the reality. “It’s not like in the movies where people drive around, and they just like start shooting the place up,” Bornhorn said. “There’s not bands of criminals running around looking to murder people.” Large amounts of media attention and online speculation followed high-profile deaths at the end of January due to gun violence. Yet, Bornhorn said recent high-profile incidents were all “isolated incidents” and not reflective of broader trends. Two incidents, he said, were domestic conflicts involving alcohol. The last resulted from a long-brewing conflict between two mutually aggrieved parties. He did not offer details on the individual cases beyond that. “Over the past seven, eight months, we’ve

8 FEBRUARY 16, 2024

Beyond this, the Covington Police Department submits its crime reporting data to the FBI, which maintains a public database for the entire country. The available data from the Covington Police Department goes from 2009 to 2022 and seems to bear out Bornhorn’s statements. Violent crime generally has been trending down over the past few years. There were two reported homicides in Covington in 2022, according to the FBI, both of which involved handguns. “The data speaks for itself,” Bornhorn said. Still, people at the meeting had questions.

“Does Covington have a gang problem?” asked longtime Latonia resident and former Holmes High School teacher Carolyn Gaddis. Not in the strictest sense, Bornhorn said. There aren’t organized and disciplined criminal networks engaging in coordinated violent activity, he said. Instead, there are small groups of kids who emulate what they think gangsters are, tagging buildings and doing other petty crimes. Another attendee, who did not share her name but said she’d lived in Latonia for about 30 years, argued that the number of random gunshots in town she’d heard over three or four years seemed to have increased. She described a seemingly random shoot-out near her house as an example. Bornhorn reiterated his point that, from a police perspective, the problem wasn’t as dire as it sometimes seemed. But he qualified that statement by saying that oftentimes, people don’t report when they hear gunshots, which can make it hard to map the breadth of the problem. “A lot of those types of calls that people are telling me about, we’re not getting them,” Bornhorn said. Pastor Dan Francis of Latonia Baptist Church, who is a Holmes High graduate and who lost a brother to gun violence,

“If you see something, report it,” Bornhorn said. Coffee also recommended that people get involved in Latonia Uptown, the Latonia Business Council or other volunteer community groups so that people could contribute to community safety efforts. Latonia Uptown meets the third Thursday of every month at 6:30 p.m. at the Latonia Community Building on Winston Avenue. Anyone with any questions about Latonia Uptown or other ways to get involved in the community can contact April Coffee at acoffee8311@gmail.com. View real-time crime data in Covington at the department’s LexisNexis Community Crime Map, communitycrimemap.com. Besides 911 for emergency calls, here are the other numbers for the different departments of the Covington Police Department: • Patrol Supervisors (for learning about criminal situations in progress): 859292-2258 • Criminal Investigations Bureau: 859292-2234 • Narcotics/Vice (D-Team): 859-2922236 • Traffic Unit: 859-292-2252 • Records Unit: 859-292-2230 • Crime Lab: 859-292-2227 • To file an officer complaint, call 859292-2258

Kentucky House budget omits former IRS site development funds By Rebecca Hanchett

unding requested by Covington city officials for the Covington Central Riverfront project located at the site of the former IRS building is not included in a proposed two-year state budget passed by the Kentucky House on Feb. 1. No funds for the 23-acre development are found in the proposed budget in House Bill 6, approved by the House on a 77-19 vote Feb. 1. The bill now goes to the Senate, which is expected to enter budget negotiations with the House later this legislative session. The 60-day session ends no later than April 15. Gov. Andy Beshear had proposed a $7.5 million line item, or direct appropriation, for the project in his budget plan unveiled in December. Covington city officials had been working with state lawmakers to ensure the funding — expected to be matched by the city — is included in the next state budget to cover public infrastructure work at the former IRS facility site, now a planned future mixed-use development. Rep. Kim Banta (R-Fort Mitchell), who worked on the proposed House budget as a member of the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee, confirmed in a text to LINK nky that funding for the Covington Central Riverfront project is indeed missing from HB 6. The committee approved the bill by a 17-1 vote on Jan. 31. When asked if funding for the development is in the bill, Banta replied, “Not yet.” When asked if the House plans to work with the Senate on funding for the project, Banta said, “Yes.” Sen. John Schickel (R-Union) chairs the Northern Kentucky legislative caucus in Frankfort. According to Schickel, funding for the project is now in the hands of the Senate. “It is my understanding the funding is not in the House budget for the Covington project, but we are hopeful that we will be able to get it into the Senate budget,” the senator told LINK nky on Feb. 1.

The city of Covington announced on Jan. 3 that it had issued a request for proposals for the first phase of the project’s infrastructure work, to include laying utilities, sewer lines, streets and sidewalks. That infrastructure will serve a mixed development of homes, hotels, offices and shops in the new neighborhood. The Covington Central Riverfront will be built on a 23-acre city-owned site located both next to the Northern Kentucky Convention Center and directly across the river from the Cincinnati Bengals’ Paycor Stadium. The state approved the project for tax increment financing, or TIF financing, in 2022 to cover infrastructure development for the site. Tax increment financing uses increased tax revenue from new development to pay the project’s cost. Covington Economic Development Director Tom West said in a January press release that state economic development officials predict the project, once completed, will increase state tax revenue by approximately $94.5 million over 30 years. A list of development objectives for the project on the city’s website says Covington “will have invested more than $100 million in the neighborhood when all of the infrastructure and public amenities are completed.” “Clearly, the impact will be felt far outside the city’s borders,” West said. “There is an understanding at all levels of state government that having development-ready sites is important to attracting private investment.” The $129.7 billion state budget found in HB 6 proposes state and federal funding for fiscal years 2025 and 2026. The proposal also includes $2.7 billion for the remainder of fiscal year 2024, ending June 30. House Appropriations and Revenue Committee chair Rep. Jason Petrie (R-Elkton) reminded state lawmakers and the public that the House is only one step in the state budget process. The 2024 Kentucky General Assembly has until April 15 to pass a budget for the new fiscal year that begins July 1. “This is the House version,” Petrie said.

The Covington Central Riverfront project is planned for the former IRS site in Covington. Artist rendering is from KZF Design and Hub+Weber Architects. Photo from city of Covington Economic Development website

“There will be a Senate version that I suspect will be different. And then there will be a conference committee that will be entirely different, most likely. We continue to listen for input.” Highlights of the House budget proposal include: • 4% raises in fiscal year 2025 and 2% raises in fiscal year 2026 across the board for state employees. • $500 million to cover unfunded benefits in the Kentucky Public Pension System. • Nearly $500 million added to the Kentucky Teachers Retirement System over the next two years. • Increased base funding for K-12 public education by 4% (to $4,368) in fiscal year 2025 and by 2% (to $4,455) in fiscal year 2025, or by $117 million next fiscal year and by $164 million in fiscal year 2026 (including funding for fullday kindergarten). The House budget would not fund universal preschool and would not mandate teacher raises. • Full funding (at 100%) for K-12 public school transportation. • An additional $196 million for the needs-based College Access Program (CAP) over the next two fiscal years. • Increased funding for Medicaid by $548.1 million this fiscal year (2024), with an additional $2.6 billion in fund-

ing for Medicaid benefits growth in fiscal years 2024 and ’25, including $456.2 million in state restricted and general fund dollars. • $24.1 million in new funding for pay increases for 1,013 Kentucky State Police troopers and commercial vehicle enforcement officers. • $2.3 million in fiscal year 2025 and $4 million in fiscal year 2026 in new funding for new probation and parole officers. • $27.9 million in new funding for pay raises and new hires, plus case management improvements, in commonwealth’s attorney and county attorney offices. • Supplemental one-time funding for budget priorities in the next budget cycle is included in a separate bill, House Bill 1, approved 96-0. That funding would be drawn from the state’s budget reserve trust fund, now estimated at $3.7 billion and counting. Both HB 6 and HB 1 now go to the Senate for its consideration.

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FEBRUARY 16, 2024 9

campbell county briefs Kenton County approves review that would allow reconfiguration of parking

A rendering of the new parking structure at the Kenton County Government Center without the apartment complex on top. Rendering by Gresham Smith. Image provided | Kenton County Planning and Development Services

The Kenton County Planning Commission unanimously approved a facilities review that would allow the county to begin reconfiguring parking for the Kenton County Government Center. It would move away from its current layout and toward a dedicated, underground parking garage — a move that would make way for construction related to the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor project. “We thought it was important that we try to find a way to make sure that the corner of the county’s government center property was on a parking structure,” said Jeff Kuhnhenn, director of architectural design with Gresham Smith, the design firm responsi-

ble for crafting the structure’s design. “We used the slope of the site to depress the garage down so that we could create a place that would then allow it to be occupied by a facility that was about people and not about cars,” Kuhnhenn said. The county approved a design proposal from Gresham Smith in August. Then in September, the state announced that it would contribute about $15 million to the project. Representatives from Gresham Smith said at the Feb. 1 meeting that they wanted to get started on the garage and its associated demolitions as soon as possible, before the rest of the work on the corridor began. The county government center currently has 409 parking spots scattered throughout multiple lots around the building, including 161 spots under the adjacent Interstates 71/75 bridge. Kenton County Planning and Development Services Senior Planner Patrick Denbow walked the commission members and meeting attendees through the plans of what would happen to the site to make way for the parking garage. The new parking plan will see the elimination of parking under the bridge as part of the work planned for the corridor project. In the meantime, the county will remove

all parking spaces from Lot D, as well as 31 spaces from Lot A. The parking structure itself will go in the rear of the property, where Lot D is currently located, and will contain 248 parking spaces, most of which will be underground.

Protesters march, push Covington commission for resolution on Gaza ceasefire

When all is said and done, the total number of parking spaces will have increased by only one, bringing the total to 410. Although not much in terms of numbers, the new garage will allow parking to become more centrally located.

Covington closes alleyway off Greenup Street to public to combat illegal dumping The Covington City Commission voted to close an alleyway on Greenup Street to the public to combat illegal dumping. The alleyway abuts properties on the 1500 block of Greenup, as well as some other properties on 15th and Collins streets. “This has been the location of a lot of illegal dumping, a lot of people walking through in areas that are commonly not thoroughfares for people,” said Covington City Attorney David Davidson at the caucus meeting in early January. All owners of adjoining properties have agreed to the closure.

Demonstrators begin their march through Mainstrasse. Photo by Nathan Granger | LINK nky

Demonstrators pushing for a resolution from the Covington City Commission supporting a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip held a protest at Goebel Park on the afternoon of Feb. 3. Following speeches from protest organizers, the demonstrators marched through the Mainstrasse and Mutter Gottes neighborhoods, as well as parts of downtown. The event’s logistics were handled by several pro-Palestinian and leftist groups: Covington for Ceasefire, Cincinnati Socialists and the Palestine Diaspora Movement, among others. Pressure to support a resolution for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip has been going

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

LEGAL NOTICE The City of Florence, Kentucky will receive bids Thursday, February 29, 2024, at 10:10 am . for the Walnut Creek Area Street Improvements. This Notice was published by posting in full on the City of Florence, Kentucky Internet Website, www.florence-ky.gov . The address where the full posting may be directly viewed is https://florence-ky.gov/publication-of-bid-solicitations-enactedordinances/ . The public has the right to inspect and obtain a copy of any document associated with the posting by contacting the City Clerk of the City of Florence, Kentucky, 8100 Ewing Boulevard, Florence, KY, 41042, Telephone no. 859-647-8177.

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on for the past few months and has been headed up primarily by Mohammad Ahmad, a Covington resident of Palestinian descent who first brought the issue to the commission in November. Last month, the city commission and Mayor Joe Meyer declined to take up the resolution, arguing that it was not within the purview of the commission to weigh in on international affairs. Ahmad said at the Feb. 3 event that he and his coalition planned to continue pushing for a resolution at commission meetings. “Covington cares for Palestine; Covington cares for a ceasefire,” Ahmad told LINK nky. “I want to show elected officials and just show people that Covington really does support Palestine.” Zeinab Schwen, who has family in Palestine and who had spoken at a commission meeting, saw the diversity of attendees as a good thing, an indication of their shared humanity. “The bombardment and displacement and killing of innocent people, everybody’s against that,” Schwen said. Reactions from bystanders were mixed. Some were split on the issue of the resolution itself, although everyone who spoke with LINK nky said they supported the demonstrators’ right to protest. Amy Edwards, who lives in Cincinnati but was in Mainstrasse at the time of the protest, said she supported the protesters and had been looking for ways to get involved. “I’m glad to see people out protesting, because I think it’s important,” Edwards said. “And our media, it’s kind of not doing a very good job of covering what’s happening.” Randall Thompson, a Covington resident and Iraq War veteran, said he wasn’t sure what people in Covington could do about what was going on between Palestine and Israel. “It’s good they’re protesting,” Thompson said. “But we’re over here. What are they going to do over there?” He said that violence between the Israelis and the Palestinians had gone on for years, and he didn’t understand why people had chosen to protest now. “I don’t get it,” Thompson said. “I feel like we should take care of problems we’ve got at home first.” Another bystander from Covington, David Ripps, said he was pro-Israel. “I believe it is their American right to protest,” Ripps said. “But I’m not on their side. … America helped found Israel after World War II. I mean, the Jewish people need to have a homeland.” He added that he didn’t believe the Covington Commission ought to publicly weigh in on international issues, one way or another. Stephanie Cope, a resident of the Mutter Gottes neighborhood, said that as a Black

woman with a white husband, she generally supported peace between different peoples and didn’t have a problem with the commission supporting a ceasefire, even though she admitted that she wasn’t overly familiar with the resolution itself. In all, the event took between two and three hours. Ahmad and other organizers encouraged the attendees to continue engaging in activism.

New NKY bluegrass festival celebrates 1897 law that regulated purity of bourbon Bourbon and bluegrass fans will soon be able to enjoy a new event that aims to celebrate Northern Kentucky’s ties to both of those things. The Bonded Spirit Bluegrass Festival will hold its inaugural celebration on March 2 at Smoke Justis in Covington. The festival will feature a cocktail competition, food and live music from Grammy-nominated bluegrass artists Sister Sadie and The Goodwin Brothers. Regional music group Moonshine Drive will open, taking the stage at 5:30 p.m. Doors for the festival will open at 4 p.m. The festival is a partnership between Smoke Justis, B-Line and meetNKY. The B-Line is Northern Kentucky’s self-guided bourbon trail, and meetNKY is Northern Kentucky’s tourism center. The festival seeks to celebrate the Bottledin-Bond Act of 1897, which guaranteed certain quality measures be met by bourbon and whiskey makers back before the Pure Food and Drug Act was passed in 1906. “Everyone knows Kentucky has a rich history rooted in bourbon, but what many don’t know is Northern Kentucky’s role in that history,” said Julie Kirkpatrick, president and CEO of meetNKY. “The Bonded Spirit Bluegrass Festival is the perfect way to celebrate the Bottled-in-Bond Act, which Covington’s very own John G. Carlisle was instrumental in passing in 1897.” The festival runs the same weekend as Cincinnati’s Bockfest, but Kirkpatrick said that was planned on purpose, to provide visitors another fun festival in which to take part. Tickets for the festival can be purchased at bit.ly/3SNpGS9.

Ky. wins $6.8 million as part of multistate settlement with ad agency over opioid crisis Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman announced a $350 million multistate settlement with advertising agency Publicis Health for its role in promulgating the opioid crisis. Publicis developed sales tactics and messaging to help Purdue Pharma surge opioid pill sales, including of OxyContin, according to court filings. Publicis was also instrumental in Purdue’s decision to market OxyContin to providers on patients’ electronic health records.

Specifically, the state of Kentucky will receive $6.8 million to help families and communities in their recovery efforts. “No Kentucky community has escaped the pain of the drug crisis, and it’s well past time that the companies at the center of the addiction business are held accountable,” Coleman said in a press release. “This settlement will bring needed resources to Kentucky’s fight against addiction and support our needed three-legged stool of prevention, treatment and enforcement initiatives. I’m particularly grateful to my predecessor, Attorney General (Daniel) Cameron, for his leadership in holding accountable companies at the center of the drug crisis.” The settlement was reached between a coalition of attorneys general from all states, territories and the District of Columbia and Publicis, in recognition of the harm this conduct caused. To date, Kentucky has secured approximately $900 million in settlement funds from pharmaceutical companies related to the opioid crisis.

A CSX train derailed in Latonia. Photo provided | Blake Sheely, WCPO

Officials say the train cars were empty and there was no concern about hazardous materials. No one was injured, and CSX officials said there was no danger to the public. “CSX appreciates the quick response of the local authorities,” read a statement from CSX. “The cause of the incident is under investigation.” A neighbor who lives about 10 yards from the derailment said his wife heard the crash and thought the whole house was coming down.

CSX train derails in Latonia; officials site no hazardous chemicals or risk to public

Crews with Cranemasters were called in to work to upright the train cars.

A train derailed in Latonia early in the morning on Feb. 6 near the crossing on Lincoln Avenue between 35th and 36th streets.

According to Cranemaster’s website, the Cincinnati-based company is a “railroad contractor providing innovative solutions, car re-railment, clearing the line, laying panel track, damaged car relocation and site clean up.”

5.1092x6.694 –1/4 Page LinkNKY Ad Brent Spence Bridge (BSB) Corridor Project Public Hearings The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) invite you to attend a Public Hearing for the BSB Corridor Project. Interested persons may choose from five hearing options:  In-Person, Tuesday, February 20, 2024 Radisson Hotel, 668 West 5th Street, Covington, Kentucky – Daytime Option – 12:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. (formal presentation at 1:00 p.m.) – Evening Option – 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (formal presentation at 5:30 p.m.)  In-Person, Wednesday, February 21, 2024 Longworth Hall Event Ctr., 700 W. Pete Rose Way, Lobby C, Cincinnati, Ohio – Daytime Option – 12:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. (formal presentation at 1:00 p.m.) – Evening Option – 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (formal presentation at 5:30 p.m.)  Virtual, Thursday, February 22, 2024 | www.PublicInput.com/bsbc – 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. (formal presentation/verbal comment period only) The same information will be presented at each hearing. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the purpose of the hearings is to provide an opportunity for review and comment on the project’s Supplemental Environmental Assessment and for citizens to provide feedback through written or recorded verbal comments. Public verbal comments will be accepted immediately following the formal presentation at each hearing. Individuals desiring to offer verbal comments at the inperson hearings must pre-register at the hearing. Comments will be limited to 2 minutes. To request a reasonable accommodation due to a disability or to request language interpretation or translation services to participate in a hearing, please contact Keith Smith at 1-800-831-2142 or Keith.Smith@dot.ohio.gov within 1 business day before the hearing. Comments will be accepted via the following methods: • Verbal comments at one of the hearings listed above • Written comment forms at the in-person hearings • Email: Keith.Smith@dot.ohio.gov • Phone: 1-800-831-2142 • Mail: ODOT District 8, Attn: Keith Smith, 505 South State Route 741, Lebanon, OH 45036-9518 • Website: www.PublicInput.com/bsbc Comments received by March 8, 2024 will be considered in the final NEPA decision. Comments provided by any one of the methods listed above will receive equal weight in the project record. Copies of the Supplemental Environmental Assessment, which documents the purpose and need for the project and anticipated impacts, are available for public viewing at the following locations: www.PublicInput.com/bsbc • Kenton County Public Library Covington Branch, 502 Scott Street, Covington, KY • Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library West End Branch, 805 Ezzard Charles Drive, Cincinnati, OH The BSB Corridor Project will improve 7.8 total miles of I-71 and I-75 from south of Dixie Highway (US-25) in Kentucky to north of the Western Hills Viaduct in Ohio FEBRUARY 16, 2024 11

news from other places Study highlights bourbon’s ‘unique and enormous role’ in Kentucky economy, renown

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear speaks at an event promoting the state’s bourbon industry at the Capitol on Feb. 6. Photo by Bruce Schreiner | Associated Press

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Fifteen years ago, bourbon barons poured whiskey out on the steps of the Kentucky Capitol to protest a looming tax increase on the spirits industry. But on Feb. 6, industry leaders reassembled with a bipartisan group of Kentucky leaders to toast the bourbon sector’s record growth. Kentucky’s bourbon industry pumps $9 billion into the Bluegrass State’s economy each year, creating more jobs and attracting more tourists than ever, according to a study released Feb. 6. More rounds of growth are expected as Kentucky producers make billions of dollars in capital investments. Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear praised the bourbon industry for its “unique and enormous role in driving our economy and representing Kentucky to the rest of the world.” Top Republican lawmakers pointed to a series of legislative actions credited with helping propel the industry’s growth. Kentucky distillers produce 95% of the global bourbon supply, according to the Kentucky Distillers’ Association. It was a vastly different business climate for Kentucky bourbon producers in 2009, when they had much smaller inventories totaling about 4.6 million barrels. Kentucky distillers produced a record 2.7 million barrels of bourbon in 2022 — the fifth consecutive year that production topped 2 million barrels, according to the economic impact report, which was commissioned by the distillers’ association. Producers had a record inventory of 12.6 million bourbon barrels aging in ware-

houses at the start of 2023, it said. Those massive inventories are a bet on the future because most bourbons typically age four to eight years before reaching their market. Bourbon gets its flavor and golden brown color during aging. Kentucky has 100 licensed distilleries operating in more than a third of the state’s 120 counties. Distilling generates more than 23,100 Kentucky jobs with annual wages exceeding $1.6 billion. Bourbon tourism has flourished, with attendance surpassing 2.5 million visitors last year along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour, which showcases smaller distilleries. The distilling industry generated $358 million in state and local taxes last year, the study said. And distilleries have become big buyers of Kentucky corn and other grains.

Stanley Aronoff, powerful longtime Ohio legislator, arts supporter dies at 91 COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Stanley J. Aronoff, a Republican who spent nearly 40 years in the Ohio Legislature, including eight as the powerful Senate president, died on Jan. 31. He was 91. The Harvard-educated lawyer from Cincinnati was known as an artful negotiator for Republican interests at a time when Democrats controlled the Ohio House and, for part of his tenure, the governor’s office. He also championed public funding for the arts with legislation that endures today. Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, who served with Aronoff in the state Senate, said the Ohio Statehouse renovation, completed in 1996, was among projects he championed. “Stan was a driving force behind the restoration of the Ohio Statehouse, making sure that there was adequate funding and long-term vision to bring the Statehouse complex, including the Senate Annex, back to its original Greek-revival style with the functionality for use in the modern era,” he said in a statement expressing condolences to Aronoff’s family. An aficionado of music, theater and fine arts, the dapper and always finely coiffed Aronoff spearheaded Ohio’s Percent for Art law. The law, which took effect in 1990, requires that all new and renovated public

buildings that cost more than $4 million must dedicate 1 percent of spending to acquiring, commissioning or installing works of art. There are two arts centers named for Aronoff, one in downtown Cincinnati and one on the main campus of the University of Cincinnati. The biological sciences lab at the Ohio State campus in Columbus also bears his name.

Toyota will invest $1.3 billion in Kentucky factory complex so it can build new electric SUV GEORGETOWN, Ky. (AP) — Toyota says it will invest $1.3 billion at its huge factory complex in Georgetown, Kentucky, in part so it can build an all-new three-row electric SUV to be sold in the U.S. The company says the money will help with future electric vehicle production, including the addition of a line to assemble battery cells into packs for other EVs. But it won’t add any new jobs to the complex, which now employs nearly 9,400 workers. The investment brings to nearly $10 billion the amount of money that Toyota has spent at the plant, the company said in a statement on Feb. 6. Toyota wouldn’t give further details about the new SUV, including its price or when it would arrive in showrooms. Environmental groups have long criticized Toyota for being slow to move toward fully electric vehicles, instead clinging to gas-electric hybrid technology. The company has a goal of selling 1.5 million to 1.8 million electric or hybrid vehicles in the U.S. by 2030.

Indiana Senate passes bill that would implement broad changes aimed at literacy rates INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana lawmakers have avowed to reverse the state’s long declining literacy rates with legislation targeting early elementary school years. Almost halfway through the legislative session, state senators advanced a sweeping bill on Feb. 1 that could hold back thousands of third-graders who do not pass the state’s reading exam.

Indiana state Sen. Linda Rogers authored a bill that would introduce sweeping reforms aimed at bolstering literacy rates in schools. Photo by Darron Cummings | Associated Press

Republicans have balked at those who have labeled the measure a “retention bill,” saying students need the intervention now. “Retention is the absolute last resort if we’ve exhausted all other methods to help struggling readers,” the bill’s author, state Sen. Linda Rogers, told lawmakers. The bill, which has the support of Gov. Eric Holcomb, Republicans who control the House chamber and the Indiana Department of Education, now advances to the House. According to the Indiana Department of Education, about 18% of third-graders did not pass Indiana’s reading test, IREAD-3, last year. Current Indiana policy is to keep these students from being promoted, but GOP lawmakers say exemptions are too widely applied. Department of Education data show more than 96% of students who did not pass the reading test were advanced to the fourth grade. The bill approved by the Senate would require second-grade students to take the reading test – which is currently optional – as an early indicator of their progress. If they pass, students do not have to take it again in the third grade. The legislation outlines individual work to be completed with struggling students and summer schooling for students who do not pass. If a student does not pass in the third grade, they have the chance to attend summer school again and take the test one more time. If a student does not pass the test after three tries, they will be held back from the fourth grade. The state estimated that 6,350 more students would repeat third grade starting in the 2025-26 school year, according to the bill’s fiscal note.

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Dance ’24, 7:30 p.m., Greaves Concert Hall at NKU, 100 Louie B Nunn Drive, Highland Heights. Featuring a company of the best young dance artists, Dance ‘24 celebrates the incredible versatility of dance and explores the power of storytelling and emotion through movement. Visit sota.nku. edu. $20.

St. Barbara Fish Fry, 4:30-8 p.m., St. Barbara Church, 4042 Turkeyfoot Road, Erlanger. Drive-thru closes at 7:30 p.m. Visit stbarbaraky. org for more information.

Mainstrasse Village Food & Culture Tour, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Cedar, 701 Main St., Covington. Visit riversidefoodtours. com/tours/mainstrasse-village for more information. Prices range from $6-$65.

St. Joseph Academy Fish Fry, 4:30-8 p.m., St. Joseph Academy, 48 Needmore St., Walton. Visit sjawalton.com/ events/fish-fry for more information.

Monday 18

Dance ’24, 2 p.m., Greaves Concert Hall at NKU, 100 Louie B Nunn Drive, Highland Heights. Featuring a company of the best young dance artists, Dance ‘24 celebrates the incredible versatility of dance and explores the power of storytelling and emotion through movement. Visit sota.nku. edu. $20.

Tuesday 19

Wednesday 20

Thursday 21

City of Florence Presidents Day Display, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Government Center lobby, 8100 Ewing Blvd., Florence. Call 859-647-5425 with questions. Free.

Campbell County Board of Education meeting, 6-7 p.m., Alexandria Educational Center, 51 Orchard Lane, Alexandria

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

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

SINGO Thursday, 7 p.m., Barleycorn’s Brewhouse, 402 Licking Pike, Wilder. Bingo with a beat. Family-friendly. Free to play.

Campbell County Fiscal Court, 5:30-6:30 p.m., County Administration Building, 1098 Monmouth St., Newport

Boone County Business Association meeting, 6-7 p.m., Florence Lions Club, 29 Lacresta Drive, Florence

Fort Wright caucus meeting, 6-7 p.m., City Building, 409 Kyles Lane, Fort Wright

Ludlow City Council meeting, 7-8 p.m., Municipal Center, 808 Elm St., Ludlow

Edgewood City Council meeting, 6:30-7:30 p.m., City Building, 385 Dudley Road, Edgewood Fort Thomas City Council meeting, 7-8 p.m., City Building, 130 N. Fort Thomas Ave., Fort Thomas

Covington Commission caucus meeting, 6-7 p.m., City Hall, 20 W. Pike St., Covington Highland Heights City Council meeting, 7-8 p.m., City Building, 176 Johns Hill Road, Highland Heights

Villa Hills City Council meeting, 6:30-7:30 p.m., City Building, 719 Rogers Road, Villa Hills Southgate City Council meeting, 6:30-7:30 p.m., City Building, 122 Electric Ave., Southgate

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

Happy New Year

2024

Looking forward to another year of

Changing Skylines. Changing Lives. Celebrating nearly 60 years of real estate success. OFFICE | RESIDENTIAL | RETAIL | BUILD-TO-SUIT

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real estate

Spacious 5-bedroom home boasts lots of high-end features Address: 3466 Reeves Drive, Covington Price: $895,000 Bedrooms: Five Bathrooms: Two (plus one half-bath) Square feet: 3,423 School district: Kenton County County: Kenton Special features: This Covington property in the Ashley Ridge neighborhood offers a five-bedroom, four-and-a-half bathroom home with 5,000 square feet of living space and a three-car garage. The property features hardwood flooring, elaborate moldings, plus high-end finishes, including a gourmet kitchen, sunroom, an owner’s suite closet with built-in cabinetry, and a finished lower level with a theater area, wet bar and fitness room. The exterior offers a covered paver patio and deck, as well as an irrigation system for the yard.

This 5,000-square-foot home in Covington boasts lots of high-end features. Photo provided | Nicholas Groh with Horan Rosenhagen Real Estate

The home offers a finished lower level with a theater area, wet bar and fitness room. Photo provided | Nicholas Groh with Horan Rosenhagen Real Estate

The exterior of this Ashley Ridge property features a covered paver patio and deck, as well as an irrigation system for the yard. Photo provided | Nicholas Groh with Horan Rosenhagen Real Estate

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

14 FEBRUARY 16, 2024

City

Price

10782 Omaha Trace Union $1,500,000 4502 Margo Lane Burlington $525,000 2117 Penny Lane Hebron $423,417 280 Duncan Drive Dry Ridge $350,000 224 Grant Street Fort Thomas $300,000 11203 Trumpeter Court Walton $297,500 1772 Hunters Trace Burlington $258,900 1339 Wingate Drive Florence $257,000 2675 Paragon Mill Drive 304 Burlington $250,000 4132 Circlewood Drive Erlanger $230,000 2524 Elyria Court 16-300 Crescent Springs $217,351 10824 Doral Court Union $215,000 624 Dudley Pike Edgewood $199,500 2017 Garrard Street Covington $197,500 2316 Fiskburg Road Demossville $160,000 20 Highland Meadows Cir. 12 Highland Heights $150,000 517 E 19th Street Covington $131,900 2216 Center Street Covington $125,000 4536 Kidwell Lane Covington $105,000 4537 Kidwell Lane Covington $105,000

Recent NKY Home Sale Data Sale Date 2/5/24 2/1/24 2/6/24 1/31/24 2/1/24 2/5/24 1/31/24 2/1/24 1/31/24 2/6/24 2/1/24 2/6/24 1/31/24 2/2/24 1/31/24 2/2/24 1/31/24 2/2/24 2/2/24 2/2/24

Address 4323 Mckee Street 3918 Tracy Avenue 1286 Lancashire Drive 2638 Jackson Rue 3028 Toulouse Drive 4101 Decoursey Avenue 8438 Concerto Court 809 W 33rd Street 3102 Frazier Street 2820 Beaver Road 8706 Cabaret Drive 18813 Highway 10 6800 Green Isle Lane 997 Spectacular Bid Drive 10489 Brookhurst Lane N 3604 Evensong Drive 1991 Chris Court 10753 Saint Leger Circle 10782 Omaha Trace 10824 Doral Court

City

Price

Sale Date

Covington Covington Union Union Union Covington Union Covington Covington Union Union California Union Union Union Union Union Union Union Union

$149,900 $164,000 $379,900 $415,000 $664,937 $125,000 $429,083 $63,000 $153,500 $2,750,000 $620,125 $265,000 $420,000 $587,500 $544,401 $379,900 $378,421 $690,000 $1,500,000 $215,000

1/12/24 1/12/24 1/12/24 1/12/24 1/13/24 1/16/24 1/16/24 1/17/24 1/18/24 1/22/24 1/22/24 1/26/24 1/31/24 2/1/24 2/1/24 2/2/24 2/2/24 2/5/24 2/5/24 2/6/24

features

Streetscapes grabs lattes, sushi, curries on and around Scott Street in Covington By Maria Hehman

or this week’s Streetscapes, we head to Scott Street in Covington. Sadly, the businesses on Scott Street that we covered during our last visit have since closed, so for this Streetscapes we explore some new and familiar favorite businesses on and around Scott Street. First District Cafe With more buildings closing than ever, businesses have gotten creative in how to use these historic spaces. First District Cafe is part of First District, a few community-driven spaces built within the old First District School. First District Cafe is the first of these spaces to open. It’s geared toward businesses and their employees, along with those working from home. First District houses some businesses and is the future home to other concepts, including a gym.

break and bistro seating for those on lunch. There’s free Wi-Fi and plenty of plugs for computers or phones, to ensure a seamless experience for all customers. The drink menu is broken down into hot coffee and espresso options, iced options, tea and smoothies. Classic cappuccinos and chai tea lattes are always excellent choices. For something unique, opt for the espressogrino, an iced espresso drink with flavored sparkling water, or the Orange Caesar, a blended beverage with orange swirled with creamer — a take on a creamsicle. For food, there are breakfast sandwiches and pastries, along with a large grab-andgo selection, which includes parfaits, sandwiches and salads. Not only is this a great spot for working, it’s also a great place to recharge from work, read a book with a comforting coffee or have a catchup session with a friend. Thai Pavilion

The cafe is open to all. Its large space doubles as a cafe and quick convenient market. The modern space is accented in emerald, with ample seating options, high-top chairs for those wanting to focus on work, lounge chairs for those wanting a midday

Another new addition to Scott Street, Thai Pavilion joined Covington in fall 2023. Since its debut, it has made a name for itself as one of the best spots in the Covington area. It serves authentic Thai cuisine, including classic noodle dishes including favorites pad thai and pad see ew. Curries, stir fries, salads and soups complete the menu, with the Siam basil stir fry being the most popular dish. The dish consists of ground chicken with green beans, bell peppers, onions and fresh Thai basil leaves in a Thai sauce, topped with a sunny-side-up egg. For curry, the Massman curry with coconut milk, potatoes, carrots, onions and roasted peanuts is a balanced savory and spicy dish that even those new to curry will love.

The interior of First District Cafe is accented with modern elements and an emerald color scheme. Photo by Maria Hehman | INK nky contributor

For refreshments, there are classic Thai beverages — Thai iced tea, Thai iced coffee and Thai beer. There’s also a full-service bar with beer, wine and all the liquor

basics, including sake and soju, traditional Asian alcohols. Thai Pavilion’s interior is modern and cozy, but seating is limited. However, it offers both carryout and delivery options, so no one has to miss out on the mouthwatering dishes.

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.

Wabi Sabi One street over, familiar favorite Wabi Sabi has been one of the most popular places on Madison Avenue since its opening in 2016. Wabi Sabi is best known for its sushi. It has consistently been named as the top sushi restaurant in the NKY and Cincinnati area by various organizations, so needless to say, the sushi is unanimously good. Although most come here for sushi, the other offerings shouldn’t be overlooked. Outside of the traditional edamame, gyoza and tempura, there are some unique starters, including lobster rangoon, fried green beans and haemul pajun, a Korean seafood pancake with calamari and shrimp. Noodles, hot stone bowls and platters complete the menu. The bulgogi and bibimbap are two popular beef dishes. When it comes to sushi, there is no shortage of options. In fact, Wabi Sabi has so many options that they’re broken up into three menus — classic rolls, specialty rolls and a sushi/sashimi menu for those wanting a little taste without committing to an entire roll. The Lov the Cov roll comes with spicy tuna, avocado, salmon and is lightly deepfried. The Drunken Taco is less traditional and includes spicy tuna, avocado, lettuce, crushed Doritos, cilantro, spicy mayo and jalapeno sauce. Those wanting something more classic may find the Philly roll, California roll or salmon skin and cucumber rolls to be more to their liking. Wabi Sabi has a full-service bar with beer, wine and sake, along with an ample cocktail menu.

Thai Pavilion offers a variety of favorite Thai food and drink options. Photo by Maria Hehman | LINK nky contributor

What to Know If You Go: First District Cafe Location: 525 Scott St., Covington Hours: Monday, closed; Tuesday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.; Friday-Sunday, closed Website: firstdistrictcovington.com Phone: 859-360-2571

Thai Pavilion Location: 405 Scott St., Covington Hours: Monday, closed; Tuesday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 4:30-9:30 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 4:30-10 p.m.; Saturday, noon-10 p.m.; Sunday, 3-9 p.m. Phone: 859-415-0018

Wabi Sabi Location: 508 Madison Ave., Covington Hours: Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m.; Saturday, noon-10:30 p.m.; Sunday, noon-8:30 p.m. Website: wabisabisushinky.com Phone: 859-399-6503

FEBRUARY 16, 2024 15

Coach Stowers, standout Pernell, her teammates all on same page for young unselfish Pioneers By Marc Hardin

ere months into her high school journey, Simon Kenton basketball player Brynli Pernell is not a typical wide-eyed freshman. Despite her youthful age, the combo-guard is worldly wise when it comes to the ways of team play. “She’s young, but she’s experienced,” Simon Kenton second-year head coach Brenden Stowers said. “She’s a bulldog.” At age 14, Pernell is something else. The 5-foot-4 standout is already on the doorstep to 1,000 points in her career, which began as a seventh-grader. She needed fewer than 100 points at the end of the first week of February to get there. She was averaging a team-leading 15 points per game for the Pioneers, 16-7 at the time. Coach Stowers said undeniable precociousness at such a productive clip is the result of one simple thing: Pernell’s refusal to be outworked. “From endline to endline and sideline to sideline, she’ll do whatever she can to win a play,” said Stowers. “Not just the game — this girl wants to win every play.” Pernell is particularly keen on team concepts. She wants to embody what it means to be a team-first player.

Simon Kenton’s Anna Kelch is the third-leading scorer on the team and part of a trio that will be part of the Pioneers’ future for the next few years to come. Photo provided | Marc Figgins

16 FEBRUARY 16, 2024

Coach Stowers said it’s all there in his young star: excellent communication on defense; the ability to create transition opportunities through ball pressure; knowing how to read a defense and when to pass; realizing proper movements needed without the ball to help create offensive mismatches against man-to-man defense; and understanding when to utilize effective passes against zones to make the zone move and open penetration gaps. These are habits good guards have. Pernell just so happens to be learning best practices from a coach who at one time was one of the best NCAA Division II guards in the country when he played for Northern Kentucky University. And, like Pernell, Stowers played basketball at Simon Kenton. He graduated in 1999. After that, Stowers starred at NKU. He garnered second-team All-American honors. He scored 1,311 career points, putting him in the NKU 1,000-point club along with his father, Jeff Stowers. The elder Stowers was one of the best and most exciting players in program history, helping to transform obscure Northern Kentucky State College into a regional power rechristened Northern Kentucky University. They are the only Norse father-son duo with 1,000 points each. Both men have coached the Simon Kenton girls basketball team, son replacing father in 2022 after a 13-year apprenticeship following college coaching stops at NKU, Thomas More and Xavier. The elder Stowers won five 8th Region titles and 427 games in 20 years. Younger Stowers guided the Pioneers to the regional title last year in his first season at the helm. Most instructively from a team standpoint, Brenden Stowers is an all-time NKU leader in assists, and he averaged 16 points per game his senior season, mostly as sixth man. He started just eight of 31 contests after starting 25 of 27 games as a junior because he bought into coach Ken Shields’ idea that he was better utilized as instant offense off the bench. Even so, Stowers was good enough to make a bid for the NBA’s Summer Development League.

He has passed down his unselfish, winning ways to his youthful players at Simon Kenton. Pernell and the rest of the regular rotation of sophomores Haylie Webb (11.7 ppg, 8.9 rpg), Anna Kelch (9.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg) and defensive stopper Meg Gadzala; eighth-grader Bella Ober; junior Katelin Blevins; and seniors Rylie Flynn and Natalie Hernandez are one for all and all for Simon Kenton, thanks to their coach’s philosophy. “My favorite part is how much we like playing together as a team,” Pernell said. “Coach says he wants us doing that all the time.” Other desired constants are consistency and never settling for second best. “That’s what he wants,” Pernell said. “I think we have really good players, and we always want to play our best.” That sounds like something Shields would say when he was coaching at NKU. “It’s not how good you are,” the legendary coach used to tell his players. “It’s how good you play.”

Simon Kenton freshman Brynli Pernell shoots a three-pointer against Ryle. She needs fewer than 100 points to reach 1,000 in her career. Photo provided | Marc Figgins

Brenden Stowers knows it well. “He said it a lot when I played for him,” said the Simon Kenton coach. “He had a million of them like that. I still use some of them.” Ken Shields, Jeff Stowers and Brenden Stowers are from the same sprawling coaching tree, with Shields at the top. They know how to cultivate a championship-caliber team while employing their own tricks of the trade, including establishing a clear vision, setting goals, developing a growth mindset and promoting a positive and supportive culture by fostering strong relationships and emphasizing teamwork. Exhibit A: The Simon Kenton girls basketball team, hitting its stride at the right time. “We’re all really close,” Pernell said. “We know what each other wants to do. We want to get better. It makes it so much fun.”

The Pioneers’ Haylie Webb grabs a rebound. She leads the team with nine rebounds per game. Photo provided | Marc Figgins

sports Women’s basketball coach Volz closes in on hitting No. 2 for all-time victories at NKU

Northern Kentucky head coach Camryn Volz (with ball) celebrates her 100th win at Truist Arena. Photo provided | NKU Athletics

With her 100th and 101st career victories in wins over Detroit on Jan. 31 and Oakland on Feb. 2, Northern Kentucky University women’s basketball coach Camryn Volz needs 37 wins to become the program’s second-winningest coach of all time. Volz, currently third on the all-time victory list, trails No. 2 Marilyn Moore (137-73) by 36. Moore was NKU’s first women’s basketball coach, beginning in 1974. Nancy Winstel (636-214) is NKU’s all-time wins leader. Volz also trails family-wins leader Mac Whitaker by a bit. The baseball coach at Harrison County High School, Whitaker (1,221-379) is Volz’s father and Kentucky’s all-time winningest prep baseball coach.

Swimmer Denigan, native of Walton, qualifies to compete at 2024 Paris Summer Olympics

in the Walton area, specializes in open-water swimming and is part of the U.S. National Team.

second at 120, eighth-grader Meg Gallagher was fourth at 100, and freshman Abby Berling was fourth at 165.

She qualified for the Olympics, which kick off July 26, after her performance Feb. 3 in the 10K open-water event at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar. The 20-year-old swimmer finished the race in sixth place with a time of 1:57:31:10, which was well within her time needed to qualify.

Feb. 3 100-pound championship was also an intra-familial tussle between Walton-Verona sophomore Emma Moore and Harrison County eighth-grader Sophia Moore. Emma scored a 17-8 win over her cousin, Sophia. Saturday was the first time Emma and Sophia had ever wrestled each other.

She’ll have the chance to qualify for a second Olympic event when she competes in the 5K open-water event.

Winning championships is not new to Emma Moore’s family. One brother, Ryan, is a three-time national runner-up at Thomas More (and a two-time state champion at Walton-Verona), and Spencer won two high school titles and is the 125-pound starter at North Carolina. (He finished fourth in the ACC tournament as a freshman.)

Denigan grew up swimming with the Florence Hammerheads, which are part of the Northern Kentucky Swim League, and she attended high school at the Barren Academy of Virtual and Expanded Learning. Currently, she’s part of Indiana University’s swim team, where she is coached by Cory Chitwood, who serves as head coach of open-water swimming for Team USA. Denigan also won a silver medal at the 2019 Pan American Games in Peru for the women’s 800-meter freestyle. She has previously won three medals at the Pan Pacific Junior Championships, as well.

Highlands finishes third at girls regional wrestling meet, qualifies for state

Four more Northern Kentuckians won individual championships: Conner’s Rose Thomas at 132, Walton-Verona’s Sophie Anderson at 138, Simon Kenton’s Gabriella Ocasio at 145, and Ryle’s Viktorya Emelianova at 185. The top four in each weight class advanced to the state meet Feb. 17. Other state qualifiers from Northern Kentucky include: Riece Laughlin of Simon Kenton (100), Emily Stephenson of Walton-Verona (107), Avery Perkins of Simon Kenton (126), Mariah Koch of Campbell County (132), Rokhaya Temple of Newport (138), Natasha Knight

Despite being outnumbered by more than double and nearly triple, the Highlands girls wrestling team finished third with 97 points at the Feb. 3 Region 3 meet at Bryan Station High School. Harrison County won with 217 points, and Lafayette was second with 113.

of Newport (152) and Devon Banks of Simon Kenton (152). Simon Kenton finished fourth with 87 points. Walton-Verona was seventh with 53, Campbell County and Newport tied for ninth with 34, Conner was 12th with 26, Ryle was 13th with 24, and Holmes tied with Bourbon County for 16th with 12. Cooper did not score and finished 20th.

Thomas More senior Smith joins 1,000-point club during women’s basketball home win

Alex Smith became the 23rd player to join the Thomas More University women’s basketball team’s 1,000-point club. Photo provided | Thomas More University athletics

Thomas More University women’s basketball senior Alex Smith joined the 1,000-point club during a Saints home win Feb. 3 against Tiffin. Smith’s three-point basket was part of an 8-0 game-opening run by Thomas More. A pair of Smith free throws with 4:54 to play in the first half lifted her past 1,000. She finished the game with a team-high 24 points and added five rebounds. Smith, from Mercy McAuley (Ohio), leads the Saints with 12.1 points per game.

Harrison County and Lafayette had 13 and 10 competitors, while Highlands had just five. Walton native Mariah Denigan qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris. Photo provided | Mariah Denigan

A Walton native is heading to the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. Mariah Denigan, who was born and raised

All five Bluebirds wrestlers qualified for the state meet Feb. 17 at Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park near Lexington. Two won individual titles: senior Emily Heilman at 114 pounds and freshman Emma Hood at 152. Sophomore Laila Pinkston was

The Highlands girls wrestling team finished third in the Feb. 3 Region 3 meet at Lexington Bryan Station. From left: Assistant coach Natalie Heilman, sophomore Laila Pinkston, freshman Emma Hood, freshman Abby Berling, senior Emily Heilman, eighth-grader Meg Gallagher and head coach Dakota Riley. Photo provided | Highlands Athletics

FEBRUARY 16, 2024 17

18 FEBRUARY 16, 2024

frankfort

Meet state Sen. John Schickel By Rebecca Hanchett Each week, LINK nky is publishing a profile of one of our local legislators so that Northern Kentuckians can get to know the people representing them at the state level.

efore bills related to horse racing, bourbon, business licensing and more have a chance to become Kentucky law, most have to make it past Sen. John Schickel. Schickel chairs the Senate Licensing and Occupations Committee. That makes him the gatekeeper for much of the business licensing and regulatory legislation that comes through the Kentucky Senate. Alcohol, gaming, horse racing and other regulatory issues must typically pass his committee before they have a shot at final passage. Schickel — who announced in November that he is retiring from the Legislature at the end of his current term in 2024 — told LINK nky that he considers his committee’s role in modernizing Kentucky’s alcohol laws his greatest legislative accomplishment. “The result has been the tremendously successful Kentucky Bourbon Trail, which attracts thousands of tourists to Kentucky every year, and the craft brewery industry, which has literally rebuilt our urban core with private sector money,” said the fourterm Boone County senator. Then there is the more recent Northern Kentucky bourbon trail – The B-Line – which directs bourbon lovers to craft distilleries and bars in the NKY region. Since it was launched in 2018, the self-guided B-Line tour has added 25 “sipping points” to its list of stops. It’s a natural progression for an industry that has racked up multiple legislative wins in Frankfort over the past decade. Notable successes include statutory approval of distillery sales by the drink in 2016, followed by the legalization of single

Sen. John Schickel plans to retire from the Legislature at the end of the 2024 term. Photo provided | Legislative Research Commission

(bourbon) barrel sales and satellite tasting rooms under a 2022 law. Likewise, regulation and enforcement are a natural fit for Schickel. The longtime state lawmaker brings over 40 years of local and federal law enforcement experience to his position as state senator. The senator’s campaign website says he first ran for his current office in 2008 after years of serving a 2002 presidential appointment to oversee the U.S. Marshals Service in the Eastern District of Kentucky. Schickel made the decision to run for the Kentucky General Assembly after listening to the concerns of citizens throughout the eastern half of the state, according to his website. Today the senator tells LINK the top issue

facing NKY specifically is education. Increasing educational opportunities while protecting funding for Boone County public schools will be one of his top legislative priorities during the 2024 annual session, he said. At the same time, he’ll be focused on the state budget and constitutional protections. Throughout the fall, the senator met with members of the nonpartisan Northern Kentucky Caucus to discuss each member’s session priorities for the region. Schickel is the chair of the caucus. Rep. Savannah Maddox, R-Dry Ridge, is the caucus vice chair. “This is a way for the caucus members to get together to discuss what is on our minds and their priorities,” Schickel said in an Oct. 6 press release. The state budget,

health care and education are all expected to land somewhere on those priority lists as the 2024 session begins. Sen. John Schickel (R-Union) represents Senate District 11 in Boone County. He is the chair of the Senate Licensing and Occupations Committee; co-chair of the Interim Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations Committee; and co-chair of the Jail and Corrections Reform Task Force. Schickel is also a member of the Senate Banking and Insurance, Natural Resources and Energy, Judiciary, and Budget Review Subcommittee on Justice and Judiciary (liaison). Additionally, he is a member of the Interim Joint Committees on Banking and Insurance, Judiciary, Natural Resources and Energy, and Budget Review Subcommittee on Justice and Judiciary (liaison), the Certificate of Need Task Force, and several legislative caucuses.

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