the best

Petroze, who has been at Thomas More since 2009, follows in her late mother’s footsteps who served on the original board.

The Diocesan Board of Education was established in the 1990s under Bishop William A. Hughes. In 2002, a shakeup of how the Board selected members came with the installation of Bishop Roger J. Foys.

To bring a variety of individuals with varying backgrounds to the Board, members were selected through a recommendation

Upcoming Covington high school graduates headed off to college are encouraged to compose an essay detailing what living in Covington means to them. The chosen essay will award them $500 from the annual Covington FOP Lodge #1 Fallen Officer Scholarship.

Eligible students must be residents of the City of Covington. A completed application can be downloaded here, and must be submitted by July 1. With that application, students are required to compose an original, previously unpublished essay of 400 to 700 words answering the question: “What does Covington mean to me?” in order to com- pete for the $500 Covington FOP Lodge #1 Fallen Officer Scholarship.

Applications should be emailed to CovingtonFOPScholarship@gmail.com, or mailed to:

FOP Scholarship

516 E. 18th St. Covington, KY 41014

Covington’s Bourbon Haus 1841 announces permanent closure

After six years in operation, Bourbon Haus 1841 in MainStrasse is closing permanently.

Bourbon Haus was a featured bar on the B-Line, Northern Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail, and was one of America’s Best Bourbon Bars by Bourbon Magazine for six consecutive years. Though the bar could not renew its liquor license, the owners took the Facebook to share the news and some of the blame with feuding neighboring bar Paddy’s on Main.

“It is with a very heavy heart that we share the news that Bourbon Haus will permanently close,” co-owner Dave Brumfield’s post said. “We have operated successfully for the past 6 years due to your loyalty and patronage! Unfortunately, we were forced to close due to a series of malicious occurrences.”

The post accused Paddy’s owner Chris Estano of “terrorizing” their business, employees and customers.

“We had operated peacefully in the community for the five prior years, but this guy (Estano) insisted on putting us out of business from the day he showed up — he terrorized us, our employees, and customers. The laundry list of unethical behavior is too lengthy to get into,” Brumfield said.

In response to the accusations, Paddy’s owner Chris Estano told LINK nky the claims are completely false.

“You’re going to find out that the things they’ve said in that post are blatant lies,” Estano said.

In March, a noise dispute between Bourbon Haus and Paddy’s owners played out during the public comments period of a Covington City Commission meeting. Bourbon Haus co-owner Tammy Brumfield accused Paddy’s of hosting a live music performance in which they felt the music was too loud.

Paddy’s general manager Brooklyn Koebke, a former employee of Bourbon Haus, said Bourbon Haus had also hosted live music events on their patio and reiterated that Paddy’s was committed to being mindful of Covington’s noise ordinances.

Thomas More University acquires Northern Kentucky Five Seasons Family Sports Club

Thomas More University is ringing in the new year with the acquisition of the Northern Kentucky Racquet Club, also known as the Five Seasons Family Sports Club facility.

The club, located at 345 Thomas More Parkway in Crestview Hills, will continue to operate under the Five Seasons brand name. The acquisition comes as part of initiatives to expand the university’s geographic footprint and enhance student spaces. Adding Five Seasons increases Thomas More’s acreage by 9% and its facility’s square footage by 24%.

This expansion also creates university cohesion by uniting Thomas More’s south campus. In November 2022, the University announced the relocation of the Education and Psychology departments to the newly named Cabrini Hall at 365 Thomas More Parkway, which borders the Five Seasons club.

Thomas More University will maintain its partnership with Five Seasons, and business will continue at the club as usual.

Suspects sentenced to combined 44 years for armed drug trafficking

Two Northern Kentucky men have been sentenced to a combined 44 years in federal prison for drug trafficking following an incident at a Dayton Circle K store.

Anthony Michaelis, 34, of Covington, and Blake Barnes, 23, of Alexandria, were sentenced to 21 and a half years and five years in federal prison, respectively, on Jan. 3 by U.S. District Judge David Bunning.

The two men were charged with possession of controlled substances, including fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine, with intent to distribute as well as brandishing a firearm, per the U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of Kentucky.

According to Michaelis’ plea agreement, individuals at a Circle K store in Dayton approached police and told officers that two men, later identified as Michaelis and Barnes, had approached them at a gas pump and offered to sell them controlled substances. Michaelis pulled out a handgun and pointed it at the group, the agreement said. Law enforcement located Michaelis and Barnes and recovered the gun.