LINK Kenton Reader - Volume 1, Issue 9 January 20, 2023

On the Edge:

‘Hunger doesn’t take a vacation’

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

PRESIDENT & CEO Lacy Starling

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Mark Collier

MANAGING EDITOR Meghan Goth

PRINT EDITOR Kaitlin Gebby

SPORTS EDITOR Evan Dennison

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On the Edge: ‘Hunger doesn’t take a vacation’

BY NATHAN GRANGER | LINK nky CONTRIBUTOR

On the Edge is a regular feature that explores the challenges of the rising cost of living in Northern Kentucky.

Jerry Burford Sr., a retired truck driver and car salesman, stood in line at Be Concerned one morning in December. As he described his situation, he said the rising cost of living means his fixed income doesn’t go as far as it used to.

“I just ain’t making enough money like I was before,” he said.

Burford’s vision declined with age, preventing him from re-entering the workforce when money got thin.

He gets some government benefits, but they usually aren’t enough to cover all of his expenses. He also takes care of his brother, who is disabled.

To make matters worse he said his landlord is increasing rent by $100, starting this month.

Meanwhile, Zach Johnson was also standing in line, awaiting a load of groceries at Covington’s Action Ministries.

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

“We’ve been coming here for, let’s say, six months,” Johnson said.

Johnson and his girlfriend work at an Amazon warehouse and bring home a total of $2,000 a month. It’s enough for bills, but little else.

“It’s not a lot, but it pays our rent and the car insurance,” he said. “Those are our main bills. Whatever we have left, we get miscellaneous [things] like gas, stuff like that.”

He learned about Be Concerned from a food kitchen in Newport.

“We looked it up, and we found the place,” he said. “We’ve been coming here ever since. Just for some extra food to help us out.”

According to data from the Northern Kentucky Atlas, residents in Northern Kentucky making minimum wage needed to work at least 91 hours a week to earn enough for a “fair market price” two-bedroom apartment. In 2022, the Atlas estimates minimum wage earners need to work 103 hours per week to make rent.

Be Concerned is one node in a network of food pantries across Northern Kentucky, many of which have seen an increase in need as the cost of groceries and housing increase amid thinning pandemic-era government assistance.

“This has been an interesting year for us,” said Andy Brunsman, executive director of Be Concerned.

Founded in 1968, Be Concerned is one of the largest food banks in the region, where Brunsman has served as director for a decade. It started as a Christmas store, where parents could get free Christmas gifts for their kids. The organization has since ex-

panded to include several food pantries, a food delivery service for seniors, English classes for foreign language speakers and a couple of thrift stores.

“One of the biggest things that happened is we started having more families come for help each month than we did in 2020 when COVID struck,” he said.

According to Brunsman, Be Concerned served about 12,000 households in 2020 –a number that declined to 10,000 in 2021 as federal and state assistance like child tax credits and free school meals gave families a boost. As of December 2022, they had served 14,000 families.

“So, the number of families is averaging about 1,500 a month for us right now,” Brunsman said.

In previous years, Be Concerned averaged between 800 and 900 families a month during the end of the year.

Volunteer Debbie Damon tosses pasta boxes into bags for clients of the Action Ministries food pantry. Photo by Kaitlin Gebby | LINK nky

Volunteer Donna Remley sorts cans at Action Ministries. Photo by Kaitlin Gebby | LINK nky

The increase in need isn’t unique to Northern Kentucky, either.

Nicki Rowe, marketing and communications specialist at the Freestore Foodbank in Cincinnati, reported an increase in numbers as well. Freestore supplies over 600 organizations in the tri-state area, including Be Concerned.

In November, she said Freestore “saw over 500 people on the just the first day” of the month.

Although the jump in clients isn’t uniform — some of the smaller institutions that LINK nky spoke with, like Action Ministries, another food bank in Kenton County, have not seen a significant increase in clientele over the past few months – many of the large food banks in the Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati region have strained under rising demand for their services.

Master Provisions, an independent, faithbased food warehouse in Florence that provides food for 257 different partner agencies in the region, provided insight into the scale of the problem as they tracked this year’s data.

The organization began seeing steep increases in both the pounds of food shipped from their warehouse and the number of families they served in the final quarter of 2022. The number of pounds shipped increased by about 65,000 pounds from September to October, the largest single increase all year, and continued to climb in November, Master Provisions reported.

And while previous months showed an increase in clients ranging from a few hundred to 1,000, Master Provisions reported

an increase of 7,500 new clients in a single month in 2022.

Those closest to the problem speculated the issue is the culmination of several factors.

“Rising costs of food in the grocery store, gas,” Rowe said. “Everything costs more.” Brunsman agreed.

“You’ve got inflation. You’ve got the fact that a lot of public support was rolled back from families. The robust unemployment [assistance] was ended, the expansion on food stamps and the lowering of the income levels for families to be able to qualify for services ended, as well … It’s kind of a perfect storm of not having a ton of backend support.”

In April 2020, Kentucky residents became eligible for emergency increases in payments in unemployment and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, more commonly known as food stamps).

The Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, a non-partisan research group, states that this increased SNAP payments by an average of $100 for Kentuckians when it was in effect.

In April 2022, the Kentucky General Assembly passed Senate Joint Resolution 150, which officially ended Kentucky’s COVID-19 state of emergency.

The law’s passage was contentious. Gov. Andy Beshear, who had publicly criticized the bill, promptly vetoed the resolution. About a week later, the legislature voted to override the veto, finally ending the state of emergency on March 22.

A volunteer pushes a cart of goods at Action Ministries. Photo by Kaitlin Gebby | LINK nky

Terry Bales, a volunteer at Action Ministries food bank, sorts cans in the warehouse. Photo by Kaitlin Gebby | LINK nky

This made Kentuckians ineligible for expanded SNAP payments and other federally-funded emergency programs related to the pandemic.

All of this occurred as inflation was climbing. Since November of last year, the cost of housing rose by 7%, while food prices rose nearly 11%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

For a comparison, general inflation rose 1.4% from December 2019 to December 2020, which was a typical annual increase prior to the pandemic. While inflation rates peaked in June and have now slowed, prices have not returned to pre-pandemic levels.

In October, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which calculates SNAP payouts for the states, did an annual cost of living adjustment, which bumped payout amounts for Kentuckians slightly. Today, a Kentucky family of four can receive a maximum of $939 per month for food, accord-

ing to an August memo from the USDA.

Children in low-income families have also needed to lean on nonprofits recently.

Go Pantry, which is located in Florence, provides food packets for students and their families in Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties. Each food pack contains enough food for a single weekend during the normal school year. Go Pantry saw about a 28% increase in the number of families relying on their services from the 2021-2022 school year to the 2022-2023 school year. Their current numbers sit at about 1,000 students per week.

Families that rely on school lunch programs to feed their children during the week may go without on weekends and holiday breaks, so Go Pantry and similar programs feel acute demand around the holidays when school isn’t in session.

“We literally have children in our commu-

nity that when they leave for Christmas break, they’re crying to the teacher,” said Beth McIntyre, co-founder and director of operations at Go Pantry. “Not because they’re worried about presents but because they don’t have enough to eat.”

She stood in the back of the organization’s warehouse, the conversation alternating between facts about child poverty in the local area and Go Pantry’s services. Most of the volunteers had left for the day. Stacks of food stood sentry along the walls of the warehouse.

“So, one school might be 50% free/reduced lunch list,” she added, referencing the state program.

Each holiday Go Box, as they’re called, contains about $60 worth of food. This year they managed to give out 1,590 boxes, about 300 more than they were able to give out last year.

Even though she was pleased with the numbers, her words reflect the attitude that many in the food bank world had over the holiday season.

On Jan. 4, a press brief from Seth Meyer, chief economist for the USDA, predicted that food prices would continue to rise throughout 2023. He stated that people can expect to pay 3% to 4% more for food this year.

Unless public benefits adjust for inflation, nonprofits are bracing for higher needs throughout 2023. For now, the solution in Northern Kentucky is asking for more support as the number of mouths to feed grows.

“All the nonprofits need help,” she said. “Please reach out to a nonprofit and get involved.Hunger doesn’t take a vacation.”

Volunteers at Action Ministries sort food before handing it to clients at the food bank. Photo by Kaitlin Gebby | LINK nky

A volunteer sorts items at Action Ministries. Photo by Kaitlin Gebby | Print Editor

Weed, gambling and taxes: What will the Kentucky legislature tackle in the 2023 session?

BY MARK PAYNE | LINK nky REPORTER

On the first day of the 2023 legislative session, pro-cannabis advocates held a rally in favor of permanently decriminalizing possession of marijuana for personal use in the Commonwealth by way of a constitutional amendment.

Democrats in the statehouse, along with Gov. Andy Beshear, are hoping to push through some type of legislation for medical cannabis in the two-part, 30-day session that convened on Jan. 3, paused on Jan. 6, and reconvenes on Feb. 7.

Beshear worked with House Minority Floor Leader Derrick Graham (D-Frankfort) to file medical cannabis legislation.

Additionally, Northern Kentucky Rep. Rachel Roberts (D-Newport) filed a near duplicate of the bill she filed in 2022, which seeks to fully legalize recreational cannabis in Kentucky.

It’s a signature priority for Beshear, who faces reelection in 2023. So much so that he passed an executive order at the end of 2022 to decriminalize small amounts of medical cannabis purchased in another state, which took effect on Jan. 1.

However, the order doesn’t allow Northern Kentuckians to go across the river in Ohio to obtain medical marijuana because Ohio users must be residents.

Though he’s uncertain how cannabis legislation will fare in the Senate — the House has passed medical cannabis bills the past

two years — House Speaker David Osborne (R-Prospect) said that the legislature pushed through a significant amount of legislation last year.

He expects to pump the brakes this session.

In 2022, working with Republican supermajorities in both chambers, the legislature passed laws on abortion, income tax, charter schools, transgender athletes, and unemployment benefits.

Osborne thinks the best path forward is slowing down and taking a more measured approach.

“I don’t think you’re gonna see an incredibly aggressive agenda,” Osborne said.

Cannabis isn’t the only potential legislation that legislators might consider in 2023.

Income tax

On the last day of part one of the session, the Senate held a second reading of House Bill 1 — the income tax reduction bill. It passed the House on Jan. 5 along a party-line vote of 79 Republicans to 19 Democrats.

The new legislation would lower the income tax from 4.5 to 4% on Jan. 1, 2024, further reducing it where it sits now. Income tax shrank from 5 to 4.5% on Jan. 1, 2023.

“We are another step closer to putting more money back into the pockets of working Kentuckians,” said bill sponsor Brandon Reed (R-Hodgenville).

In a nearly two-hour House debate on Jan. 5, Democrats questioned why the state’s surpluses are so high at the moment, and lamented that the bill would help rich Kentuckians, as opposed to assisting average income earners.

Republicans said income tax reductions could help residents save for retirement or pay down debt.

“But nobody but the richest Kentuckians are going to get enough money to do any of that,” said Rep. Josie Raymond (D-Louisville).

Democrats also argue that the state has record surpluses because federal stimulus money during the COVID-19 pandemic led to a faster-than-expected recovery from the pandemic recession and high inflation.

“The revenue surpluses we see today will be a thing of the past,” said Jason Bailey, the executive director of the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy. “At some point, things will return to the historic norm in which Kentucky has very tight budgets and modest revenue growth.”

Senate President Robert Stivers (R-Manchester) said he expects the Senate to take up the bill when the legislature returns from the four-week break.

“The triggers have been hit, it will take place, so we will have gone to four and a half … by next year, we will be down to 4%,” he said.

Sports betting

House Bill 606, the bill that would have legalized sports betting in Kentucky, died in the Senate on the last day of the 2022 session.

Former Rep. Adam Koenig (R-Erlanger), the bill’s sponsor, attempted to maneuver to get enough votes for the bill, but it ultimately failed.

A month later, Koenig lost his Republican primary to the new 69th District Rep. Steve Doan (R-Erlanger).

After the primary loss, Koenig said there would have to be a new torch bearer for the legislation. It’s unclear who that will be, but Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer (R-Georgetown) said he hopes to take another crack at it this year.

Sen. Thayer pushed for it to pass the Senate, but it never made it out of committee. With new faces in the Senate, the legislation could pass this time around, according to Thayer.

“I think it’s a natural extension of our history, tradition, and heritage of betting on horses,” Thayer said.

In his State of the Commonwealth address, Gov. Andy Beshear said that sports betting is something he wants to get over the line this session. He supports the bill filed by House Minority Leader Derrick Graham (D-Frankfort).

“We’re also filing legislation to legalize sports betting,” Beshear said. “I think Kentuckians overwhelmingly want it, and that should be enough — people are who we represent.”

Republicans also signaled they’ll take over where Koenig left off. In a press conference on the first day of the session, House Speaker David Osborne (R-Prospect) said the legislation would be filed in the second part of the 30-day session.

“I believe there are a couple of them (House Reps.) working on it,” Osborne said, though he wouldn’t clarify who they are at this time.

Electric vehicle taxes

Sen. Chris McDaniel (R-Ryland Heights) is the chair of the Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee, which helps dictate tax policy and sets the budget every other year.

This session, he said he is interested in electric vehicle legislation, but admitted it’s a long-term issue. He said he expects it’s something the state will have to deal with in the next 10 to 15 years.

“We put a groundwork in place this last session, which in essence was a placeholder,” McDaniel previously said.

He told LINK nky in January that he’s meeting with constituent groups and he fully anticipates action will be taken to adjust last year’s initial electric vehicle tax structure.

The groundwork comes from an electric vehicle power tax and vehicle fee.

As part of House Bill 8 — a bill that will lower the state’s income tax — businesses that operate an electric vehicle charging station

will be charged three cents per kilowatt hour starting in 2023.

There is wiggle room for the legislature to adjust this rate.

In addition to last year’s changes in the tax structure, a $120 electric vehicle owners fee — or $60 for motorcycles or hybrid vehicles, took effect on Jan. 1,2023. This fee is on top of normal registration fees.

Fifty percent of these fees will go to the state’s road fund and the other half to the General Fund.

While there will be room for electric vehicle power taxes, there still isn’t a tax credit like in other places in the country. Senate Bill 370 was introduced last session but never made it to a committee vote.

The bill would have provided electric vehicle infrastructure tax credits for 30% of qualified expenditures paid for business. It doesn’t address tax credits for individual users.

The tax credit would have maxed out at $1,000 for an at-home charging station or $30,000 for a direct current fast charging station — in other words, one capable of quickly charging an electric vehicle so it can charge multiple cars.

The gas tax is the primary funding mechanism for roads in the Commonwealth. As electric vehicles grow in popularity, the state will need to look at replacing the lost revenue from the decrease in the gas tax, McDaniel said at Covington Business Council Luncheon.

Electric vehicles will become more common. There are currently 47 federal incentives to purchase electric cars, which include grants, tax breaks, loans and leases, rebates, credits, exemptions, and other pro-

grams in the country, according to reporting from LINK nky reporter Grace Tierney.

Kentucky started pursuing electric vehicle infrastructure as part of the projected growth of electric vehicle use.

In July, the legislature heard testimony on how state officials are working to institute Kentucky’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment Plan.

The Kentucky plan is part of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure, or NEVI, Formula Funding Program. Funding comes from the 2021 Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act, and Kentucky is getting $10.3 million this year, with a total of $69.5 million through 2026. There will also be $17.4 million in non-federal funds.

“The goal of the NEVI funding is to develop a reliable, affordable, and equitable national EV charging network,” said John Moore,

assistant state highway engineer for project development and cabinet lead at the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet over the summer. “The initial focus is to deploy fast chargers along the interstates to support long-distance travel.”

In order to access the funding, Kentucky has to have a federally approved plan. The KYTC is working with the Energy and Environment Cabinet (EEC), the Public Service Commission (PSC), and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to develop Kentucky’s Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure Deployment Plan.

As part of the plan, Kentucky must develop specific corridors along its highway system. Interstates 65, 75, and 71 already have EV infrastructure in place. Routes 68, 9, and 23 are ready for this infrastructure. The plan will help to develop EV infrastructure on Interstate 64, 69, and 165.

Kentucky Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer, left, speaks with Senate Minority Leader Gerald Neal during the opening day of the Kentucky State Legislature in Frankfort, Ky., Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. Photo provided | Timothy D. Easley via AP

Devou Park Disc Golf Course vandalized — again

The Devou Park Disc Golf Course was vandalized once again, nearly three months after it first happened in October.

An article posted on the Devou Good Foundation website said the majority of the disc golf baskets were “crushed, bent, or ripped out of the ground.”

Matt Butler, president of the Devou Good Foundation, posted on Twitter that an anonymous donor, along with the Foundation, is offering a $2,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of the person(s) who committed the crime.

had been open for only three days before the incident. The approximate worth of the equipment stolen was between $5,000 and $6,000, according to Covington’s Communications Director Dan Hassert.

Anyone with information is urged to call the Covington Police Non-Emergency Line at (859) 292-2222.

Erlanger vet seeks donations of towels, blankets

the best

Erlanger Veterinary Hospital recently asked the community for donations of gently used towels and blankets for their facility in a Facebook post.

Park Hills tables decision to acquire Dixie Highway site

The decision to create a permanent home for Park Hills City Council was tabled at a recent meeting in order to gather input from the community and go over the cost.

Right now, the city doesn’t have an official council meeting space, and members need to set up and tear down meeting spaces each time they convene. For the most recent bridge project presentation, Mayor Kathy Zembrodt said they had to prop a display up on tables covered in sheets.

finance committee meeting and then a city caucus meeting can be held later this month and into February.

The options for a permanent home are for the city to buy land and build a new structure, which would cost upward of $1 million, or to develop a building on Amsterdam Road. But to bring that building up to the necessary codes, and that could cost $1 million as well, councilmembers noted.

CVG launches nonstop flight to Raleigh-Durham

“This is not just an attack on the course, it’s an attack on our community and the shared spaces we all enjoy,” read the Devou Good Foundation article. “We urge anyone with information to come forward and help bring the perpetrator to justice.”

On Oct. 12, thieves stole 12 of the 18 total disc golf baskets overnight with another severely damaged. The disc golf course

Towels and blankets are typically used to comfort and swaddle the hospital’s furry family members post-surgery. It is also used for bedding in crates during their stay at the hospital in recovery.

Donations can be dropped off any time between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday at the location on 3414 Dixie Hwy, Erlanger.

At the most recent meeting, held at the Gardens of Park Hills, a motion was put forth to authorize and direct Zembrodt to sign and execute a real estate purchase agreement with Global Technology Transfer LLC to acquire 1502 Dixie Highway in Park Hills, which would become the city’s new meeting space.

Ultimately, city council members voted instead to table the vote until a further

American Airlines recently launched a new nonstop service to Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina.

The flight will depart daily from CVG at 8:15 p.m. and arrive at RDU at 9:50 p.m.

It will depart daily from RDU at 7:00 a.m. and arrive at CVG at 8:45 a.m.

The news of the new flight also arrived on the Northern Kentucky airport’s 76th anni-

versary.

“Raleigh-Durham is a strong addition to American’s growing network at CVG, serving both leisure and business travelers,” said CVG’s CEO Candace McGraw. “This service is welcomed as another option for local travelers to get to the Triangle Region, a growing area where art and science intersect.”

23-year-old dies after double shooting in Covington

Twenty-three-year old Selvin Orlando Alvarado of Covington, one of the victims of Friday’s double shooting in Covington, passed away at 10:04 a.m. after succumbing to his wounds, according to a press release from the Covington Police Department.

Alvarado was previously in critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

The suspects, both juveniles, were originally charged with first degree robbery and first degree assault. The charge of first degree assault has been upgraded to murder.

Hector Manuel Saur, 23, of Covington was reported in stable condition after being shot in the leg.

Covington Police responded to a report of a double shooting at the intersection of East 20th and Greenup streets near Tienda La Samaritana on Jan. 6. The victims, Alvarado and Saur, were promptly taken to the UC Medical Center.

Less than 24 hours after the shooting, detectives identified and arrested two juvenile suspects in connection with the incident.

Point/Arc purchases maker of ZELS pretzels

Covington’s Yankee Doodle Deli, producer of ZELS pretzels, has been purchased by the Point/Arc.

Marilyn Baker, founder and owner of Yankee Doodle Deli, said in a press release that the reason she decided to sell her business to Point/Arc was because of their similar mission statements.

“You can still feel good when purchasing, and eating. ZELS knowing that you’re supporting an organization that truly transforms lives,” Baker said.

ZELS will still be available to order through the Yankee Doodle Deli website. Baker said she won’t be stepping away immediately, instead opting to help train the Point/Arc employees on sales and order fulfillment.

The Point/Arc is an organization which provides opportunities such as jobs to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. They run a number of operations to support this mission, such as the Point Perk Coffee Shop, The Point Apparel and the Zembrodt Education Center.

Can Park Hills address traffic issues before BSB project?

Park Hills police have been conducting traffic studies on the city’s stretch of Amsterdam Road, which is already a traffic overflow route when Interstates 71 and 75 are backed up. It is expected to get worse as the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor project picks up speed.

A main artery that funnels commuters to and from Crescent Springs, Park Hills, and Villa Hills to Covington and the bridge, the road gets over 100,000 vehicles a month.

Park Hills City Council members spoke of the importance of solving this congested and road-worn throughway at last week’s council meeting.

“The traffic count on Amsterdam rivals that of Dixie Highway,” council member Pamela Spoor said, “which is maintained by the state, and it is a maintenance obligation that is overwhelming for a city of our size.”

Part of the cause of the high level of vehicles is because the road leads to Devou Park.

But another issue, council members pointed out, is that Amsterdam road has become a traffic overflow alternate route for whenever there are backups on 71/75 or Dixie Highway.

Discussions on whether to seek help from Kenton County and the state to remedy the issue will continue at future meetings.

French chateau in Kenton County listed for $8.9M

Address: 3313 Turkeyfoot Road, Edgewood

Price: $8.9 million

Beds: 6

Bath: 8

Sqft: 15,000 on 7 acres

School district: Kenton County Schools

County: Kenton

Special features: A French chateau with “museum quality construction,” according to details provided by the listing agent, built by “one of the country’s foremost entrepreneurs for his own personal estate.” Outside, there is an infinity pool, hot tub and pool house. The home features five fireplaces, a theater room, as well as gold and copperleaf accents.

WHO YOU’RE WITH MATTERS

The exterior of the estate from across the grand pond and water feature seated at the entrance. Photo provided | Hoffman International Properties

French and other European-style accents complete the kitchen.

Photo provided | Hoffman International Properties

Ornate wallpaper and chandeliers decorate one of the formal dining areas. Photo provided | Hoffman International Properties

town crier

St. Vincent de Paul looking for volunteers

St. Vincent de Paul’s Food Rescue is looking for volunteers capable of heavy lifting to help serve on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Those interested should call or email Mark Bradley at mark.bradley@ svdpnky.org, or call (859) 426-2649 for additional information.

Cedarville University recognizes NKY students on dean’s list

The following students were named to the fall 2022 Dean’s Honor List at Cedarville University. Students receive this achievement for obtaining a 3.5 GPA or higher for the semester while carrying a minimum of 12 credit hours:

Zoe Ames, of Burlington

Amelia Elkins, of Ft Wright

Celeste Da Fieno, of Union

Molly Goodman, of Erlanger

William Hanak, of Hebron

Portia Kohls, of California

Maxwell McKenzie, of Union

Jaden Martin, of Hebron

Jenna Martin, of Hebron

Leah Santen, of Union

Toshiyuki Watanabe, of Edgewood

Nathaniel Weidner, of Fort Thomas

Jan. 20 to Jan. 28

To submit an event, birthday, anniversary, or engagement announcement, email LINK nky at towncrier@linknky.com.

Boone County

Jan. 20: Velvet Soul Concert, 7 p.m., Boone County Library Main Branch, 1786 Burlington Pike, Burlington. (For details, go to bcpl. org)

Jan 21: Boone County Fiscal Court Caucus Meeting (Planning Session), 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Boone Links Golf & Event Center, 19 Clubhouse Drive, Florence

Jan. 23: Boone County Urban Forest Commission Meeting, 4:30 p.m., Boone County Administration Building, 2950 Washington St., Burlington

Jan. 24: NEA Big Read Discussion: Sitting Pretty, A View from My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body, 6:30 p.m., Boone County Library Main Branch, 1786 Burlington Pike, Burlington. (For details, go to bcpl.org; registration necessary)

Jan. 24: Medicare Made Easy Program, 6:30 p.m. on Zoom, presented by Boone County Library (For details, go to bcpl.org; registration necessary)

Jan. 26: Retro Trivia Night, 6:30 p.m., Boone County Library Main Branch, 1786 Burlington Pike, Burlington. (For details, go to bcpl. org)

Jan. 26: Boone County GIS Advisory Board Meeting, 10 a.m., Boone County Administration Building, 2950 Washington St., Burlington

Florence

Jan. 23: Monday 4 Mystery: House of Correction by Nicci French, 6:30 p.m., Boone County Library Florence Branch, 7425 U.S. 42, Florence (For details, contact syowler@ bcpl.org)

Jan. 24: Florence City Council Business Meeting, 6 p.m., Florence Government Center, 8100 Ewing Blvd., Florence

Hebron

Jan. 26: Family: Peanut Butter and Jam’s Hit It (percussion instruments), 6 p.m., Boone County Hebron Branch, 1863 North Bend Road, Hebron (For details, go to bcpl.org)

Union

Jan. 24: Winter Soups Class, 2 p.m., Boone County Library Scheben Branch, 8899 U.S. 42, Union (For details, go to bcpl.org)

Jan. 25: Piecemakers Sit and Sew, 9 a.m., Boone County Library Scheben Branch, 8899 U.S. 42, Union (For details, go to bcpl. org)

Jan. 27: Experience T’ai Chi program, 10:30 a.m., Boone County Library Scheben Branch, 8899 U.S. 42, Union (For details, go to bcpl.org)

Walton

Jan. 26: Book Chatter: The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig, 9 a.m., Boone County Library Walton Branch, (For details, contact sfrank@bcpl.org), 21 S. Main St., Walton

Jan. 26: Walton Verona Independent Schools District Board Meeting, 6 p.m., Walton-Verona Early Childhood Center, 18 School Road, Walton

Campbell County

Alexandria

Jan 26: Alexandria Property Maintenance Board of Appeals Meeting, 7 p.m., Alexandria City Building, 8236 W. Main St., Alexandria

Bellevue

Jan. 25: Bellevue Board of Education Meeting, 6 p.m., Grandview Elementary (Commons), 500 Grandview Ave., Bellevue

Cold Spring

Jan. 23: Cold Spring City Council Meeting, 7:30 p.m., Cold Spring City Administration Building, 5694 E. Alexandria Pike, Cold Spring

Dayton

Jan. 24: Dayton Main Street Board Meeting, 5 p.m., Dayton Community and Meeting Center, 625 Second Ave., Dayton

Jan. 25: Dayton VFW Post 2899 Bingo Night, 5 p.m., 828 Sixth Ave., Dayton (every Wednesday)

Jan. 26: Dayton Park Board Meeting, 7 p.m., Dayton Community and Meeting Center, 625 2nd Ave., Dayton

Jan. 28: Dayton Heritage Museum, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 718 6th Ave., Dayton

Fort Thomas

Jan. 23: Fort Thomas Renaissance Board Meeting, 5:45 p.m. Fort Thomas Community Center (Mess Hall), 801 Cochran Ave., Fort Thomas

Jan. 23: Fort Thomas Special City Council

Continues on page 12

question of the week

Continued from page 11

Meeting, 7 p.m., Fort Thomas Community Center (Mess Hall), 801 Cochran Ave., Fort Thomas

Jan. 24: Fort Thomas Board of Adjustment Meeting, 6 p.m., Fort Thomas Community Center (Mess Hall), 801 Cochran Ave., Fort Thomas

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Stephanie Rottman: No more turn-abouts. No one and I mean no one knows how to navigate them.

Rick Prodoehl: For drivers to learn to use a turn signal.

Christopher Kratzwald: Paved bicycle paths that go somewhere and go long distances and are stand alone from vehicle traffic.

Chris Lenhof: Work on fixing the interchanges for 275 and 75 in Erlanger.

Marana Eubank Harris: Ban plastic bags. I pick them up everywhere! … It’s disgusting and sad.

Jan. 26, Fort Thomas Design Review Board Meeting, 6 p.m. Fort Thomas Community Center (Mess Hall), 801 Cochran Ave., Fort Thomas

Highland Heights

Jan. 24: Highland Heights Tree Board Meeting, 7 p.m., Highland Heights City Building, 176 Johns Hill Road, Highland Heights

Newport

Jan. 23: Newport City Board of Commissioners Meeting, 7 p.m., Newport City Building, 998 Monmouth St., Newport

Jan. 26: Friends of the Library Booksale, 9 a.m. to noon, Campbell County Library

Newport Branch, 901 E. 6th St., Newport (For details go to cc-pl.org)

Kenton County

Jan. 24: Kenton County Fiscal Court Meeting, 5:30 p.m., Kenton County Government Center, 1840 Simon Kenton Way, Conference Room 5070, Covington

Covington

Jan 23: Devou Night Rides, 7 p.m., Devou Park in Covington. The Cincinnati Off-Road Alliance and Devou Park Trail Collective will hold an evening ride. Check “Devou Park Collective” on Facebook for details. Repeats on Jan. 27.

Jan. 24: Covington Board of Commissioners Legislative Meeting, 6 p.m., Covington City Hall, 20 Pike St., Covington

Jan. 24: Covington Urban Forestry Board Meeting, 6:30 p.m, First Financial Bank, 601 Madison Ave., Covington

Jan. 25: Covington Code Enforcement Hearing Board Meeting, 5 p.m., Covington City Hall, 20 Pike St., Covington

Jan. 26: Board of Trustees for City Employees Retirement Fund Meeting, 10:30 a.m, Covington City Hall, 20 Pike St., Covington

Jan. 26: Covington Independent Schools Board of Education Meeting, 5:30 p.m., 25 E. 7th St., Covington

Jan. 28: Covington Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Braxton Brewery, 27 W. 7th St., Covington

Jan. 28: Health & Wellness Expo, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Kenton County Library Covington Branch, 502 Scott Blvd., Covington (For details, go to kentonlibrary.org)

Edgewood

Jan. 24: Edgewood Senior Cards, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Edgewood Senior Center, 550 Freedom Park Drive, Crestview Hills (open to all, card games).

Jan. 24: Winter Painting Night, 6:30 p.m., Edgewood Senior Center, 550 Freedom Park Drive, Crestview Hills.

If Northern Kentucky made a new year’s resolution, what should it be and why?

Gile Injury Attorneys

LINK Streetscapes: Dayton’s Sixth Avenue

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STORY AND PHOTOS BY MARIA HEHMAN | LINK nky CONTRIBUTOR

This week, we visited Dayton Kentucky for three very different cuisines and cultures; German, Latin American and Southern cooking.

Unataza Coffee

ON

They also offer a variety of tacos, wraps and sides of plantain chips.

Their vibrant attitude towards food extends to the decor, showcasing bright bold colors with plants, pottery and woven basket art to decorate the walls.

Tuba Baking Co.

With the largest Oktoberfest outside of Germany itself, the Cincinnati region is no stranger to schnitzel or spätzle. Tuba Baking Co. made its debut this year and caught the attention of the German cuisine-loving community with its authentic German beer, pretzels, and biergarten.

In a cozy space decorated with glasses, bottles, and their namesake tubas, the tables draped in newspaper create a nostalgic atmosphere.

Food is and always will be the main event at Tuba, starting with their signature giant pretzel, meant to be washed down with one of the beers on their menu.

Galactic serves classic, crinkle cut fries and house salad alongside their mains. The jackfruit nuggets paired with their iconic Galactic sauce, a chipotle honey mustard, will have diners just as happy as their fried chicken-loving friends.

The colonel better watch out, this is the superior Kentucky Fried Chicken. Have a street, city or business you want me to check out next? Email me at mchehman@gmail.com and it could be featured on the next installment of LINK streetscapes.

What to know if you go:

Unataza Coffee

Location: 603 Sixth Ave.

Hours: Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.; closed Saturday; Sunday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Phone: (859) 261-8292

Website: unatazacoffee.com

Tuba Baking Co.

Location: 517 Sixth Ave.

Luckily for Northern Kentucky, good coffee is easy to come by; but this Latin- American influenced coffee shop offers flavors that caffeine-seekers would be hard pressed to find anywhere else. Their lattes are finished with designs and were a welcoming warmth on a chilly day. Their featured holiday drink, the Merry Cherry Latte with homemade cherry syrup and white chocolate, was fruity and sweet, and balanced well with the bitterness of the espresso.

Their featured beverages rotate monthly, and they also offer coffee shop staples alongside traditional Latin-inspired drinks, like a dirty horchata, with espresso, white rice milk, pumpkin seeds, cinnamon and sugar. Outside of their drinks, they offer a flavorful menu. Unataza’s cauliflower bowl is their most popular, with cumin-dusted cauliflower rice, topped with queso, grilled sweet potatoes, cherry tomatoes, and their house made black bean salsa, then finished with cilantro and lime.

For those who don’t know, spätzle may look like noodles but are closer to dumplings, made from eggs and flour, and pair perfectly with schnitzel – a chicken thigh pounded, crusted in sourdough pretzel bread crumbs, and cooked until crunchy. One might compare it to a smaller version of a giant fried tenderloin.

The biergarten offers an inviting space to enjoy in the summer months, when outdoor dining is at its height.

Galactic Fried Chicken

Kentucky is well-known worldwide for bourbon and fried chicken. For those seeking juicy, crunchy fried chicken, skip the drive thru and go to Galactic Fried Chicken.

The foundation of the menu is simple: fried chicken, and jackfruit nuggets for vegetarians. (Jackfruit is an Asian tree fruit with a meaty texture that is often used as a substitute for chicken or pork in vegetarian recipes.)

Hours: Friday to Saturday, 12-9 p.m.; Sundays 12-7 p.m.

Phone: (859) 835-2171

Website: facebook.com/tubabakingco

Galactic Fried Chicken

Hours: 624 Sixth Ave.

Hours: Thursday to Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Phone: (859) 287-7049

Website: galacticfriedchicken.com

Unataza Coffee’s large window welcomes sunshine on a snowy day. Photo by Maria Hehman | LINK nky contributor

The Dayton mural. Photo by Maria Hehman | LINK nky contributor

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR THE ST. CATHERINE SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE

When: Sunday, January 29th 12:45-3pm (following 11:30 mass)

Who: All parishioners, current families, and prospective families are welcome!

Why: The mission of St. Catherine of Siena School is to embrace the Gospel message of Jesus Christ while helping each student reach his/her potential spiritually, physically, and academically, according tho the Catholic faith.

Holy Cross girls repeat in 9th Region All ‘A’ Classic

In dominating fashion, the Holy Cross Indians repeated in the 9th Region All “A” Classic girls tournament at Newport. The Indians won three games by an average of 31 points, toppling Newport Central Catholic, St. Henry, and Ludlow.

Junior post player Julia Hunt was named MVP of the tournament, averaging 15.3 points and 7.3 rebounds in the three games. Aleah Arlinghaus and Nejai Lewis were named to the All-Tournament team.

Holy Cross faces the 14th Region winner in the first round of the All “A” state tournament on January 25 at Eastern Kentucky University at 8:30 a.m.

NKY girls showing out on state stats leaders reports

As promised from last week, the girls statewide stat leaders are filled with players and teams from the NKY area. Whether it be scoring, shooting, rebounding or defense, quite a few rank in the top 10 of the state. Here’s a list of those standouts: Newport Central Catholic’s Caroline Eaglin

is tied for fifth with 23.3 points per game.

Campbell County’s Lillian Enzweiler is ninth in field goal percentage at 60.3%.

Lloyd Memorial’s Sierra McCoin is sixth in the state with 3.2 three-pointers made per game.

Walton-Verona’s Grace Brewer is fourth in the state in rebounding with 12.8 rebounds per game.

St. Henry’s defense is sixth in allowing 37.2 points per game.

Cooper’s plus-26.6 point per game margin leads the state.

Ryle’s 48.7% field goal percentage is fourth. Ryle is also fourth in free throw percentage at 73.6% and leads the state in 3-point percentage 39.7%.

Cooper’s 46.5% field goal percentage is seventh.

Dixie Heights is 10th in free throw percentage at 70.5%, they’re also fourth in 3-point percentage at 36.6%.

Walton-Verona claims Sectional Duels Tournament

The Bearcats won the Sectional Duels tournament at Newport High School on January 7. In a field that consisted of Walton-Verona, Newport, Covington Catholic, Holmes and Western, the top two teams advance to the KYWCA/KHSAA State Duals on January 28 at Nelson County.

Walton-Verona defeated Newport 72-6 in the first round, Covington Catholic 49-

NORTHERN KENTUCKY SELECTS

12 in the second round, Western 66-12 in the third round, and Holmes 51-24 to win the sectional championship and all four matches.

January NKY HOF class inducts five

Five new members were inducted into the Northern Kentucky Hall of Fame on January 18 at the Gardens of Park Hills.

The five inductees are: Mike Lewis - Ludlow, Alan Sullivan - Conner/Boone County, Greg Menetrey - Campbell County, Mike Cruetzinger - Ludlow and Jim WihebrinkDayton.

Lewis threw 96 touchdowns during his career with the Panthers, was a four-year NKAC All-Star and named NKY Class A Player of the Year in 2004. He was the first player from Ludlow to rush for 1,000 yards and pass for 2,000 yards in a single season. Lewis was also a four-year starter on the hardwood, winning the Ninth Region Defensive Player of the Year. He went on to continue his football career at Georgetown College, a three-year starter, finishing in the top 10 in 10 different passing categories.

Sullivan has been a coach, umpire, scorekeeper or clock operator in NKY in some capacity for 50-plus years from knothole baseball to girls softball to basketball. He was an assistant on Conner’s softball team for 18 years, umpired knothole baseball for over 50 years and was a basketball referee in Boone County leagues. He’s also run the scoreboard or clock for 20 years at Boone County and also did so at Conner. Menetrey held eight different school re-

cords by the time he finished his high school career at Campbell County. He was an honorable mention All-State in 1973 and second team All-State in ‘74. His 14.7 yards per carry still stands up in the Caels record books. On the diamond, he tossed two no-hitters and also ran track. Menetrey also coached eight years in Alexandria, and was later named to the Campbell County High School Hall of Fame.

Creutzinger was a two-sport athlete at Ludlow in football and basketball and named Athlete of the Year at the school in 1967. As a defensive back he was named honorable mention in NKY. He taught and coached from 1972-2007 at Finneytown High School. He also coached at Mason High School from 2009-13 and Mosheim Middle School from 2015-19.

Wihebrink started his coaching career at Dayton in 1968 with the linebackers and then went on to coach track at Purcell, Dixie Heights and Lima Catholic, where he also served as an assistant football coach, holding the same titles at Forest Park High School. In 1977, he returned to Kentucky to coach track and cross country at Boone County for 20 years and was named NKAC Coach of the Year four times. His coaching record with the boys was 825-496 and for the girls was 733-564. His track and field record was 1,302-399.

Randy Marsh was the guest speaker. Marsh, a Covington native and member of the NKY Sports HOF, was a Major League Baseball umpire from 1981-2009. Marsh umpired in the World Series five times and served as crew chief three times.

Presented by:

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

Holy Cross defeated Newport Central Catholic, St. Henry and Ludlow on their way to another 9th Region All “A” title. Photo provided | Holy Cross athletics