LINK Kenton Reader -Volume 1, Issue 10 - January 27, 2023

NKY theater scene: Challenging beliefs about what art can be

What we can learn from

When is a bar not just a bar?

A new gin joint in Mainstrasse

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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Local theater scene challenging beliefs on what art can be

HALEY PARNELL | LINK nky REPORTER

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.

on the cover

Will Hiner, a Beechwood sophomore playing Jack in the musical, works on prop construction with his dad. Photo

by Abigail Shoyat | LINK nky contributor

“While you stand back waiting for your entrance, usually right at the worst possible time, you’ll suddenly need to pee,” actor and producer at Village Players of Fort Thomas Jen Fischer Davis said. “It’s a given.” Fischer Davis has taken on just about every role possible in the theater productions she’s been a part of here in Northern Kentucky.

If you want to see a theatrical production on any given weekend, you can find something in NKY; at least, that’s what theater lover Laura Berkemeier said. She would know—she visits local productions twice a month and has even dabbled in a few shows.

The consensus among locals involved in the Northern Kentucky theater scene is that it is vibrant, with diverse production.

Want to catch a musical? You can do so at Covington’s semi-professional theater,

The Carnegie. Want to see a musical but in a more intimate setting? Try Newport’s community theater, Footlighters. If musicals aren’t your thing, the Falcon Theater in Newport offers edgier shows, and the Village Players of Fort Thomas has held plays for nearly 60 years in its intimate performance space.

Northern Kentucky theaters are filled with local talent who often wear many hats, such as Fort Wright native Amanda Shumate, a producer, director, actor, and sometimes choreographer at Footlighters. Shumate is – down to the nitty-gritty – a lover of performing arts in the region. She is, like all the people who invest their free time in local community theater, a volunteer.

Fischer Davis takes on a similar role at Village Players of Fort Thomas. She has mostly produced and acted but has written and done stage management work in these community theater all-hands-on-deck

productions.

Before Fischer Davis became involved with the Village Players of Fort Thomas in 2016, it was an unfamiliar name to her. She had gone to Northern Kentucky University for theater, but despite being 100 percent convinced she was going to Broadway in high school, she had yet to do much with her degree up to that point.

Now, seven years later, she is involved in a little bit of everything the theater offers. Her favorite production she was involved in is “The Last Five Years,” which she produced in the fall of 2021.

Like Fischer Davis, everyone at Village Players of Fort Thomas is a volunteer and they’re all local. She said they want to be a place where new talent can come in and get opportunities that they couldn’t elsewhere because of a lack of experience.

Actors in The Carnegie’s RENT perform last summer.

Photo provided | Mikki Schaffner

Continued from page 3

They have experts who are heavily involved in the theater and are willing to take someone under their wing to learn the industry.

“Some of the folks who do this stuff volunteer for community theaters and are professionals in their fields,” Fischer Davis said. “They teach lighting or sound design at local colleges and high schools and things like that.”

One person who fits that mold is Amanda Borchers. Borchers is the theater director and costumer at Beechwood High School, and she does costuming for local productions around the region.

Her most recent work was for The Carnegie, designing costumes for “American Idiot,” which was a paid gig. She has also volunteered for Footlighters, doing the costumes for “Jacqueline Hyde” and “All Shook Up,” and has volunteered for Village Players of Fort Thomas.

Borchers has been at Beechwood High

School for the past seven years. She said she tries to impress upon the students the same thing her high school director imposed on her—to learn more than one aspect of the performing arts. She said students must meet a certain number of volunteer hours on set, whether it’s in costumes, marketing, or working on social media.

They also have character conferences where they sit down with the students and teach them how to read a script and pick it apart. They analyze the character’s emotions, physical characteristics, and what relationships they might have with other characters.

“It’s not like you’re just walking around going to Walmart or something,” Borchers said. “There are some creepy characters that have to have physical gestures that underscore that.”

That character work is similar to what community and semi-professional theater actors do.

Before becoming the theatergoer she is today, Berkemeier can still remember seeing her first show when she was in middle school: “The King and I,” put on by the Aronoff Center for the Arts in Cincinnati.

“It was just such a cool experience that I started wanting to explore that more and see more and then maybe even participate,” Berkemeier said.

She attended Thomas More University for theater and said she was on stage from her freshman year, participating in every show they produced.

“I really was able to sink my teeth in, get my feet wet, learn all of the ins and outs of theatrical production, and that was another great thing about that program was we learned everything,” Berkemeier said. “We didn’t just learn how to act or learn how to direct. We learned how to do stage management, lighting, design, sound, publicity, everything was owned or touched by students.”

She said that bleeds into what she does now in community theater. With everything being voluntary, she said the skills she learned at a young age helped her to produce shows with little to no help.

Berkemeier has done work for the Village Players of Fort Thomas and Footlighters, as well as some Cincinnati-based theaters, but her favorite show she has been a part of was “Barefoot in the Park”—her first lead role at Thomas More.

A day in the life

Local talent is in the mix, even at semi-professional level theaters such as The Carnegie. The theater named Northern Kentucky native Tyler Gabbard as their Theater Director last November. Gabbard attended New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where he focused on Theatre Management and Scenic Design.

Theaters like The Carnegie hire staff members, and they are paid positions. Like community theaters, these local semi-pro-

A volunteer helps construct the set of Beechwood’s spring musical “Into the Woods” running in early March.

Photo by Abigail Shoyat | LINK nky contributor

Director Amanda Borchers works on Taylor Phelp’s costume for her role as Cinderella in the Beechwood spring musical “Into the Woods.” Photo by Abigail Shoyat | LINK nky contributor

fessional theaters rely on many people to make a show come together.

“I’m just kind of like the little air traffic controller, not the one actually flying the plane but just making sure everyone gets where they need to be, that they’re on time and avoid any crisis that arises,” Gabbard said.

He said these performances transport him to another world. Like Berkemeier, Gabbard still remembers his first live show.

“Seeing shows when I was younger, I remember particular ones being transportive; they take you to another world,” Gabbard said. “Even as a kid, that’s really exciting, and maybe even more so as a kid. One of the earliest I remember seeing is The Wizard of Oz. That was full of magic. And ever since then. It kind of one-track mind I really started getting into soon thereafter, and it’s all I’ve done since then.”

Gabbard said theater brings a community together. He said everyone is the same when you’re watching a show, enjoying the experience together.

“You’re laughing at the same thing and getting emotional at the same thing. There is this togetherness, and it can help bridge some divides that exist,” Gabbard said. “And it’s also a chance to practice empathy; see people on stage and their different stories and learn a little bit more about people outside of our own little bubbles that we live in.”

Shumate has been involved with Footlighters since 2004. Her first role was in “The Full Monty” in 2010. She has since been involved in numerous productions like “Footloose,” “Light in the Piazza,” “The Producers,” “Picnic,” “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “Hair.”

In between her onstage performances, she dabbled in producing, choreographing, or directing as one does in community theater.

Shumate made her directing debut at Footlighters in 2014 for the musical comedy “Murders.” She returned in 2017 to direct Jekyll & Hyde, and most recently, she directed “Pippin” for the theater last fall.

Shumate said the theater had introduced her to some of her best friends.

“I was even introduced to my partner, Kyle, after performing with his sister in Footloose, and she introduced us,” Shumate said. “We were married two years later.”

As with many people in the business who wear different hats, she can’t decide if she loves being on stage or behind the stage better. She does have one story she loves to tell about her time directing.

“I found out I was pregnant both times at the same time that I found out I was being offered the opportunity to direct two of the shows,” Shumate said. “So, I gave birth to my son Jojo in 2017, then directed a show while carrying a newborn around the theater. Then this past year, the same thing happened with my son Nico. I had Nico in April 2022 and began directing that summer for our fall show of ‘Pippin.’”

Shumate encourages people to support the arts by volunteering or attending shows. She said asking your local theater group is a way to start.

“They are always willing to bring on helping hands to build sets, paint, create costumes, design websites, clean theater spaces, hand out programs, sell tickets, work concession stands and even perform. Even if you have never done something, there are individuals who want to teach and help grow each group.”

For those involved directly and who go to watch a live performance, arts and culture bring vibrancy to a community while challenging the viewer or experiencing laughter together.

“I think it challenges us to deal with some complicated themes and face them head on, sometimes with humor, sometimes with tears, sometimes with just an unapologetic look and really challenges the norm and then allows us to make different choices going forward,” Borchers said. “In a way that the conversation feels approachable.”

Fischer Davis agrees. She said the theater allows us to challenge our thinking.

“I think when you have cultural arts, it gives people a place to go and think and challenge their beliefs,” she said. “I’m not even getting into religion or politics or anything like that. Even their beliefs about what art can be.”

What to know before you go:

The Carnegie in Covington

Address: 1028 Scott St. in Covington

Phone: 859-491-2030

Website: thecarnegie.com

Falcon Theater

Address: 636 Monmouth St. in Newport

Phone: 513-479-6783

Website: falcontheater.net

Footlighters

Address: 802 York St. in Newport

Phone: 859-652-3849

Website: footlighters.org

Village Players of Fort Thomas

Address: 8 North Fort Thomas Ave. in Fort Thomas

Phone: 859-240-7897

Website: villageplayers.org

Presenting Sponsor:

Bourbon Sponsor: Venue Sponsor:

Actors rehearse for The Carnegie’s Singin’ in the Rain performance. Photo provided | The Carnegie

1968 vs. 2023: Book project to explore historic year and today’s turmoil

BOOK PROJECT TO EXPLORE NORTHERN KENTUCKY IN 1968

RICK ROBINSON | LINK nky GUEST AUTHOR

Rick Robinson is a local author who is writing a book based on life in Northern Kentucky in 1968 and what we can learn now. LINK will publish excerpts from the book regularly in the LINK Reader, as well as on linknky.com.

I’ve always been obsessed with 1968.

I have read more books detailing, watched more documentaries about and listened to more music made in 1968 than any other year of my existence here on earth.

It was truly a defining year for America. Nightly body counts from half a world away

filled the news and evening dinner discussions. Thanks to the Tet Offensive and the May Offensive, 1968 was Vietnam’s deadliest year. Robert Kennedy and Reverend Martin Luther King were shot down for their beliefs. Racial strife poured into the streets. The Beatles owned the airwaves. Elvis Presley and Richard Nixon made big comebacks. Kentucky Derby winner Dancer’s Image had a drug problem and O.J Simpson won the Heisman Trophy.

Locally, the now demolished Internal Revenue Service Center was new. There were just over 1.2 million passengers flying out of Greater Cincinnati Airport (compared to over 7 million in 2022). Clay Wade Bailey was a reporter, not a bridge.

Best of times? Worst of times? A little of both?

Today America faces political and civil unrest not seen since 1968. Factions on the left and right all believe the country is going to Hell in a handbasket. When voices from either side have approached me with their doomsday democracy scenarios, I have found myself cautioning: “Well, it ain’t 1968.”

Recently I began to question my bold declaration.

In 1968, I was 10 years old. While my memories of certain

events that year are quite vivid, they are few in number.

I remember walking home from Vacation Bible School at Bromley Christian Church with my cousin Cindy to watch Robert Kennedy’s funeral procession on Grandma Luella’s black and white Zenith console.

I clearly recall my dad, Bucky Robinson, explaining to me why he could not take me to see a Disney movie one weekend for fear of unrest resulting from the death of Dr. King.

Past those events, everything else is a bit fuzzy. Truthfully, my obsession with 1968 revolves around images others have embedded in my brain. At 10 years old, I wasn’t paying attention to the riots at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Vietnam was a place where my older sisters’ friends were afraid of being sent.

This year, my intellectual curiosity got the best of me. Was 1968 so bad to deserve comparison to today’s turmoil?

I grew up in Ludlow and Bromley. What really happened in 1968 in the confines of my small world and beyond the floodwall guarding it? Did Northern Kentucky mirror the nation? Or did we as a community ignore it? I decided to read a year’s worth of newspapers to find out.

The newspaper research was especially eye-opening. “Woke” and “politically correct” are not modern terms one would

use to describe print journalism in 1968. Headlines referred to Guys and Gals. There was a section in the newspaper for women providing recipes and other sage marriage advice. The enemy in Vietnam were “Reds,” “Commies,” and “Charley.”

Also of interest at the time was the frequency of one-paragraph news stories explaining things like how a chimney was damaged in a local fire or how one man calling another man a bad name at a bar resulted in a $25.00 fine. I even read the ads. Did you know in 1968 a new Ford pickup truck cost $1899.00?

After reading one month’s work of stories, I backtracked and started to chronicle my effort. The result will be a book about life in Northern Kentucky in 1968. You’ll be able to read excerpts of that book here, in the pages of LINK.

For the final book, the newspaper review will be supplemented by interviews, oral histories, and information from other sources. If you are interested in sharing a particular remembrance of 1968, email me at neverleavefish@gmail.com.

To read the first excerpt of Robinson’s 1968 book, scan this QR code

Former Kentucky Gov. Louie Nunn taking the oath of office. Read more about Nunn in the first chapter of Robinson’s book by scanning the QR code. Photo provided | Kenton County Public Library

When is a bar not just a bar?

MEGHAN GOTH | LINK nky MANAGING EDITOR

Attorneys representing now-shuttered Bourbon Haus owners Dave and Tammy Brumfield and their landlord, Kim Wolf, appeared in Kenton Circuit Court Jan. 17 for a hearing in a lawsuit that has been going on for almost a year.

The Brumfields have been in an ongoing feud with Wolf and Paddy’s on Main owner Chris Estano, whose bar shares a common wall with the space where Bourbon Haus formerly operated. The bars, at 520 and 522 Main Street in Mainstrasse, have been feuding over music, air conditioners – and now the wooden bar – since soon after Estano moved into 520 Main in mid 2021.

The feuds were put on full public display Jan. 1, when the Brumfields posted on Facebook that they would be permanently closing the bar. The Brumfields pointed the finger at Estano and Wolf in the post — Estano for essentially what they called being a bad neighbor (Estano denies all accusations) and Wolf, who they say reneged on their lease agreement (Wolf also denies all accusations).

But it turns out neither directly caused the bar’s closure. In the end, it came down to a liquor license.

The exchange in court Jan. 17 between both parties’ attorneys was a microcosm of the ongoing dispute between the Brumfields and Wolf, which began when the landlord informed the owners of Bourbon Haus she wouldn’t be renewing their lease at 522 Main St. in Mainstrasse in January of 2022.

“Are they moved out?” Judge Mary Malloy asked the Brumfields’ attorney, Katy Lawrence at the hearing, referring to whether

the Brumfields had moved their business out of 522 Main.

“They are with the exception of the bar,” Lawrence replied.

“So does that mean they’re out?” said Ryan Hemmerle, representing Wolf.

“With the exception of the bar,” Lawrence said.

“So has possession been returned to JKB?” Hemmerle asked. JKB Properties is the LLC that owns the bar – that LLC is registered to Wolf.

Lawrence said she didn’t believe so.

“Either they’re out or they’re not,” Malloy said.

The physical wooden bar has been a point of contention as the Brumfields have closed Bourbon Haus. The Brumfields say the bar belongs to them; Wolf said, in court documents, that the bar is considered a fixture and, per the lease agreement, is part of the building itself.

Hemmerle said Malloy ruled the bar was a fixture, but will write her official decision in the next week or so.

The hearing lasted only minutes, and Hemmerle said afterward that he was “pleased the judge has vindicated our rights. We are looking forward to a speedy resolution.”

In a conversation with LINK, Tammy Brumfield said Wolf “was demanding that we leave our 150-year-old antique bar, which was deemed to be a piece of furniture that was owned by us.”

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The Brumfields’ original dispute with Wolf is centered around the Brumfields’ understanding that continuing to pay the $1,200 monthly rent as outlined in a November 2016 lease agreement after that lease expired in January of 2018 implied that the lease was extended for a year — and so on each January.

According to court documents, when Wolf advised the Brumfields in early 2022 that she was selling the building, the Brumfields’ attorney sent Wolf a letter stating the Brumfields had an implied year long lease and should be able to stay in the building until Jan. 15, 2023.

LINK nky obtained a copy of the original lease, which states that if the Brumfields wanted to extend its terms for another year, the Brumfields needed to give written notice to Wolf at least 30 days prior to the lease expiration.

Wolf never received anything in writing, according to a letter her attorney wrote the Brumfields’ attorney in January 2022.

The Brumfields were forced to vacate late last year — but technically, it had nothing to do with Estano or Wolf. Since they didn’t have a valid lease agreement, the City of Covington didn’t renew their liquor license, making them unable to serve alcohol after Nov. 30, 2022, according to Dan Hassert, Covington’s communication manager.

Kentucky law requires establishments to have both a local and state liquor license. The Brumfields had a valid state liquor license, and Tammy Brumfield said they were under the impression that the state would overturn the decision at the city level.

100+ drug drop boxes locally, find one near you

Paddy’s on Main, left, and the former Bourbon Haus, right. Photo by Alecia Ricker | LINK nky

Bike lane advocates show support at Covington meeting — a week too early

It took one minute and 36 seconds for the Covington Board of Commissioners to agree to put discussion of the Tri-State Trails Bicycle Transportation Plan on the agenda for their next commission meeting.

Advocates have pushed for better infrastructure for cyclists in Covington and Newport following the death of Gloria San Miguel, who was cycling on the 11th Street bridge between the two cities when she was struck and killed by a motorist.

of the bridge to a physically protected twoway bike lane,” Butler said in an email. “In addition, Devou Good is proposing to fund the creation of a bike plan for Newport and Covington.”

However, the meeting was a caucus meeting, where public comment is not allowed, so Covington Mayor Joe Meyer paused things to make sure the crowd knew this.

the best

Meyer urged everyone who came to the caucus meeting to come to the commission meeting a week later.

Coffee talk: Mayor offers meetup at Ludlow Coffee

The next “Conversations with Chris” will be held Feb. 16 at Ludlow Coffee, 630 Elm St, Ludlow.

One person wounded in Covington shooting

One person was taken to the hospital after a shooting in Covington on Jan. 14.

Covington’s Lt. Justin Bradbury said the person was shot around 2:30 a.m. that Saturday near the 600 block of Main Street. Their injuries, Bradbury said, were not life threatening.

Police said the victim was transported to UC Medical Center for treatment.

transport users into a new universe. For curious Northern Kentuckians, VR technology gave an up-close viewing experience to one of the region’s most anticipated real estate developments.

Hub+Weber, the architecture firm behind the Covington Central Riverfront Project, hosted a virtual walkthrough of the development at their offices this month. Attendees were able to utilize virtual reality technology like the Oculus Rift and Google Cardboard headsets to get an immersive experience.

Matt Butler, president of the Devou Good Foundation, was encouraging people to come to the meeting to speak in support of a plan to make Newport and Covington more pedestrian and cyclist friendly.

“Tri-State Trails, Cities of Newport and Covington, KYTC, and Devou Good Foundation are working with an outside engineering firm to repurpose one drive lane

Ludlow Mayor Chris Wright is hosting “Conversations with Mayor Chris” at a local coffee shop on the third Thursday of every month.

The informal meet and greet at Ludlow Coffee offers residents a chance to catch up with the Mayor on events and issues in the community.

Officers located all the involved parties and said the investigation is ongoing. No suspects have been charged at this time.

Firm gives virtual tour of Covington Central Riverfront Project

Slipping on a virtual reality headset can

With the headset on, users navigated the riverfront and perused the streets next to planned commercial spaces and apartments. The Oculus allowed users to observe the new buildings and streetscapes up close. There was also a “fly” mode which would transport viewers up into the sky, allowing them to look down on the development’s vast landscape.

On Dec. 15, the City of Covington released official renderings and an accompanying video fly-through.

In June 2022, KZF Design Inc. was chosen to lead the team of architects, engineers, urban planners and consultants. KZF Design will manage 11 partner firms during the project. This includes the restoration of infrastructure such as the street grid, sidewalks, water lines and storm sewers.

O’Rourke Wrecking completed the demolition of the former IRS site in late 2022, clearing the way for construction to begin.

Nader welcomed as new Fort Mitchell police chief:

looks great on you’

Fort Mitchell welcomed its new police chief, Rob Nader, at its meeting this week. Nader was appointed in November 2022.

Nader, who spent 25 years as a Covington police officer, replaces Andrew Schierberg, who retired in November.

During his first police department report to the Fort Mitchell City Council, Nader said he has spent the last month going on ridealongs with fellow officers to get to know his team and the city from a police perspective. Nader mentioned that he’s been having a lot of fun meeting everyone in the department.

Nader also said that he worked the night of the ice storm in December, and he said the city handled the severe weather very well.

Nader, a Covington native, served as Covington’s police chief from 2017 to 2022. While Covington has a larger population than Fort Mitchell and sees more police calls, Nader said, he primarily learned from small-town police chiefs.

As a current Fort Mitchell resident, Nader said he loves the city’s “urban feel with village neighborhoods,” where people rely on their neighbors and form tight-knit communities.

He’s already gotten a chance to interact with these small communities. The Fort Mitchell Police Department receives many complaints and concerns about intersections along Dixie Highway where traffic can be fast-paced and dangerous, he said.

Nader said he was walking his dog near one such intersection the other day when he saw one of his officers pull over a driver.

So, when Nader received a complaint about traffic on Dixie Highway later that day, he was pleased to be able to tell the citizen that his officers were already working on addressing the situation.

This is just one example of Nader being “excited to get started,” in his own words, and taking the initiative to demonstrate that.

After Nader’s first Council report on current functions of the Fort Mitchell Police Department, Councilmember Jerry Deatherage remarked “the uniform looks great on you.”

Covington school board avoids topic of newly elected Edelen’s unrenewed teacher contract

Former Covington teacher Hannah Edelen did not speak about a WCPO article detailing the nonrenewal of her teaching contract during January’s school board meeting.

Edelen, who is a newly elected school board member, passed out pamphlets addressing the article at the January meeting.

In May 2022, Covington Superintendent Alvin Garrison wrote a letter to Edelson, explaining her contract to teach at Holmes Middle School was not renewed. Edelson, who is also Miss Kentucky 2022, is now also one of five school board members who have direct supervisory responsibility for Garrison.

The pamphlets said “the allegations contained in the non-renewal are false and unsubstantiated as evidenced by the personnel file.”

Garrison did not comment on the matter at the meeting, but he told media “We value the unique talents and perspectives that each elected board official brings to the table, and as district employees we are excited to work with the board as a team in furtherance of the educational mission of the school district.”

Other board members declined to comment.

A property with Southern charm in Fort Mitchell

Address: 38 Fort Mitchell Ave.

Price: $875,000

Beds: 4

Bath: 3.5

Sqft: 2,988 on 0.4 acres

School district: Beechwood Independent School District

County: Kenton

Special features: This four-story home has been renovated with modern amenities while maintaining its historic character. The primary bedroom offers a service bar, soaking tub, walk-in shower, and French doors that lead to a balcony that overlooks the yard and nearby Iris Park. Mature trees offer privacy around the balcony and the rest of the home, while grand columns create symmetry and a statement at the home’s entrance.

WHO YOU’RE WITH MATTERS

An exterior view of this Fort Mitchell home. Photo provided | Save Direct Realty

Board and batten decorate this formal dining room inside this Fort Mitchell home. Photo provided | Save Direct Realty

A clawfoot tub is the centerpiece of the primary bathroom. Photo provided | Save Direct Realty

Mayor Wilbur continues canine Rabbit Hash tradition: ‘In our elections, anybody can vote’

During the 2020 election, a whopping 22,985 voters came out, setting a Rabbit Hash record and proving just how crucial this dog-eat-dog race was.

Wilbur, the French bulldog, upset the incumbent, Brynneth Pawltrow, a pitbull, in a canine mayoral race that has been going strong for roughly 25 years.

In 1997, it was Boone County’s 200th anniversary. All the local municipalities were asked to do something to honor this milestone. Around the same time, the Rabbit Hash Historical Society was renovating a church and needed money. They decided to combine the two, the anniversary and church renovation, and create a fundraiser for the area.

“We decided that the rules of the election would be that anyone can run and you’d have to pay $1 a vote,” said Bobbi Layne-Kayser, vice president of the Rabbit Hash Historical Society. “And whoever earned the most money got to be mayor of Rabbit Hash. So of course there were locals in the race and then somebody thought that their dog would make a better mayor than anybody on the list.”

After a while, a lot of people thought that their dogs would also make for the best mayoral candidate, and the election took off. Mayoral submissions were being sent in from places as far as Japan, and people were voting from all over the world.

“In our elections, anybody can vote,” said Layne-Kayser. “You don’t have to live down here. Any age can vote, whether you’re two, 10 or 30 or 50, you can vote as many times as you want.”

The first-ever mayor of Rabbit Hash, Goofy, followed by Junior Cochran, a black lab, and then Lucy Lou, who was elected as Rabbit Hash’s first-ever female mayor.

Lucy Lou also had an active presence within the Women’s Shelter, was active in the community and online. During her term,

a fire ravaged the Rabbit Hash General Store causing damage that would require $400,000 to repair.

“Since in the past, our mayor elections had been our largest fundraisers, Lucy Lou decided to step down and institute term limits,” Layne-Kayser said.

It was decided that Rabbit Hash mayoral term limits would mirror those of U.S. Presidential limits.

“We think our elections are important because they’re worldwide,” Layne-Kayser said. “We literally get votes from Japan, Denmark, Germany and Australia, and then people from those countries actually come to our town to see who they voted for.”

Bringing people together to support a small county’s tradition is what the mayor’s of Rabbit Hash do best.

Proceeds of HighlandsCovCath to benefit student battling cancer

The Covington Catholic Colonels and Highlands Bluebirds and the host, the Holmes Bulldogs, are all teaming up for Covington Catholic senior Thomas Burns.

Burns is battling Ewing Sarcoma, a rare form of cancer that primarily attacks the bones. The proceeds from the basketball game between Covington Catholic and Highlands will go toward his treatments.

“The Holmes administration has been great,” Covington Catholic Director of Athletics Tony Bacigalupo said. “They knew that when I approached them in terms of anticipated attendance, they jumped right on board. This was simply a decision based upon the support that was shown from

the Fort Thomas community and from our own Covington Catholic community. It was nothing to do with basketball. It was everything to do with supporting Thomas.”

Burns is a lacrosse player at CovCath. The CovCath students continually support the teams forming the student section known as the Colonel Crazies.

“It’s about a kid at 17, 18 years old having to deal with cancer treatments, diagnosis of cancer and radiation treatments. It’s an unprecedented situation that we hope in some small way can help him through it,” said Scott Ruthsatz, CovCath head coach. “The social disconnect he’s had with being a normal kid that goes to school, is in class with his buddies, is eating lunch and hanging out afterwards. Those days have been pretty much gone for him this year. This is a way for us to show we haven’t forgotten about him and that we’re praying for him.”

Highlands head coach Kevin Listerman has been on both sides of this rivalry. Listerman played on the 1992 region championship CovCath team and led the Bluebirds to the region and state championship two years ago. The two have combined to win the last five region crowns. CovCath won its second state championship in 2018.

“It’s what Northern Kentucky is known for,” Listerman said. “Even though we compete really hard in a lot of gyms, it’s about treating people the right way and understanding that there are other things bigger than basketball or sports. It’s really neat that we get to participate in this event.”

Wise Guys spotted in Covington

Continues on page 12

Robert DeNiro and film crews were in Covington on Pike and Eighth streets to film the upcoming gangster movie “Wise Guys.”

Wilbur, the current Rabbit Hash Mayor, travels around the county to promote the Rabbit Hash store. Photo provided | Mayor Wilbur Facebook

Cars line West Pike Street in Covington as crews set up to film for the movie “Wise Guys” starring Robert DeNiro. Photo by Alecia Ricker | LINK nky

Where is the best place to eat in Northern Kentucky?

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Each week, LINK nky goes to social media to hear what the community has to say on topics directly impacting the region. This week, we reached out to readers through the LINK nky Facebook page.

Samantha Richards: The Hive - East Coast Kitchen & Coffee Bar in Erlanger! I have some dietary restrictions and they have so much on the menu I can still eat and drink. The gluten free French toast and the vanilla oat milk latte are a must!

Betty Douglas: Bouquet, Otto’s, The Hitching post

Norma Oliver: Rich’s Proper Food & Drink! Delicious, unique and creative foods. Great drinks!

Vickie Carr: Greyhound

Jeanne Buring: Otto’s

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A variety of locations around the city will stand in for the Barry Levinson-directed film of the 1957 tale of feuding mob family patriarchs Frank Costello and Vito Genovese, according to IMDB.com.

The Oscar winner takes his roles seriously, and Wise Guys will likely be no exception. In preparation for his role in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather Part II, DeNiro spent four months in Sicily learning the regional dialect to prepare for his turn as the young Vito Corleone.

Community Calendar

Here’s a list of upcoming public meetings and events. Please note, meeting times and dates are subject to change. Check websites, Facebook pages or with the organizers for the most up-to-date information.

Jan. 27 to Feb. 4

Boone County

Jan 31: Boone County Fiscal Court Meeting, 8:30 a.m., Boone County Administration

Building, 2950 Washington St., Burlington

Feb. 2: Smartphone Photography, 6:30 p.m., Boone County Library Main Branch, 1786 Burlington Pike, Burlington. (For details, go to bcpl.org; registration necessary. Continues on Feb. 9)

Campbell County

Feb. 1: Campbell County Fiscal Court Meeting, 9:30 a.m., Alexandria Courthouse, 8352 E. Main St., Alexandria

Feb. 1: Last Day for Holiday Lights Recycling, all day, Campbell County Administration Building, 1098 Monmouth St., Newport, and multiple locations. (Contact SolidWaste@campbellcountyky.gov or call 859547-1866.)

Kenton County

Feb. 3: Black History Month: Adventures in the Archives, 2 p.m., online event for Kenton County Public Library on YouTube or see “Kenton Library Archives” on Facebook. (more info, contact Cierra Earl at 859-9624070 or history@kentonlibrary.org.)

Streetscapes: A bar crawl through Mainstrasse’s West Sixth Street

STORY AND PHOTOS BY MARIA HEHMAN | LINK nky CONTRIBUTOR

Come with me on a bar crawl through Mainstrasse’s West Sixth Street.

Greenhouse Bar

Formerly Pachinko’s, this bar has gone through a major transformation the past three years. What used to be a shoulder to shoulder establishment with loud music and dancing has changed their concept to attract a wider variety of people. My first time here, it was unrecognizable. Live plants hang above the bar while the entire space is painted fifty shades of green and accented with rattan light fixtures. You’ll feel as if you stepped out of cold NKY into sunny and coastal California.

They offer your bar essentials of beer, seltzer and wine in can form, but what they are best known for is their creative cocktails. They rotate specialty cocktails with the season and often do cocktail naming contests on their social media accounts. Blueberry Basil Bubbles is among their

most beautiful and refreshing drinks, which is a combination of blueberries and champagne garnished with basil. Or their namesake beverage, the Greenhouse, with vodka, lavender and lemonade served in an adult juice box.

This place couldn’t be any more fun.

Juniper’s

If you’re looking for the new kid on the block, look no further than Juniper’s, which just opened a few weeks ago. A friend of mine is a gin connoisseur and had heard through the gin-vine that there was a new bar specializing in gin drinks. So we paid a visit on their debut weekend.

Under the giant John R. Green sign, this cocktail lounge doesn’t scream its name, but they have a sign outside signaling patrons of the new establishment.

Inside, patrons were enjoying a drink in the serene atmosphere. Like Greenhouse, the interior is predominantly green (my favorite color) which complimented the scholastic décor.

Juniper’s transports you back to the prohibition era; you may even see the ghost of Ernest Hemingway in the corner. Hemingway was a rum man, but would have made an exception for the drinks at Juniper’s.

Cock and Bull

A Mainstrasse staple, Cock and Bull has long been a place for beer drinkers to step into a British Pub for a few hours. Their food menu, a mix of American and British staples, is equally as impressive as

their drinks. But after all, this is a bar crawl, and we’re focusing on the libations.

Cock and Bull offers bar essentials, but when it comes to beer, they may be the best spot in Mainstrasse. They have everything from Ales to IPAs to Lagers, Ciders and Stouts that range from locally loved breweries like Braxton to international icons like Guinness.

Much more of a true bar feel, you can root on the Bengals and make some friends with the fans next to you at Cock and Bull. This is one of the busiest bars, especially on game days, but always has an unmatched atmosphere.

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 before you go:

Greenhouse Bar

Address: 424 West Sixth St. in Covington Phone: 859-431-6400

Website: greenhousebarcov.com

Hours: Closed Monday; 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday

Juniper’s

Address: 409 West Sixth St. in Covington Phone: 859-291-4466

Website: bit.ly/3CTNnjq

Hours: 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday; closed Sunday and Monday

Cock and Bull

Address: 601 Main St. in Covington Phone: 859-581-4253

Website: cockandbullcincinnati.com/

Hours: 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Sunday

Aperol Spritz and The Greenhouse at Greenhouse in MainStrasse.

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 repeats in All “A”

record as the head of the Indians. The Indians will head down to Eastern Kentucky University to play the 14-5 Danville Admirals on January 26th in the first round of the All-A state tournament.

The rest of the All-Tournament team was: Newport’s Marquez Miller and Taylen Kinney, St. Henry’s Jack Grayson, Ludlow’s Jaxson Rice, Beechwood’s Cameron Boyd, Bellevue’s Zach Mertens, Newport Central Catholic’s Ian Mann and Villa Madonna’s Henry Thole.

Aric Russell becomes Campbell County’s All-time wins leader

titles, including nine straight. All four of Russell’s 10th region titles have come since 2014. Russell has built this program from the ground up, developing kids from his feeder schools while not getting much help from outside transfers.

Bishop Brossart claims boys and girls 10th Region All “A” titles

an overtime victory in the first round over Nicholas County before cruising in their final two matchups to claim the title.

After a 61-55 victory in the first round, the Mustangs outscored their next two opponents 148-78 in victories over Calvary Christian and Paris. In the championship game, the Mustangs shot 62 percent from the field and had five seniors in double figures led by Logan Woosley with 20 points. Luke Schumacher had 13, Brandon Bezold with 12, Anthony Kruse 11 and Mason Sepate finishing with 10. Senior Logan Worsley shot 77.8% from the field and finished with 20 points. They will play their first-round matchup against 15-2 Hazard.

The Holy Cross Indians boys basketball team defended their 9th region All “A” classic title with a thrilling 74-72 victory over the up-and-coming Newport Wildcats.

With 16 seconds left and a tie game, the Indians gave the ball to their superstar Jacob Meyer. Splitting two different Wildcat double teams, Meyer drove to the basket and finished through contact to give the Indians the lead.

The defense would find one last stand to clinch the victory. Meyer, who led the game with 40 points, was aided by Javier Ward who knocked down four three-pointers to finish the night with 18 points. Sam Gibson, Jacob Smith, Donovan Ambrocio, and Matthew Dreas led the way on defense, holding the Wildcats to 44% shooting and forcing multiple turnovers while also coming up with some clutch baskets.

Meyer was named the MVP, Ward and Smith to the All-Tournament team. Second year coach Casey Sorrell has now won his second consecutive 9th Region All “A” classic tournament to go along with his 32-15

Aric Russell became the winningest coach in Campbell County boys’ basketball history in a recent victory over Lloyd Memorial. Russell earned his 272nd win with the program in his 400th game with the Camels, passing a long-standing record set by L.E. Woolum in the 1940’s.

That win was also his 447th win overall, which is right behind the NKY leader Ken Shields who has 460. Along with setting that record, Coach Russell has also led the Camels to a KHSAA Sweet 16 Final Four appearance, four region titles and 10 district

The “Bishop Brossart Invitational’’ is back.

With both the boys and girls teams winning the 10th Region All “A” Classic Tournaments in Paris, it marks the 16th time since 1997 the boys team has been able to claim the distinction, and the 13th time the girls have won it, including seven of the last 12. The Lady Mustangs went 3-0 in the tournament with wins over Nicholas County and St. Patrick, and beat Bracken County 44-38 to capture the title. Senior Bella Rowe led the way with four three-pointers and finished with 14 points. Senior Molly Kramer also had 11 points and eight rebounds.

They will take on Jackson County in their opening round game of the state tournament. The Mustangs had to come up with

All boys and girls games are played at Eastern Kentucky University’s Alumni Coliseum. LINK will be there, providing up-todate coverage at linknky.com.

Cooper’s archery team wins Camp Ernst MS Shoot Out

The Cooper High School archery team won the nine-team Camp Ernst MS Shoot Out over the weekend with a team score of 3,280 and hitting 149 tens.

They defeated Conner by 63 and Boone County by 89 in claiming first place. Thane Hudleson was the top archer for the Jaguars with a 290 and hitting 20 tens, finishing second. Kayson Stone placed fifth with a 282 and hit 18 tens.

Rayah Wallace and Julia Conley were the top girl finishers for Cooper, Wallace seventh in the overall girls division with a score of 273 and 13 tens. Conley also scored a 273 and 13 tens.

Holy Cross guard Jacob Meyer avoids a charge for a layup during the Indians championship battle with Newport. Brandon Wheeler | LINK nky contributor

Aric Russell owns the all-time wins record at Campbell County now, winning his 272nd game with the program in a recent win over Lloyd Memorial. Evan Dennison | LINK nky

The Bishop Brossart girls’ basketball team won their seventh 10th Region All “A” title in the last 12 years with a recent win over Bracken County. Photo provided

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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.

NORTHERN KENTUCKY SELECTS

The Holy Cross girls basketball team