B-Line announces five new stops

on an international scale.”

The five new stops include Pompilio’s in Newport, Revival Vintage Bottle Shop, Lisse Steakhuis and Knowledge Bar & Social Room in Covington, and Caproni’s on the River in Maysville.

This brings the total number of bars, distilleries and restaurants on the B-Line to 23.

4th Street Bridge project expected to cost $68 million

The B-Line announced on National Bourbon Day that they added five new stops to the self-guided Northern Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

“We launched The B-Line in 2018 as a way to remind people that Northern Kentucky is the gateway to Bourbon Country,” said meetNKY President and CEO Julie Kirkpatrick. “It celebrates the businesses that are passionate about being part of the Commonwealth’s rich bourbon heritage, representing and elevating Northern Kentucky

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet gave an update on the progress of the 4th Street Bridge replacement project at the Newport City Commission meeting June 12.

A representative from the cabinet brought the commission up to speed on their plans for the bridge’s design, answered questions from commissioners and discussed ways the public could stay informed.

“Nothing on this project is typical,” Project Manager Mike Bezold said during the question and answer portion of his presentation. “We have made a commitment to make a signature structure in this area that is aesthetically pleasing and enhances the area.”

The current bridge was built in the 1930s, and the cabinet has classified it as functionally obsolete, although heavy vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle traffic continue to travel over the bridge daily.

Functionally obsolete bridges are those that do not have adequate lane widths, shoulder widths, or vertical clearances to serve current traffic demand, or those that may be occasionally flooded, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation. Sidewalks on the bridge are small and not up to standard with the Americans with Disabilities Act, making crossing difficult for people who use wheelchairs or have other mobility limitations, Bezold said. In addition, the narrow drive lanes and concrete barriers separating the road from the walkways make the bridge dangerous for cyclists.

The cabinet has formed an aesthetics committee comprised of state and local public officials, historic preservation experts and representatives from the contracted busi- nesses involved in the project. The committee met for the first time at the end of May, but the meeting was not open to the public.

The total budget of the project, including construction, planning and accompanying road work is $68 million.

Bezold said that bridge designer Rosales + Partners would have some preliminary designs for the bridge ready by August or September. He added that the timeline for completion of the bridge depended on the design the committee chose and the construction materials involved, so he could not give an estimated completion time at the meeting.

However, he did lay out some parameters for what the committee wanted in its ideal design.

“The No. 1 thing that we’ve looked at from Day 1 is bike and (pedestrian) safety,” Bezold said. “Because right now the current bridge does not have safe movement for bikes at all. And there is no Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant sidewalk anywhere between Newport and Covington.”

Covington seeks recruits for new firefighter training pipeline

The city of Covington is seeking four recent high school graduates for the city fire department’s new cadet program, which was instituted to create a new firefighter training pipeline.

“This is a high-adrenaline job where you help people,” Assistant Chief of Fire Training Corey Deye said in a recent press release. “It’s definitely not a 9-to-5 desk job.”

Recruits to the program will work parttime, from 16 to 20 hours a week, while aiding full-time staff around the firehouse and receiving training, first as an EMT, then as a firefighter and finally as a paramedic.

To apply for the program, email Assistant Chief Deye at cdeye@covingtonky.gov. Interviews for the positions have already begun.

Here’s how to get free meals for your kids this summer

The Kentucky Department of Education will provide free summer meals and educational activities at roughly 1,800 sites throughout the state from June through August, according to a recent press release from the department.

The Summer Food Service Program is part of the National Summer Food Service Program, a federally funded program operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Low-income families with children aged 18 and younger are eligible for the program.

You can find a site one of three ways:

• Text “Food” or “Comida” to 304-304.

• Visit fns.usda.gov/summerfoodrocks

• Call the USDA Hunger Hotline at 866348-6479

Clark Schaefer Hackett hires new Chief Information Officer

Business advisory and CPA firm Clark Schaefer Hackett has announced the hiring of its new Chief Information Officer, Kevin Staton. The firm has offices in both Cincinnati and Fort Mitchell.

Staton comes to Clark Schaefer Hackett from Empower, where he served as VP of Information Technology. He also previously led the technology department at the University of Cincinnati’s UC Foundation.

Staton’s responsibilities will include enhancing Clark Schaefer Hackett’s technological capabilities, implementing a new data-driven technology strategy and meeting with the staff to gain insight into the organization’s operations.

Battle over Cold Spring DAV site continues in Kentucky Supreme Court

The yearslong battle over who has the rights to the former Disabled American Veterans property on U.S. 27 in Cold Spring continues.

The property, which the city of Cold Spring currently owns, has been embroiled in an eminent domain fight since the DAV moved from its Cold Spring facility and into Erlanger.

The Campbell County Board of Education attempted to purchase the site by eminent domain after the DAV turned down its bid in favor of Cold Spring’s bid.

In the latest development, on June 7, the Kentucky Supreme Court agreed to review the appeal over its previous decision on the ability of the Campbell County Board of Education to purchase the site by eminent domain.

“We are doing everything we can to move this project forward without delay,” Campbell County Schools Superintendent Shelli Wilson said. “We have a vision and commitment to provide world-class learning spaces for our students. The Board of Education continues to make this a priority.”

But Cold Spring City Attorney Brandon Voelker told LINK nky that the city has never disputed the need for a new middle school.

“It’s unfortunate that the board cannot balance development of a community as a whole, especially in light of the significant tax revenue that’s available to the board with the proposed Cold Spring development of the site,” Voelker said.

He continued to say that if the property were to be turned into a middle school, it would lead to a significant rise in taxes.

“Cold Spring has always prided itself on establishing a strong community that lends itself to keeping taxes low while providing first quality services,” Voelker said.