LINK Kenton Reader - Volume 1, Issue 16 - March 10, 2023

KENTON

VOLUME 1,ISSUE16—MAR.10,2023

Local chef advocates for good food, better representation

March events offer boon to bar industry p6

Local sports voice hangs up mic after four decades p10

Streetscapes hooks fried fish faves p13

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 chef shares his insatiable appetite for the culinary life

BY GARIN PIRNIA | LINK nky CONTRIBUTOR

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

Local chef and entrepreneur Christian Gill poses with a rolling pin in his kitchen in Northern Kentucky. Photo by James Robertson | LINK nky contributor

If Christian Gill looks familiar, it’s because the telegenic and colorful haired chef/restaurateur has appeared on a myriad of competition Food Network and Netflix shows. Between 2017 and 2022, he appeared on Guy’s Grocery Games, Beat Bobby Flay, Ultimate Thanksgiving Challenge (he won), and Snack vs. Chef.

The “Guy” in Guy’s Grocery Games is none other than Guy Fieri.

“He’s a happy-go-lucky scamp,” Gill said.

Gill’s favorite show to compete on was Beat Bobby Flay.

“I’ve never competed in a 20-minute, fourplate round on any other show,” he said. “That was the hardest in the context of speed-cooking to advance.”

For him, he enjoys the “chaos of being on set.”

“It’s my personal football game of sorts, complete with audibles, penalties, and color commentary from producers, hosts, and

judges,” Gill said.”

In September 2022, Gill participated in The Kroger Wellness Festival in Cincinnati, featuring Chrissy Teigan.

“She was a delight to be around for the short period of time I spent with her,” he said.

One may think all of this media attention and mingling with A-listers and influencers would go to Gill’s head, but he comes from a non-celebrity, humble beginning. He grew up in Lexington, and learned to cook at an early age from his mom and grandmother. He knew even then that he wanted to be a chef.

“They taught me the fundamentals of seasoning and being respectful to the food I had and prepared,” he said about his family. “We grew up poor and had to eat what was grown or could be afforded … I loved international cuisine from a young age and being open to eating everything. I loved the drama that comes with watching someone eat things you create and seeing what they

like and dislike about food.”

His favorite kinds of food to cook are Creole and Thai, and “everything in the realm of those two cuisines that is reinforced by umami, spice, and depth of flavor.”

In 2012, after a stint working at Orlando’s Walt Disney World, Gill moved to Cincinnati. He worked as executive chef at the Cincinnati Art Museum. He curated Rhinegeist Brewery’s chef recipes. But in 2018 he and P.J. Neumann opened their first restaurant, Boomtown Biscuits and Whiskey, in Pendleton.

Described as “frontier food,” the menu featured biscuits, gravy and goetta, and chicken and waffles. In 2020, Neumann died. In July 2021, Gill opened a second location in Union, Kentucky. A year later, he permanently closed the Pendleton location. The following year, Gill left Boomtown. Though he didn’t want to discuss his departure from the restaurants, he said someday he’d like to open another one.

Christian Gill holds a knife at his prep station inside his kitchen that’s based in Northern Kentucky. Photo by James Robertson | LINK nky contributor

Continued from page 3

“I am interested in owning another restaurant, but it is not a great time to open another restaurant,” he said. “I don’t know that I would without a passionate team of individuals willing to invest in sumptuous wages and benefits for staff, immersive design, a work-life balance for staff, and menus crafted for flavor and consistency instead of what is trending.”

These days, he works and lives in a studio in Northern Kentucky. On Feb. 20, he and fellow Food Network winner and Arnold’s chef Kayla Robison took over the reins of charity event Food Fight 513 from founders Leigh Enderle and Chef Mike Florea. For the first time in the event’s 10-year history, men and women contestants were equally represented.

“It just goes to show that we are, as an industry, moving more toward 50-50 when it comes to the kitchens,” Robison said.

Gill said Food Fight is when the industry “gets to breathe,” by coming together to share food, catch up with fellow foodies. He said it’s “an essential event for essential people” who often don’t take a break from their passion.

“Christian and I felt well-equipped to be able to handle such a big industry event.” Robison said. “Overall, it was the most humbling, honoring experience.”

Robison met Gill several years ago at a Food Fight, and while she was chef at Nation in Pendleton, Gill opened Boomtown across the street. He encouraged her to participate in competition shows like Chopped, which she won in 2022. Robinson said it’s best to “just be yourself” under the studio lights.

“Christian definitely instilled that in the sense of just show up with what you would do because that’s why you’re there in the first place,” she said.

Currently, they’re planning another Food Fight for the fall.

Though the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky food scene is becoming more diverse and award-winning — four chefs in Cincinnati have made the semi-finals of the coveted James Beard awards — Gill would like people to patronize Black-owned businesses more often, and for more minorities to receive funding and opportunities.

“I’m less likely to be given an opportunity to open a concept that is new and in uncharted waters versus a stalwart chef who happens to be white,” Gill said. “I was given a chance to co-found and open a restaurant in Cincy, but those are few and far between. The safer bet for investors is someone fa-

miliar, with a built-in audience and multiple concepts that are open and successful versus an untested chef of color with a fantastic idea.”

He said that the industry is still reeling from the pandemic.

“Food costs are extremely high,” Gill said. “Landlords aren’t receiving federal aid anymore, which means tenants are receiving fewer leniencies than during the pandemic. People are out and spending, sure, but we are unable to truly charge what we should in most instances, because the perceived value versus hard margin equation doesn’t play in our favor.”

He said they cater to the patron “because that is the name of the game in the service industry,” but he would like to see more customers deliberately seek out and support women-owned and Black-owned businesses.

Roughly 41% of restaurants in Kentucky are women-owned, and 5% of restaurants are Black- or African-American-owned, according to a 2022 report from the National Restaurant Association.

“You want more Black-owned restaurants? Support them when they open. Support them after the opening honeymoon. Support them through the hard times. Give more people of color the opportunity to have this conversation and the chance to be the main character in your narrative,” he said.

Gill quickly added he feels gratitude for the opportunities the region has given him.

“Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn’t,” he said. “If more people with wealth and a voice took a chance on people of color with ambition, vast work ethic, drive, talent, and a dream, then you would see more Black- and women-owned

restaurants here.”

He’d also like to remind people that Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati are a part of the same food scene, despite a river separating the states.

“The food scene right across the river might as well be Cincy South,” he said. “Cincinnatians are Southerners in denial as this is the last bastion of sweet tea north of the Mason Dixon Line. I love to see what my peers in Northern Kentucky are doing: Rich’s Proper, Bouquet, Frida 602, Siam Orchid, The Baker’s Table, Kung Food AmerAsia, La Mexicana, Midway Cafe, and so many more are all worth the trip over the river into the South. They throw down just as hard as the prominent titans in Cincy proper.”

Gill has had a rather successful career, but he’s not afraid to talk about his failures. Sometimes he goes to culinary schools like Scarlet Oaks Culinary campus and talks to kids.

“I honestly teach kids about failure and persistence when I go speak and do demos at schools,” he said. “I talk at length about my failures and how I haven’t coped well with them. I try to inspire with a creative demo highlighting flavor composition and simplicity, but I keep it real with them. There are more pitfalls than successes. But finding the value in those successes outweighs the negativity that surrounds the pitfalls.”

In the meantime, Gill will continue to find more successes and more failures. Maybe he’ll win another Food Network competition. Maybe he’ll open another restaurant. But when asked about his future goals, he kept it intriguing.

“You’ll have to sit back and tune in.”

Christian Gill smiles at his workspace as he recalls his adventures in the culinary industry so far. Photo by James Robertson | LINK nky contributor

GOP legislators take aim at drag shows, health services for LGBTQ

BY NATHAN GRANGER, MARK PAYNE | LINK nky REPORTERS

While one bill aims to criminalize drag shows in Kentucky, another bill moving through the legislature seeks to eliminate transition services for transgender youth and penalize the doctors who grant them.

House Bill 470 limits medical services tied to gender transition therapy for minors. Under the bill, doctors who provide these services are at risk of losing their license but are not subject to criminal charges. The legislation also prohibits youth from legally changing their name or birth certificate if the change is tied to a gender transition.

During a House Judicial Committee meeting, Chris Hartman, the executive director of the Fairness Campaign, testified at the capitol and said the government has tried to criminalize the LGBTQ community and failed.

“You did not stop us from forming our beautiful and perfect families when you denied us the right to marry and to adopt children, and you will not erase us today,” Hartman said.

Bill sponsor Rep. Jennifer Decker (R-Waddy) said she filed the legislation to protect children from “irreparable change.”

Luka Hein, who detransitioned, said she received a double mastectomy and hormone therapy at 16 and urged the committee to vote in favor of the bill.

“I was affirmed on a path of medical intervention that I could not fully understand the long-term impacts and consequences of nor fully consent to use it with my age

and mental health,” Hein said.

The bill passed the House 75-22. In committee, Northern Kentucky legislators Rep. Kim Moser (R-Taylor Mill) and Rep. Stephanie Dietz (R-Edgewood) voted against the measure while NKY Reps. Steve Rawlings (R-Burlington), Marianne Proctor (R-Union), Savannah Maddox (R-Dry Ridge), and Steve Doan (R-Erlanger) voted in favor of the bill.

Opponents argue the bill takes away potentially life-saving services from a population already at a higher risk of suicide and self-harm. The Trevor Project, a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness and preventing suicide among LGBTQ youth, notes that suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 24, and LGBTQ youth “are at significantly increased risk.” They are “more than four times as likely to attempt suicide than their peers.”

Decker said there is no “quality long-term study” that establishes long-term benefit to gender transition services.

After it passed committee, opponents of the bill lined the halls of the capitol chanting “shame” at legislators. When it passed on the House floor, Moser said the eyes of the world were on Kentucky.

“I would like to say to the rest of the world that’s watching Kentucky — we are not complete neanderthals,” Moser said.

Meanwhile, Senate Bill 115 is a revised bill, which aims to ban drag shows by preventing businesses from holding drag performances within 1,000 feet of schools,

residences, recreation centers, places of worship and a variety of other establishments.

The bill would empower the state’s attorney general, county attorneys and individual citizens to bring a lawsuit against a business that operates in violation of the law. It would also apply the same treatment to other enterprises it views as harmful to children, including adult cabarets, escort services, adult movie theaters and shops selling sexually explicit materials.

The Covington Human Rights Commission is petitioning local leaders to oppose the bill.

On March 2, they unanimously decided to study the bill and petition both the Covington City Commission and the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights to oppose it and any future attempts by the state government to regulate drag shows.

Their petition will appear in the form of a letter. Although the commission has no official legislative power, it can make recommendations and petitions to law-making bodies.

Commission members determined that the argument for local control of drag performances, rather than state control, was the best way to make their case.

Commission members aren’t the only ones critical of SB 115.

“I can’t begin to describe how wrong-headed and ill-advised this legislation is, and how much of an overreach it is,” Covington Mayor Joe Meyer said in a Feb. 15 press release. “The courts have consistently restricted the government’s authority to regulate expression such as this.”

The 1,000-foot restrictions on the bill would make it very difficult, if not impossible, for someone to legally operate any fixed establishment where drag shows regularly occur in populated areas. It would also arguably prevent the operations of gay pride events and other public events associated with drag performances.

“What is the harm that is being done to anyone?” asked Commission Member John Fisher. “It says that they are protecting children. I don’t know where any children have been harmed by any of this.”

LGBTQ advocates protest in the halls of the Kentucky Capitol Annex after the passage of House Bill 470 — a bill to ban transition services for people under 18. Photo by Mark Payne | LINK nky

Aid through ale: Bars brace for March Madness after winter lull

BY ALECIA RICKER | LINK nky CONTRIBUTOR

Spring is a natural and recurring economic stimulant, as revelers shake off the winter blues and come out in droves for holidays and events like St. Patrick’s Day and March basketball tournaments. Pockets lined with income tax returns, imbibers have plenty to drink about up and down the sidewalks of Covington’s main drag. Meanwhile, local businesses look forward to the boost in downtown activity.

Beer sales grew 174% on St. Patrick’s Day and spirits sales rose more than 150% compared to an average day, according to a 2018 Nielsen Media Research study. In fact, one-third of the 15,000 U.S. consumers surveyed through the data collection company said they visit a bar or restaurant on St. Patrick’s Day, marking this as a major food holiday that comes in just behind New Year’s Eve, the Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day.

Most bars view the holiday as an opportunity to get back into the black after a slow winter and a lull between football and baseball seasons. The promise of spring hiding just around the corner gives local residents hope and drinking establishments a series of events to capitalize on following a dip in sales.

At Covington’s Keystone Bar and Grill, there aren’t any shamrocks on display yet, no Mardi Gras masks or beads left behind, nor any March Madness schedules or specials awaiting hoops fans at the bar. NCAA college basketball final-round tournament play is still almost a month away, and only

in the last few weeks has there been a glimmer of hope for a Kentucky team making the playoffs.

Keystone’s bartender Sean Neuspickel sees the spring sports and drinking holiday season as an opportunity to bounce back from the winter blues.

“Once March Madness hits, it sort of helps the bar recuperate. We get the sports crowds coming back to bars, after a gap where sports just aren’t on TV to watch while hanging out, eating and drinking,” Neuspickel said.

This begs the question: If no Kentucky-based colleges make the playoffs, will fewer fans turn out to watch the NCAA tournaments at their favorite watering holes?

The seasoned bartender sees a potential lack of Kentucky teams in contention to make the Final Four as a roadblock for sales.

“With no home team to root for, it will definitely impact alcohol sales (compared to previous NCAA tournaments where a Kentucky team participated from the onset),” Neuspickel said.

Chris McLaughlin, an assistant general manager at Barleycorn’s in Cold Spring, said tournament time was a busy period in sales for them as well, and one they look forward to.

The impact of a hometown team in the playoffs can be huge for a bar or restau-

rant hosting Selection Sunday events and game-time watch parties. With multiple televisions on at once beaming 40 minutes of various college hoops action down upon the upturned faces of guests, they’re creating an environment for them to stay awhile, drink a bit, and spend a lot.

A 2019 study of customer transactions by payment processing software company Womply stated that nationally, the NCAA basketball tourney brings and average sales bump of 2.4% to independent and chain restaurants, regardless of location. If an operation has a hometown team in the mix, that figure climbs by another 9.4% over the course of the tournament.

Every swish of the net could mean profits. But only if the right teams are playing.

A 2022 Womply study found that Cincinnati-area restaurants only saw a revenue boost of 1% during the tournament.

The exception to this was when the University of Cincinnati Bearcats hit the hardwood. During Bearcats games, restaurants saw an 8.29% boost in sales. While higher-than-average sales increases were seen during the entire tournament, the bump in sales was far lower than in cities with teams that made the later rounds of the tournament.

Championship winners Kansas Jayhawks beat out the North Carolina Tar Heels in the final game, giving bars and restaurants in the city of Lawrence, Kansas a 48% boost to business. Even when number two seed University of Kentucky got edged out in the very first round of tournament play, the appearance brought Lexington-based bars and restaurants a 29% boost to sales.

Only time will tell if the double whammy of St. Patrick’s Day and March Madness will send a springtime injection of sales into the bottom lines of Northern Kentucky businesses. The optimistic air of fresh starts, green clover, and longer days pull customers out from their winter doldrums, allowing them to shrug off another Bengals season over too soon and turn their faces to the glowing screens at their local pub, where a seat is always waiting for them; hometown team be damned.

Patrons take in a game at a local bar in downtown Covington.

Photo by Alecia Ricker | LINK nky contributor

Election board approves Kenton County polling place plan

BY NATHAN GRANGER | LINK nky CONTRIBUTOR

The Kentucky Board of Elections unanimously voted to approve a plan for polling place locations in Kenton County.

The special meeting to approve the plan that the county’s board of elections had submitted for approval earlier this month took place Thursday in Frankfort and was streamed live on state board’s YouTube page.

The board had approved most of the Kentucky counties’ proposals on Feb. 21, but several members of the board wanted more time to consider and discuss Kenton County’s submission as well the proposals of 13 other counties.

Many of the clerks from the counties on the docket, including Kenton County’s own clerk and elections board chair Gabrielle Summe, attended the meeting to answer questions and offer reasoning for their proposals.

“When we come up with a plan, it is not arbitrary,” Summe said, addressing the members of the election board.

Kenton County’s proposed plan contained 34 polling places, which was an increase from the 24 polling places the county had in the 2022 primary and general elections but a decrease from the 47 locations in the general election before that.

Kentucky law grants local, county-based elections boards the power to propose voting precincts and polling locations to the state board of elections based on the county’s geography, population, availability of

locations and availability of poll workers. If a county fails to provide a plan to the state board before the deadline, the county will default to a polling plan in which there is a single polling location in each of the county’s voting precincts.

Several Kenton County leaders expressed displeasure at the conditions of the 2022 general election, in which access to some voting sites was impeded by long lines and other logistical issues.

As a result, they hoped to implement a voting place model in which there is at least one polling site per precinct rather than the county’s consolidated plan. Kenton County has 70 voting precincts.

“In 2014, the City of Erlanger had a total of 13 precincts and 13 polling locations for 13,607 registered voters,” Erlanger Mayor Jessica Fette wrote In a letter to Kentucky Election Board Chair Michael Adams. “By 2016, there were 14,010 registered voters yet still the same number of precincts and polling locations. However, for the 2022 elections, the City of Erlanger now has 15,807 registered voters and has been consolidated into 6 precincts and 2 polling locations.”

Later in the letter, Fette requested that the board return the city to “13 precincts with a polling location in as many of those precincts as possible.”

She also offered several city facilities not currently being used as polling places to become new voting sites.

Likewise, in a January letter to both the

county and state board of elections, the Covington Commission wrote of its wish to return to a voting plan in which at least one voting location was in each voting precinct.

At a commission caucus meeting on Feb. 21, Covington Mayor Joe Meyer reaffirmed his desire for such a plan.

“If we can’t get addressed for the primary, hopefully, we can get it addressed for the general election,” Meyer said.

On the other hand, not all leaders are upset about the county’s proposal.

Independence Mayor Chris Reinersman is pleased with the new plan, even though he was among the leaders who had initially issued criticism to the county board after all the issues with the 2022 General Election.

“After reviewing the proposed Independence polling places, I am optimistic we won’t see a repeat of 2022,” Reinersman wrote in an email to LINK nky. “While it would always be nicer to have more locations, I am satisfied [the county board chair has] come up with a good solution given the challenges of new legislation and the DOJ consent decree.”

Summe defended the county’s plan to the state board by describing the issues the county election board has had in adapting to new laws passed to make voting easier during the pandemic as well as the county’s difficulties in securing polling places.

“People don’t have to say yes to us,” Summe said. “I got a lot of push-back, particularly with an amendment 2 [which would have

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prohibited abortion rights in the state’s constitution] because I have polling locations in churches–separation of church and state.”

The county also struggled to secure polling places at schools, she said.

“I do use a lot of schools, and they’re all saying we want law enforcement at the front door,” Summe claimed. “I had people walk into polling locations with guns. The poll workers saw them. The school superintendent saw them. They’re trying their hardest to kick me out because they don’t feel safe. And if one school closes, all the schools close. That means most kids aren’t in school and, for my inner city population, they don’t eat.”

She also discussed the difficulties in making locations compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, a federal law requiring all polling places in the country to be easily accessible for people with disabilities and other issues with mobility.

Following an informal complaint from a citizen about accessibility of polling locations in the 2022 primary, Kenton County entered into a consent decree with the Department of Justice to better survey and provide accommodations for the polling places in the county. Summe will need to submit her polling place plan to the DOJ for approval now that the state has confirmed the plan.

The next meeting of the Kentucky Board of Elections will take place virtually and in Frankfort on Tuesday, March 21. Viewers can watch via kentoncountykyclerk.com.

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Covington Commission declines to vote on short-term rental ordinance

The Covington City Commission declined to vote on an ordinance to increase penalties for short-term rental landlords at its Feb. 28 meeting.

The ordinance was due for its second reading and a vote from commission members, but per the advice of City Solicitor David Davidson, the commission moved to amend the ordinance to comply with what Davidson described as a clerical error in the ordinance’s language.

meeting’s public comment section.

tion of city law.

the best

Short-term rentals are residential properties whose owners rent out the property for short-term stays, usually to vacationers and out-of-towners looking for lodging during big events, like sporting events, concerts and conventions. Owners often use popular online boards like Airbnb and Vrbo to advertise their properties. The Commission introduced the ordinance at a caucus meeting on Feb. 7 and completed the ordinance’s first reading at the legislative session on Feb. 14.

The city froze new applications for shortterm rental licenses in December when it saw a dearth of compliant landlords.

According to a Feb. 2 press release from the city, “only 43 short-term rental licenses have been sought and issued” since applications for licenses went online in 2021. This figure paled in comparison to the “over 400” rental units being advertised online, said Mayor Joe Meyer.

Council Member Sarah Froelich said having an idea of what identity Park Hills wants to project will help offer a decision-making framework for future planning and development purposes.

For instance, Mayor Kathy Zembrodt mentioned, does the city want their businesses to have the same physical look, such as a unified, more historical-looking facade on the storefronts? Or perhaps, as Froelich pondered, a more bohemian vibe with outdoor furniture?

The commission will discuss the amendment in more detail at the caucus meeting on March 7 and then vote on the amended ordinance on March 14.

This move came as a surprise to members of the public who attended the meeting, many of whom were short-term rental property owners who had come to offer their thoughts on the ordinance during the

The ordinance would bar landlords from applying for a short-term rental license for a year if they fail to properly obtain conditional zoning permits, occupational licenses and rental licenses from the city before renting out their property. The licensing application suspension would begin one year after the city notifies a property owner that they’re in violation of the ordinance.

Anyone currently operating a short-term rental without proper licensing is in viola-

Park Hills weighs branding opportunities

A hearty round table discussion at the Park Hills Economic Development Committee meeting this week centered on branding ideas for Park Hills’ identity.

Part of an ongoing discussion in partnership with the Planning and Development Services (PDS) of Kenton County, the committee brainstormed answers to the question of “Who is Park Hills?”

PDS is in the process of analyzing and updating Kenton County zoning ordinances, which currently are 30 years old and show weakness in meeting current day needs. Using Tax Increment Financing (TIF), where tax income can be diverted to invest in participating city’s infrastructure and business district development, the project, in part, hopes to “create a user/business-friendly zoning ordinance that will avoid legal pitfalls.”

This could be a significant boon to cities

like Park Hills, which desire to make their business districts more robust, visible, and united with the larger community.

However, the aim for Park Hills is not to rush into increasing property values, Froelich pointed out. That could drive out entrepreneurs. The mission, rather, is to create compelling change for the city and attract both residents and newcomers to the business district.

“We are a village; humble, polite, honest,” one meeting participant said. Another mentioned how Park Hills values history, is walkable and is accessible to many other locales.

“It is a quiet, peaceful place to live,” a resident noted. The sentiment that Park Hills should be a city that aims to expand the business district without becoming congested, busy, or inconsistent with Park Hills’s historical roots was affirmed by several meeting participants.

The group also agreed upon wanting businesses to stand out and have the city resources they need to grow and prosper.

The Economic Development Committee is nowhere near bringing a plan proposal to council but is in the review phase.

“This is a conversation we’ve been needing to have for so long,” Froelich pointed out. The tension around differing ideas for how the city should grow and change “drives design because it helps you sort out what works or not.”

Future Economic Development Committee meetings plan to have continued discussions about branding, along with talks with PDS about TIF districts and design standards, and visiting local businesses for input.

NKY Chamber to host Jeff Berding for business panel in March

The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce will host FC Cincinnati’s Jeff Berding for the monthly business panel series Eggs ‘N Issues in March.

Soccer fans and local businesses are invited to join the NKY Chamber and Berding for a discussion about FC Cincinnati’s plans

for the season, the growth the team has experienced over the last few years, how the organization has impacted the regional economy and how it has garnered national and international attention for the Greater Cincinnati region.

Prior to his founding of the soccer team, Berding served for more than 19 years as an executive with the Cincinnati Bengals, where he led sales and public affairs efforts for the city’s NFL franchise.

Lee Crume, CEO of Northern Kentucky TriED, will also share a special announcement during the monthly event.

Eggs ‘N Issues: FC Cincinnati is scheduled for March 14 at Receptions Banquet and Conference Center on South 1379 Donaldson Road in Erlanger. Breakfast and networking will be from 7:30 to 7:55 a.m. The keynote presentation and audience Q&A session will follow until 9 a.m. Registration is $30 for NKY Chamber members and $50 for future members. The YP rate is $20.

Covington Business Council elects new chair, board members

The Covington Business Council has elected a new chair along with other board positions.

Jay Fossett, former Covington City Manager and the current Dayton City Administrator, has been elected chair of the Covington Business Council Board of Directors. Fossett is a Covington native and graduate of Holmes High School, the University of Kentucky, and Northern Kentucky University.

He received both a law degree and a master’s degree in Executive Leadership and Organizational Change.

Fossett will serve as board chair for two years, and he replaces Tom Tilmes, who recently retired from Republic Bank.

The new civic and business leaders who have joined the CBC Board are: Cara Brooks, Duke Energy, economic development manager; Julie Hopkins, Strauss Troy, attorney at law; Kenneth Webb, senior vice president, Republic Bank; Will Weber, president and CEO, Southbank Partners.

Atkins hangs up the mic after 41 years

BY EVAN DENNISON | LINK nky SPORTS EDITOR

He’s done it for 41 years in what started out his senior year of high school.

If it were up to John Atkins, he’d be the public address announcer for Newport High School home basketball games for 41 more.

Unfortunately, his body won’t allow it. Atkins is dropping the mic after more than four decades of being the PA for the Newport High School boys and girls basketball teams.

“It’s hard to swallow. Something I really love doing,” Atkins said. “I do this for the kids.”

Atkins’ health over the years has deteriorated. In 2011, he had a pulmonary embolism. A mini-stroke followed in 2012, and over the years he’s developed a degenerative disk in his neck that’s turned into scoliosis, and he has arthritis all over his body. Atkins is on blood thinners, so other prescriptive options are limited.

“I’m a Wildcat, I’ve got nine lives. Fighting through all that, I’m not letting it keep me down. I used to walk five miles a day. It’s just hard to move now and sitting at a scorers table for three to four hours is tough,” Atkins said. “This isn’t my doing, it’s just the man upstairs telling me it’s time.”

Atkins was asked to announce by then-Newport principal George Frakes in 1982. He gave it a shot and loved it. He was handed the script by Steve Cunningham, and as they say, the rest is history.

Atkins’ value to the Newport program is unmatched. Not only did he do PA, he’s also kept the scorebook during games, a

double task during a game that’s not easy. Other hats he’s worn at the school include coaching the softball team, helping run the booster club, operating the clock during football games and keeping the scorebook for volleyball.

“I was one person the school could count on,” Atkins said.

He also helped run concessions with his wife Rhonda, who works with children with disabilities at the school. The two will be married for 40 years in August.

“That’s really time consuming. He’d go to Sam’s and buy all the stuff,” current Wildcats coach Rod Snapp said. “The Atkins family is one-of-a-kind for sure. When you think about John, it’s all positive. He’s been such an important piece to our program and not the kind of guy that you replace. He’s like Marquez Miller to our current team. He’s put his heart and soul into it.”

Atkins has done this long enough that he remembers all the coaches through the years, and now he’s announcing the kids of those coaches.

Newport has been fortunate to not have as much coaching turnover. The Wildcats had seven coaches over the 41-year span: Rod Snapp, Aric Russell, Bob Jones, Scott Draud, John Patterson, John Gross and Mark Krebs.

“I’ve known John and his family since I was a kid,” said Russell, who coached the Wildcats from 2001-10. “You never had to worry about anything and he always took care of stuff. He’s just a great guy to have in your program and such a good person. He’d give his own money if a kid needed shoes or

food to eat and a real selfless guy.”

He was there for the 2010 team coached by Russell that won the Ninth Region title and made the state tournament. The success helps, but that year is one that certainly sticks out.

“They won the region All ‘A’ and the Ninth Region title that year, beating Holmes by 30. That was amazing. Going to Richmond and Rupp for the first time was really neat. That’s something neat for anyone to do,” Atkins said.

Being cemented in the area for so long, there are tons of talent he’s seen on the floor; the Demarko Foster led team in 2010, Keith Green back in the 80’s, both Draud’s, Scott and Scotty and Newport Central Catholic’s Drew MacDonald, just to name a few that Atkins recalls. But what made the decision to step away now even harder is the talent the Wildcats have on the roster today. Miller is the lone senior on the team and the future is bright.

Atkins thinks freshman Taylen Kinney is one of the more special players he has seen. The Wildcats definitely have the capability to make some runs over the next few years, in his opinion. Recently, Atkins got to cut the nets at Highlands when the Wildcats won the district championship in Fort Thomas, a sweet moment for him, Snapp and the program.

“He mentioned that recently. That’s one of the things we really wanted to do this year.

He asked to cut the net afterwards and that was a really cool moment we got to share,” Snapp said. “We’d love to send him off to Rupp,” Snapp said.

Atkins is retired, working for Cincinnati Bell over the years. His next task is trying to find a ranch house, so he doesn’t have to deal with steps.

“I enjoyed it. I’ve always wanted to be around the kids. There’s kids that don’t have parents or those figures in their lives and those kids need someone to talk to and be around. I just try to help out if I can. My wife has been great through all this and so supportive. This osteoarthritis is nothing to play around with. It’s time to go, everything hurts,” Atkins said.

Atkins’ last game at Newport came on Feb. 17 against Ludlow, where he was recognized for his dedication to the school’s athletic programs at halftime with a plaque. The Wildcats sent him off a winner, as Newport took down Ludlow 94-59.

John Atkins (center) is with Newport head coach Rod Snapp (right) and assistant coach Ethan Snapp (left) before the last home game for the Wildcats, signaling the end of Atkins’ time as the public address announcer after 41 years. Photo provided

Walton-Verona Honor Band students visit Asbury University

Nine of Walton-Verona Independent Schools students participated in the Asbury University All-Star Honor Band Clinic.

The students were among the top high school students in the group with the following placements for each student:

Icarus Brune, Allyson Meredith, Lyndsey Meredith, Ella Meyers first chair tenor saxophone; Logan Pronk, first chair trumpet; Mady Ryan, second chair French horn; Kennedy Straub, first chair trombone; Trinity Sturgeon; first chair bass clarinet; Ben Turner, second chair trumpet.

Florence Y’alls to host open tryouts

Open tryouts for the Florence Y’alls are scheduled for April 17 at Thomas More Stadium. Signup will begin at 2:30 p.m. and tryouts will start at 3:30 p.m.

The team made the announcement via social media on March 1, but did not disclose how many positions it was looking to fill.

Community Meetings Calendar

Here’s a list of meetings coming up this week and city-sponsored events in Northern Kentucky. Please note: Meeting times and dates are subject to change.

March 10 to March 18

Boone County

March 18: Quilters Day Out, presented by the Stringtown Quilters Guild at the First Church of Christ in Burlington, KY. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is free. More details are available at stringtownquiltersguild.com.

Walton

March 14: Walton Planning Meeting, 6:15 p.m., Walton City Hall, 40 N. Main St., Walton

March 14: Walton City Council Meeting, 7 p.m., Walton City Hall, 40 N. Main St., Walton

Campbell County

March 14: Campbell County Planning and Zoning Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Campbell County Administration Building, 1098 Monmouth St., Newport

Alexandria

March 11: Alexandria Spring Craft Show, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Calvin A. Perry Community Center, 8236 W. Main St., Alexandria (More than 50 crafters; kids free, small fee for adults)

March 16: Alexandria City Finance Committee Meeting, 6 p.m., Alexandria City Building, 8236 W. Main St., Alexandria

March 16: Alexandria City Business Retention and Development Committee Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Alexandria City Building, 8236 W. Main St., Alexandria

March 16: Alexandria City Council Meeting, 7 p.m., Alexandria City Building, 8236 W. Main St., Alexandria

Cold Spring

March 13: Cold Spring City Council Meeting, 7:30 p.m., Cold Spring City Building, 5694 E. Alexandria Pike, Cold Spring

Dayton

March 15: Dayton VFW Post 2899 Bingo Night, 5 p.m., 828 6th Ave., Dayton (every Wednesday)

Fort Thomas

March 13: Fort Thomas Independent Schools Board of Education Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Fort Thomas City Building, 130 N. Fort Thomas Ave., Fort Thomas

March 14: Fort Thomas Tree Commission Meeting, 6 p.m., Fort Thomas City Building, 130 N. Fort Thomas Ave., Fort Thomas

March 15: Fort Thomas Planning Commission Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Fort Thomas City Building, 130 N. Fort Thomas Ave., Fort Thomas

Highland Heights

March 14: Highland Heights Planning and Zoning Meeting, 7 p.m., Highland Heights City Building, 176 Johns Hill Road, Highland Heights

Newport

March 15: Newport Code Enforcement Board Meeting, 5 p.m., Newport City Building, 998 Monmouth St., Newport. (Meets “as needed.” Call 859-292-3637 to confirm meeting)

March 16: Newport Board of Adjustments Meeting, 4:30 p.m., Newport City Building, 998 Monmouth St., Newport. (Meets “as needed.” Call 859-292-3637 to confirm meeting)

Southgate

March 15: Southgate City Council Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Southgate City Building, 122 Electric Ave., Southgate

Kenton County

March 14: Kenton Fiscal Court Meeting, 5:30 p.m., Kenton County Courthouse, 5272 Madison Pike, Independence

Covington

March 14: Covington Board of Commissioners Legislative Meeting, 6 p.m., Covington City Hall, 20 W. Pike St., Covington

March 15: Covington Board of Devou Properties Meeting, 4 p.m., Devou Golf & Event Center, 1201 Park Drive, Covington

March 15: Housing Authority of Covington Meeting, 4:30 p.m., Housing Authority of Covington Office, 2300 Madison Ave., Covington

March 15: Covington Board of Architectural Review and Development Meeting, 5:30 p.m., Covington City Hall, 20 W. Pike St., Covington

March 15: Covington Devou Park Advisory Board Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Devou Golf & Event Center, 1201 Park Drive, Covington

Edgewood

March 14: Senior Cards, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Edgewood Senior Center, 550 Freedom Park Drive, Crestview Hills (open to all, card games).

Elsmere

March 14: Elsmere City Council Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Elsmere Community Center located at 179 Dell Street, Elsmere

Students pose for a group photo during a visit to Asbury University. Photo provided | Walton-Verona Independent Schools

Six fireplaces, street parking for nine for sale at historic Covington property

Address: 1010 Russell St., Unit 16, Covington

Price: $1.18 million

Beds: Five bedrooms

Bath: Three full bathrooms, two half baths

Square feet: 5,300 on a 0.3-acre lot

School district: Covington Independent Schools

County: Kenton

Special features: Built in the 1860s, this home is described as an “Italianate showpiece” in Covington’s Old Seminary Square. The Ashbrook building combines its modern elements with historic features. On the first floor is a bedroom and laundry area, and upstairs are five bedrooms, three full and two half baths. The home also features a completely remodeled kitchen with leathered marble countertops, 12-foot-high ceilings, a two-car garage in addition to off street parking for up to nine vehicles, and a one-bedroom and one-bathroom attached apartment with private entrance. The attached unit is currently rented as an Airbnb. The home has six fireplaces, and is located within walking distance to Covington’s bars and restaurants.

Recent NKY Home Sale Data

A view from the sidewalk shows the outside of The Ashbury, a home for sale in Covington. Photo provided | Coldwell Banker Realty

A snapshot of a seating area shows one of the six unique fireplaces. Photo provided | Coldwell Banker Realty

A view of the living room shows the high windows and another unique fireplace in the home. Photo provided | Coldwell Banker Realty

LINK Streetscapes: Local Lenten-friendly eats and fish Friday faves

BY MARIA HEHMAN | LINK nky CONTRIBUTOR

Each Friday over the course of Lent poses an extra challenge for many Northern Kentucky residents deciding where to eat.

For those sick of cheese pizza and fast food fish, these restaurants have locals covered. This Streetscapes goes off the norm of visiting one area and instead travels all over NKY for restaurants serving the best fish, seafood and vegetarian options around.

Barleycorn’s

With locations in Florence, Lakeside Park and Cold Spring, Barleycorn’s has three counties covered for meatless options.

Their regular menu covers the gamut of all things bar food. This Lent, they introduced a special “off the hook” menu to highlight some of their meatless options and introduce some new favorites, like the ultimate grilled cheese. There are also lots of vegetarian options for those meat eaters who don’t like fish. Barleycorn’s offers a nice variety of salads and sandwiches.

For those who crave the classic fried fish, Barleycorn’s fried grouper sandwich and fish and chips pair perfectly with a cold beer. With over 30 draft beers to choose from, guests might forget they’re not in an English pub.

For those looking for lighter fare, the fish tacos, shrimp basket and grouper are perfect for that Friday fish fix.

Knotty Pine on the Bayou

Along the riverfront, Knotty Pine on the Bayou will have patrons forgetting they’re viewing the Licking River and not the Mississippi River in New Orleans. Between the food, the view and the atmosphere, there’s no excuse to not visit Knotty Pine.

Knotty Pine specializes in seafood and Cajun food, and offers unique options hard to find anywhere else, including oysters, alligator and frog. I’m not entirely sure what the consensus on alligator and frog are in the realm of Lenten-friendly food, but regardless of where the reptiles stand, Knotty

Pine is swimming in delicious, under-thesea options.

Tucked away from any other establishments, this restaurant could easily be mistaken for a house – even the interior feels like a friend’s kitchen.

Knotty Pine is worth the visit for those who love Luoisianna cuisine, especially shrimp which they serve four ways: fried, Cajun, sautéed, or grilled.

Tousey House Tavern and Greyhound Tavern

Steak often is the go-to dinner for those wanting a fancier meal, but sister restaurants Tousey House Tavern in Burlington and Greyhound Tavern in Fort Mitchell offer timeless sophistication with an abundance of good options that don’t include steak.

While steak is still an option on both restaurants’ menus, they have an abundance of Lenten-friendly options, too.

Starting with Tousey House: There are 13 entrees that are either vegetarian or pescetarian-friendly, and that’s not even including their special Lenten menu, featuring their award-winning fried cod. The lobster ravioli with scallions and parmesan cheese is a dream in a dish, rich and creamy. This meal is perfect.

Similarly, Greyhound Tavern offers many of the same dishes, with a few additions. The pasta Gabriel is a lighter dish with mushrooms, tomatoes and scallions in garlic and olive oil, making it a great option for those who aren’t big fish fans. Their shrimp skewers and garlic shrimp tacos are another filling option for guests who want to forgo fried fish.

The variety of fish offerings at both establishments will have you covered for the entirety of Lent – not just Fridays.

Have a city, street or business you want to see next? Email Maria Hehman at mchehman@gmail.com and it could be featured on the next installment of LINK streetscapes.

What to Know If You Go:

Barleycorn’s Lakeside Park

Location: 2642 Dixie Highway, Lakeside Park

Website: barleycorns.com

Hours: Sunday-Saturday 11 a.m. to midnight

Phone: (859) 331-6633

Barleycorn’s Cold Spring

Location: 1073 Industrial Road, Cold Spring

Website: barleycorns.com

Hours: Sunday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to midnight

Phone: (859) 442-3400

Barleycorn’s Florence Location: 8544 U.S. 42, Florence Website: barleycorns.com

Hours: Sunday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to midnight Phone: (859) 371-4100

Knotty Pine on the Bayou Location: 6302 Liking Pike, Cold Spring

Hours: Monday- closed, Tuesday-Thursday 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Phone: (859) 781-2200

Tousey House Tavern Location: 5963 North Jefferson St., Burlington

Website: touseyhouse.com

Hours: Monday- closed, Tuesday-Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 3p.m. Phone: (859) 586-9900

Greyhound Tavern Location: 2500 Dixie Highway, Fort Mitchell

Website: greyhoundtavern.com

Hours: Monday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Phone: (859) 331-3767

BOGO BOGO

Evans, Blevins win state wrestling titles

Three of Northern Kentucky’s lightest high school wrestlers turned in large performances Feb. 25 at the KHSAA state wrestling championships.

Simon Kenton freshman Braden Blevins won the state 106-pound title at George Rogers Clark High School by defeating Harrison County’s George Dennis, 7-5. A few minutes later, Ryle sophomore Landon Evans captured the 113 crown with a 7-0 win over Great Crossing’s Ren Birk.

Walton-Verona sophomore TJ Meyer finished second at 120. Union County’s Jayden Raney edged Meyer, 3-2.

Six other NKY wrestlers fell in the semifinals: Walton-Verona’s Hunter Isaacs at 138 pounds, fellow Bearcat Mason Schweitzer at 144, Highlands’ Rilen Pinkston at 150 (his first defeat of the season), Scott’s Aiden Zinzer at 165, Ryle’s Caleb Duke at 175, and Walton-Verona’s Luke Hyden at 215.

Isaacs and Schweitzer finished third, as did Campbell County’s Mason Orth at 113. Hyden placed fourth, and Pinkston, Zinser and Duke finished sixth.

Holmes’ Emauryon Arnold was fourth at 285, Covington Catholic’s Willie Rodriguez was fifth at 285, battling through his shoul-

der in a brace.

Paducah Tilghman won the team title over Union County, 185.5-162. Walton-Verona was sixth with 77.5 points, and Ryle was eighth with 74. Walton-Verona also was third in the state small-school division behind Paducah Tilghman and Union County.

Thomas More’s Jolly named Mid-South Conference Player of the Year

Thomas More University’s Reid Jolly averaged a team-high 17.4 points per game. He shot 47% from the field while averaging six rebounds a contest. Jolly has scored 20 or more points 10 times this season with a season-high of 31. His 17.4 points per game rank second in the conference.

This is Jolly’s fourth time being named AllMSC and third time being named to the First Team. During the 2019-20 season, Jolly was also named MSC Freshman of the Year. Jolly leads the conference with 196 made field goals. He is seventh in the conference with 168 total rebounds and is tied for eighth with 132 defensive rebounds.

He is tied for the team-lead in blocks, second in assists and third in steals. He also leads the team in made free throws and a 75% mark from the charity stripe. He has scored in double-digits in all but three games.

Jolly is third in program history in points scored.

Twelve players were named to first and second teams with an additional six players earning honorable mention honors. Georgetown College and Scott grad Jake Ohmer made the first team while the Saints Casey George, Noah Pack and Jacob Jones made the second team.

Jolly’s Player of the Year award is the second season in a row for the Saints – Ryan Batte won the award last year.

Ryle alum Morgan headed to USFL

University of Minnesota quarterback and Ryle alum Tanner Morgan is headed to the United States Football League.

Morgan was drafted eighth overall by the Michigan Panthers in the USFL draft on Feb. 21.

The USFL debuted in 2022, the 2023 season beginning April 15 with games televised on FOX and NBC. The Panthers first game is April 16 against the Houston Gamblers on NBC.

Morgan will have a legitimate shot to be the starter for the Panthers, with the team releasing starting quarterback Shea Patterson seven weeks into the season last year.

The season runs April-July. Morgan wasn’t invited to the NFL Draft combine, so this opportunity will give him a chance to showcase his abilities in time for a training camp invite when the 2023 NFL season starts practice in late July.

Morgan holds 12 records during his time at Minnesota, most notably with 3,253 pass-

ing yards during the 2019 season to go with 30 touchdown passes. Morgan went 33-14 as a starter as a Golden Gopher.

Morgan graduated from Ryle in 2017 and is in the all-time KHSAA record book for being 10th in completions (681) and ninth in passing yards (10,303).

NKU’s McFadden-Ackman makes national headlines

Liam McFadden-Ackman channeled his inner-Fernando Tatis Sr. in Northern Kentucky University’s 27-4 baseball win over Western Michigan on Feb. 26.

McFadden-Ackman, a junior from Mason, Ohio, hit not one, but two grand slams in the first inning and also hit for the cycle in the win. The victory completed a sweep for the Norse as they opened up the season 6-1. It’s the best start to a season for the program since 1990 when the Norse opened up at 12-1.

The two swings created a buzz around Highland Heights as social media outlets such as Barstool Sports and ESPN posted videos of both home runs. McFadden-Ackman was interviewed on ESPN after the game about his performance. He finished the game 5-for-6, hitting a double in the second inning, triple in the fourth and finishing the cycle in the sixth inning with a single. The junior had 10 RBI and four runs scored.

The Tatis Sr. reference comes from when he played for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1999, hitting two grand slams in one inning, the only Major League Baseball player to ever do so.

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.

The Simon Kenton academic team Photo provided

Ryle sophomore Landon Evans captured the 113-pound state wrestling title at the KHSAA state championships. Photo provided | Sally Schaefer

Thomas More’s Reid Jolly was named the MidSouth Conference Player of the Year. Photo provided | Thomas More Athletics