LINK Kenton Reader - Volume 2, Issue 16 - March 15, 2024

Balancing Act: Navigating impact of legalized sports betting in Kentucky

By Kenton Hornbeck

Like many lifelong University of Kentucky basketball fans, Tanner Chadwick of Taylor Mill hopes to see the Wildcats hoist their ninth national championship trophy this spring.

While he may be rooting for the Wildcats to win March Madness, Chadwick, a sports bettor, said he doesn’t want his emotional connection to the team to cloud his judgment.

“As a UK fan, I sometimes find myself placing what people call emotional bets on them to win – which means, deep down, I may not be truly confident in them, but I place a bet on them regardless because I am a fan,” he told LINK nky. “I think UK has great talent, but their defense still needs work.”

March Madness – the three-week, 68-team men’s college basketball mega-tournament that begins March 19 this year – is

one of the world’s most heavily wagered-on sporting events.

Last year, an American Gaming Association survey found that approximately 31 million Americans planned to place a traditional sports wager on the NCAA tournament. The survey also found that 56.3 million planned to participate in wildly popular bracket contests.

College basketball is the Bluegrass state’s most popular sport. With that, college basketball fandom is integral to many Kentuckians’ identities and deeply intertwined with the state’s culture.

The state is home to two of history’s most storied college basketball programs. The University of Kentucky, college basketball’s all-time winningest program, boasts eight national championships and has one of the sport’s most passionate fanbases. The University of Louisville is the sport’s 12th-winningest program and has won three – officially two – national championships.

Continues on page 3

What’s a creamy whip, and when can I get one?

By Maggy McDonel

To the uninitiated, a creamy whip may seem like soft serve ice cream in a cone, and well … that’s technically what it is.

Creamy whips are more than a frozen treat, though. They’re summer, tradition and community with a walk-up window.

For those not familiar with this regional term, creamy whip is just the Cincinnati way of saying soft-serve ice cream. The start of creamy whip season, when local creameries open their doors, signals the symbolic end of winter in the region.

For the owners of the Silver Grove Dari-Bar, it means getting to open their family business for the year. “The start of spring, everybody in the community says ‘you know

spring is on the way’ when we open,” said Dari-Bar co-owner Jennifer Hutchinson.

Hutchinson, her sister Theresa Baker and her sister-in-law Jamie Ollberding manage the family business that their parents bought in 1996.

The sisters said that the start of the season is busy but fun. “We get to see all the old customers and all of our old kids again,” said Hutchinson. Baker said it’s great to see all the employees they’ve missed over the winter on a daily basis. “We get to see all of our employees that we really grow to love. And it’s just a fun place to work.”

The Dari-Bar, which opened for the year March 9, typically opens on the second weekend in March, and it is a big event for the community. The shop posted its open-

Continues on page 6

On Sept. 7, Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman placed a $20 bet on the Cincinnati Bengals to win the Super Bowl at Turfway Park in Florence – the first legal sports bet in Northern Kentucky. Photo by Kenton Hornbeck | LINK nky

The Silver Grove Dari Bar’s iconic sign to its location on Mary Ingles Highway. Photo provided | Silver Grove Dari-Bar on Facebook

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Continued from page 1

Now, Kentuckians can lawfully wager on NCAA tournament games for the first time since sports betting was legalized; in-person betting was permitted as of Sept. 7, while online and mobile betting was permitted as of Sept. 28.

On Sept. 7, Kentucky Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman placed the first legal sports bet in Northern Kentucky history. Standing in front of a newly installed kiosk at Turfway Park in Florence, Coleman put $20 on the Bengals to win the Super Bowl.

Unfortunately for Cincinnati fans and Coleman, the bet didn’t pan out. While the lieutenant governor couldn’t cash in, though, the state of Kentucky has. Kentuckians have wagered nearly $892 million on sports from September through December, according to a report published by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission –a state agency that regulates horse racing and sports betting.

During an address at the state capitol in December, Gov. Andy Beshear touted the nearly $8 million total in tax revenue collected from the first two months of legalized sports betting. That number has jumped to $15.5 million since the release of the last report.

Brick-and-mortar locations and online sportsbooks have earned significant money from legalized sports betting. With March Madness just around the corner, the state of Kentucky, racetracks and online sportsbooks all are looking to keep the money rolling in.

While gambling companies are making money, gambling addiction specialists around Kentucky are sounding the alarm on the rising number of calls to the state’s problem gambling hotline.

Michael Stone, director of the Kentucky Council on Problem Gambling, told LINK nky that calls to the hotline have tripled since legal sports gambling went live. He also said Kentucky lacks an adequate number of certified problem-gambling counselors to keep up with the influx of new callers.

“The result of not having those problem gambling counselors is not being able to effectively identify the real root source of the problem and to manage the symptoms,” Stone said.

Economic impact

As a bettor and Kentuckian, one of the primary reasons Chadwick supported legalized sports betting wasn’t just for convenience – it was the potential for economic growth. “I want what’s best for my state, and I believe [gambling] brings economic growth in ways of taxable money, sponsorships and advertisements,” he said.

Regional economic development officials such as Brent Cooper, president of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, and Julie Kirkpatrick, CEO of meetNKY, welcomed the legislation’s passing. As the head of Northern Kentucky’s tourism bureau, Kirkpatrick told LINK nky she anticipates regional tourism to increase around the same time as major sporting events like March Madness.

“When more visitors come to the commonwealth, and Northern Kentucky in particular, to participate in betting around key sporting events, such as the Final Four, we anticipate a boost in tourism,” she said.

A fiscal note pegged to House Bill 551 estimated that legal sports betting would bring in roughly $23 million to the state each year. How does that estimate stack up with

the data?

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission released the latest report detailing the last available data on the total sports betting revenue and the tax collected from it in February. The set shows the numbers from September through December 2023.

In Northern Kentucky, there are two brickand-mortar locations where legal bets can be placed: Turfway Park and Newport Racing & Gaming. While no data was available for Newport Racing & Gaming, the report did publish data for Turfway Park.

Turfway Park generated approximately $5.7 million from in-person bets and $45,114 in excise tax from September to December. According to the report, Turfway Park generated the third-highest amount of bets in the state for a brick-and-mortar location.

Turfway was acquired in 2019 by Louisville-based Churchill Downs Inc., whose revenues rose 36% in 2023 to $2.46 billion. In 2022, Turfway reopened to the public after a $145 renovation that overhauled the racetrack and indoor betting facilities. The new Turfway building features over 1,500 gaming machines and a simulcast area for individuals to place bets.

For Turfway Park leadership, the legalization of sports betting was a welcome addition to their revamped operation. Turfway Park President Michael Taylor called the news “a long time coming” during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 7.

“Sports wagering obviously has been around this region for quite some time with our neighboring states,” Taylor said at the event. “It is such an exciting time to be able to level the playing field and keep our guests right here at Turfway Park on this Continues on page 4

The sportsbook at Turfway Park. Photo by Kenton Hornbeck | LINK nky

Continued from page 3 side of the river.”

The data shows a large gap between the amount bettors wagered online compared to in person. In total, approximately $855 million in bets were placed in Kentucky through mobile platforms compared to $36 million made in-person. DraftKings and FanDuel are the state’s two largest online sportsbooks measured by dollars wagered in Kentucky.

The data also shows the numbers from each location where bets were placed over the same period. Since casino gambling is illegal in Kentucky, race tracks are the primary brick-and-mortar locations where people can place legal bets. The largest brick-and-mortar venue in Kentucky for bets placed is Churchill Downs’ flagship

location – Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville. It’s the largest horse racing track in the state. Approximately $13.4 million in bets were placed there from September through December.

Red Mile Racing & Gaming in Lexington is the state’s second-largest in-person betting venue. Red Mile generated around $11.4 million in bets from September through December.

Current challenges

While the financial benefits of legalized sports betting can be touted as a force for public good, for gambling addiction agencies, it’s been an uphill battle.

Kentucky Sports Wagering Report

New Jersey, one of the first states to legalize sports betting, has seen calls to its gam-

Total Fiscal Year-to-Date

September 2023 - December 2023

bling-related helpline skyrocket. According to the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey, from 2018 to 2023, calls into the state’s helpline doubled. Additionally, the number of people under the age of 25 calling the hotline since 2018 has also increased to 19.6% of all calls.

Similarly, calls to Kentucky’s problem gambling hotline have tripled since last September, according to the public gambling council’s Stone.

The concern over the volume of people gambling and the effect it’s having on younger people raised the alarm for some activists and lobbyists, prompting calls for states to place tighter regulations against gambling companies.

Before House Bill 551’s passage, David

Walls, executive director for the Family Foundation – a Christian organization that lobbies the legislature to follow “biblical values” – testified to a Senate committee last year calling gambling “predatory” and “not a victimless form of entertainment for competition.”

“I certainly hope this honorable body will not have to turn around and turn every iPhone into a digital casino that kids will have access to,” Walls said during his testimony before House Bill 551 passed.

According to the National Council on Problem Gambling, 1% of U.S. adults have a gambling disorder, and 2%-3% have a gambling problem.

“95% of the people don’t have a problem,” Stone said. “Gambling is an entertainment

Glossary:

Handle

**Penn Sports is now marketed as ESPNbet

Data is provided for informational purposes and is subject to change For more information on tax data, please contact the Department of Revenue https://taxanswers ky gov/Sales-and- Excise-Taxes/Pages/Sports-Wagering- aspx

“Is it possible to get medical advice in the middle of the night?”

- William, Taylor Mill, KY

Karen Landwehr, APRN Virtual Health “Definitely. We make sure your healthcare is always convenient.”

The most recent Kentucky Sports Wagering report published by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. Photo provided | Kentucky Horse Racing Commission

– they do it, they quit. They go on with their normal life. 5% of the people either have an addiction or problem with gambling. The money is the fuel for their addiction. They’re addicted to the experience and the high that they get from what the gamblers call ‘being in action’ – having that bet on the line.”

Stone told LINK nky that there are only seven certified gambling counselors in the state – none in Northern Kentucky, Lexington or Bowling Green. Only one is in eastern Kentucky. The result is an increased workload on counselors fielding rerouted referrals from parts of the state that lack a certified gambling counselor.

“Some major population centers are void of gambling counselors,” Stone said. “If people are getting referred, those referrals will go to someplace where there is no one who has any developed knowledge, understanding or training of how to deal with a problem and addicted gambler. If you don’t have that ability, then you can’t achieve recovery for those individuals.”

Stone and the Kentucky Council on Problem Gambling are training 23 new counselors across the state. The agency recently completed a 30-hour training program for potential counselors in late January.

“We’re trying to build that foundation of help across the state, and it’s very modest success, but we are making some strides in doing that,” he said.

The legalization of sports betting in Kentucky marks a significant milestone in the state’s history. While the state has seen substantial wagering activity, alongside these fiscal gains come concerns about the societal impact of increased gambling accessibility, particularly regarding addiction and youth engagement.

As Kentucky navigates the complexities of regulating this growing industry, the state is walking a tightrope: how to prioritize the well-being of its citizens while capitalizing on the economic benefits of legalized sports betting.

The legalization process

Before 2018, Nevada was the only U.S. state with legal sportsbooks. That changed in 2018 when the U.S. Supreme Court repealed the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 or PASPA.

The law defined the legal status of sports betting in the United States, effectively making it illegal across the country. Once it was overturned, several states raced to pass laws that legalized and regulated the industry.

Kentucky’s General Assembly deliberated on four different versions of a sports betting bill. During the 2022 session, then-Rep. Adam Koening (R-Erlanger) sponsored sports betting legislation passed by the state House of Representatives, but it ultimately died in the Senate.

A year later, Rep. Michael Meredith (R-Oakland) introduced House Bill 551 –the legalized sports betting bill – during the 2023 Kentucky General Assembly. The bill cleared the House, then the Senate Licensing and Occupations Committee – something the 2022 bill failed to do.

House Bill 551 then passed the Senate Economic Development Committee, chaired by then-Sen. Wil Schroder (R-Wilder), which effectively put it up for

a vote in the Senate. In the end, the Senate voted 25 to 12 in favor. Beshear signed the bill into law on March 31.

Some of the strongest arguments favoring legalized sports betting regarded taxes. Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer (R-Georgetown) was a vocal proponent of legalized sports betting. During the 2023 General Assembly, Thayer gave testimony on the Senate floor, arguing that Kentucky was losing out on sports betting tax revenue to neighboring states. At the time, six of seven states bordering Kentucky had legalized sports betting. Before statewide legalization, it was commonplace for bettors in Northern Kentucky to cross into Ohio or Indiana to place bets.

When Ohio legalized sports betting in January 2023, the state generated $20 million in tax revenue from a 10% tax in that month alone, according to a Columbus Dispatch report. Kentucky legislators wanted to emulate that success.

In contrast to Thayer, Sen. John Schickel (R-Union) opposed legalization, voicing concerns over sports betting’s potentially harmful effects on young people, particularly when it came to having greater access to mobile sportsbooks. “Hyper-gambling would not improve society, and allowing sports betting – especially on

our collegiate sports and to a lesser degree professional sports – concerns me,” Schickel said during senate testimony.

Ultimately, Thayer voted to pass House Bill 551; Schickel voted no.

House Bill 551 outlined a 9.75% tax on in-person bets and a 14.25% tax on mobile and online bets. The money generated would go toward funding different public programs across the state. 2.5% of the taxes collected are directed to a problem gambling fund. The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission was designated as the regulatory agency overseeing sports wagering.

During her Sept. 7 visit to Turfway Park, Coleman touted the potentially positive societal impact revenue generated from sports betting taxes could have on the state.

“Sports wagering is going to benefit all consenting adults because it means more revenue for economic development or disaster relief and infrastructure projects like new roads, bridges and clean water,” she said. “It means more money for our public schools and support for the pensions of every firefighter, police officer, public servant and teachers.”

The inside of Turfway Park’s newly renovated facility. Photo provided | Whitney Miller, WCPO

ing date for the season Feb. 22 on Facebook. That post has over 1,000 shares, 170 comments and over 800 reactions. It’s safe to say people are excited.

The walk-up window off the side of the road in Silver Grove has a 1950s diner style to it, and the owners say that the nostalgia is part of the draw. “I think a lot of people enjoy the vibe of just the old-timey place,” said Baker, “and our kids all count money by hand and give change. It’s just a different kind of environment.”

Outside of creamy whips, the Dari-Bar serves a full menu of burgers, fries, chili dogs and other savory delights, as well as other dairy-filled desserts like shakes, malts and floats.

Baker said her go-to order is a steak hoagie and maybe a hot fudge sundae for a treat. Hutchinson said her favorite is a burger along with a blitz made with chocolate ice cream blended with Oreos and marshmallows.

Over in Burlington, Dreamy Whip opened for the season in February in recognition of National Ice Cream for Breakfast Day. Dreamy Whip’s owners, husband and wife duo Samantha and David Draper, said they started the business with the intent of bring more creamy whips to NKY. The business opened in 2019 as a food truck.

Samantha is from Cincinnati’s West Side, where David Draper said “there’s creamy whips on every corner. However, down here in Northern Kentucky, there’s just not a big presence”

In the fall of 2019, David Draper said they began renovating their brick-and-mortar location in Burlington, where the couple lives. Despite some COVID-19 roadblocks, the couple officially opened the location on Mother’s Day weekend in 2020, and they’ve been going strong ever since. Dreamy Whip has grown from one mobile truck to three and the brick-and-mortar location. David Draper said they plan to open a second storefront in 2024.

David Draper attributes much of their success and ability to survive the COVID lockdown to the help of the North American Ice Cream Association, which provided tips, tricks and support for and from small ice

cream businesses.

“When people walk through our door, they’re coming in to get a treat, coming in to get a smile on their face, and that’s what we want to provide to them – that experience, and it’s just an enjoyable one,” said David.

Read on to learn more about some of the best creamy whip spots in Northern Kentucky.

Cold cones and more

Here’s a completely not-exhaustive list of NKY creamy whips. If you have recommendations for our list, email news@linknky. com.

Silver Grove Dari-Bar, Silver Grove

A local favorite, the Silver Grove Dari-Bar serves everything from burgers and fries to milkshakes to (of course) creamy whips

NORTHERN KENTUCKY –THE #1 REGION BUSINESSES CALL HOME.

that can be dipped in all types of toppings. They opened March 9 and will stay open until the end of summer. 5178 Mary Ingles Hwy., Silver Grove

Dreamy Whip, Burlington

Burlington may be a bit of a drive for some, but, if you’re in the mood for a creamy whip, it may be worth it. Dreamy Whip opened in 2019, originally as a mobile ice cream truck. Now it operates a brick-andmortar location as well as two trucks. There are rotating flavors of soft serve as well as floats and coffee drinks. 3020 Washington St., Burlington

Piper’s Cafe and Ice Cream Bar, Covington

This Covington spot has a massive menu with an array of ice creams, floats, coffee drinks and more. They serve some unusual ice cream flavors that range from jellybean to crème de menthe to black walnut, plus tons of toppings like sour patch bites and

chocolate rocks. They are open seven days a week, 1-9 p.m. 520 W. Sixth St., Covington

Ameristop Bellevue, Bellevue

At this popular spot, you can get craft beers, lottery tickets, creamy whips and more. Ameristop Bellevue operates two soft serve machines year-round, each offering two flavors that can be served on their own or swirled. Right now, they have cherry and lime in one and orange and vanilla in the other. 545 Lafayette Ave., Bellevue

Sharky’s Arctic Sweets & Eats

A popular Alexandria spot, Sharky’s Arctic Sweets & Eats is open year-round. In addition to ice cream, Sharky’s offers coffee, baked goods, burgers, fries and more. Kids are also welcome to play on Sharky’s playground after they eat their treats. 9924 Alexandria Pike, Alexandria

A statue of a dairy cow sitting on a bench outside of Dreamy Whip’s storefront in Burlington offers the perfect place for a selfie with a fresh cone. Photo provided | Dreamy Whip on Facebook

By Nathan Granger

RIndependence City Council, residents debate controversial development

esidents crowded Independence City Council’s chambers March 4 to ask questions and offer feedback on a controversial land development off Madison Pike. The meeting was informational only; council took no votes on the development.

Called The Haven at Liberty Grove, the development would see 124 condominium units built in 16 buildings on the east side of Madison Pike, or Ky. 17, in Independence. Madison Pike Partners LLC would develop the site, and Fischer Homes would build the structures. The site is near the Hartland neighborhood and across the street from St. Cecilia School.

A contingent of Independence residents has come forward to oppose the development, arguing it’s too dense and would increase traffic. The residents spoke against the development at the Kenton County Planning Commission meeting in February. In a split vote, the commission affirmed the residents’ concerns and voted down the developers’ zoning request.

This moved the zoning approval to the city council.

Following the commission’s decision, residents opposing the development put up signs around their neighborhoods, encouraging people to come out to the March 4 meeting to speak, but the developers ended up dropping their zoning request application between the planning commission’s ruling and the council meeting.

Mayor Chris Reinersman, who works as a real estate appraiser, had been in multiple meetings with both the developers and residents over recent months to try and address everyone’s concerns. Reinersman gave a presentation on what had changed with the development since the meetings began.

“I will start off by saying that if they never build another house in Independence, I would be perfectly fine with that,” Reinersman said.

After learning as much as he could, though, Reinersman argued that the proposed development was about as ideal as one could hope for at the site, given the developers’ plans and the accommodations they’d agreed to. “I took a harder look at it and have really come to the conclusion that this development is probably the best thing for the area.”

Current zoning on the land is split into three sections and allows for a total of 81 residential units, most of which would not require a development plan. This means that, unlike the zoning request the developers put before the planning commission for 124 units, few barriers could prevent a developer from building there so long as they conformed to existing zoning.

Reinersman highlighted changes that had come from the meetings. The developers:

• Agreed to drop the unit count from 124 to 110.

• Proposed building a 15-foot retaining wall to screen the lower floors of the condos from nearby residents’ views.

• Offered to prohibit rentals in the condo complex’s homeowners association’s covenant. (Current zoning allows for multifamily dwellings in certain parts of the land, which Reinersman argued would likely end up as rental communities.)

Reinersman also argued that traffic worries were misplaced, citing preliminary findings from a traffic study the developers commissioned. The state hadn’t finalized or approved the study at the time of the meeting, but early results suggest the development would add 57 additional cars

during peak morning traffic hours and 68 additional cars during peak afternoon and evening hours.

These numbers aren’t substantial, Reinersman contended: The units’ size and likely price ranges would cater to young professionals, retirees and newlywed couples who tended to drive fewer cars than other households.

Thus began a two-and-a-half-hour exchange between elected officials and residents, many of whom cast doubt on the traffic study’s numbers. Others expressed worries about overdevelopment and excessive traffic generally.

“We need to look very, very, very longterm, because there’s a lot of land in Independence,” said resident Perry McCool, “and it would be very easy for it to become Florence.”

Reinersman and several council members argued that there was little they could do to prevent property owners from developing land they owned. Moreover, even if this development wasn’t built, someone else would likely try to develop it later, at which point there was no guarantee the city would be able to do anything about it.

“We can turn it down, somebody else buys the property, and 80 apartment units go in there and it’s rentals,” said long-time Council Member Carol Franzen. “There’s no guarantee what’s going to happen if we leave it alone.”

The developer’s revised zoning request is expected to go before the Kenton County Planning Commission at its April 4 meeting. Council members encouraged the residents to attend the planning commission meeting to speak about the development if they truly wanted to stop or change it.

Once the commission votes on it, it will return to Independence council for a potential vote. The next Independence City Council meeting is set for 7 p.m. April 1 at 7 p.m. at the Independence City Building on Madison Pike.

The land along Madison Pike where the development would take place. Photo taken from Google Maps

Where to find a fish fry near you in NKY

By Maggy McDonel

With the start of the Lenten season upon us, fish frys have begun in Northern Kentucky. Each county has a plethora of places to participate in your weekly fish feast. Read on to find a fry near you.

In our list below, unless otherwise noted, the fish fries run Fridays through March 22. If you don’t see your favorite fish fry on our list, feel free to submit it to our event calendar at linknky.com.

BOONE COUNTY

Burlington

Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish

4 p.m.

5876 Veterans Way, Burlington 859-689-5010

Florence

Center Table Catering (Brighton Recovery Center)

4 to 6:30 p.m.

375 Weaver Road, Florence 859-292-5492

St. Paul Parish

4 to 7:30 p.m.

7301 Dixie Hwy, Florence 859-371-8051

(Dine in or drive thru. Drive thru runs through 7:30 p.m.)

Union

St. Timothy Parish

5 to 7:30 p.m.

10272 US 42, Union 859-384-1100

(Dine in or drive thru. Drive thru 4:30 to 7 p.m., credit card only.)

Walton

St. Joseph Academy

4:30 to 8 p.m.

48 Needmore St., Walton 859-485-6444

(Dine in or drive thru.)

CAMPBELL COUNTY

Alexandria

St. Mary of the Assumption

4:30 to 7:30 p.m.

8246 E. Main St., Alexandria 859-635-4188

(Runs Fridays, Feb. 16 to March 8. Dine in, drive thru or carryout.)

Camp Springs

St. Joseph Parish

4 to 7:30 p.m.

6833 Four Mile Road, Camp Springs 859-635-2491

(Dine in or carryout order online.)

Cold Spring

Newport Elks Lodge 273

4 to 7:30 p.m.

3704 Alexandria Pike, Cold Spring 859-441-1273

Dayton

St. Bernard Church

5 to 7 p.m.

401 Berry St., Dayton 859-261-8506 (Dine in or carryout)

Fort Thomas

St. Catherine of Siena

4:30 to 7 p.m.

1803 N. Fort Thomas Ave., Fort Thomas 859-441-1352

(Dine in or carryout)

St. Thomas School

4 to 8 p.m.

428 Fort Thomas Ave., Fort Thomas (Dine in school cafeteria or carryout)

Wilder

Wilder Fire Department

4 to 7 p.m., 522 Licking Pike, Wilder 859-431-5884 (Dine in or carryout)

KENTON COUNTY

Covington

Covington Firefighters Fish Fry

5 to 8 p.m.

IAFF Local 38 Union Hall 2232 Howell St., Covington 859-431-8777

Holy Cross High School

5 to 8 p.m.,

3617 Church St., Covington

859-431-1335

(Dine in school cafeteria or carryout)

St. Augustine Parish

Doors open at 4 p.m.

413 W. 19th St., Covington 859-431-3943

(Dine in or carryout)

St. Benedict Church

4:45 to 7 p.m.

338 E. 17 St., Covington 859-431-5607

(Dine in or carryout)

Erlanger

Mary Queen of Heaven Parish

4 to 8 p.m.

1150 Donaldson Hwy, Erlanger 859-371-810.

(Drive-thru lanes, online ordering with curbside pickup. Dine-in available)

St. Barbara Church

4:30 to 8 p.m.

4042 Turkeyfoot Road, Erlanger 859-371-3100

(Dine in and drive thru closes 7:30 p.m.)

Independence

St. Cecilia Catholic Church

5 to 8 p.m.

5313 Madison Pike, Independence 859-363-4311

Bradford Masonic Lodge

4 to 8 p.m.

5403 Madison Pike, Independence

(Runs through March 29)

Taylor Mill

St. Patrick Church

4:30 to 7:30 p.m., 3285 Mills Road, Taylor Mill 859-356-5151

(Dine in or carryout. Carryout ends at 7:15 p.m.)

Churches and restaurants across the region are holding fish fries during lent. Photo provided | Davey Gravy via unsplash

Covington coffee shop supports first responders with Battle of the Brews

Through March, Point Perk, a coffee shop in Covington, is raising money for the city’s first responders in March with a Battle of the Brews promotion.

It’s offering two flavors for a limited time: The Backdraft, for the fire department, is made with cayenne pepper, white or milk chocolate and homemade vanilla. The High Speed Pursuit, for the police department, is made with blueberry, white chocolate and homemade vanilla. Either can be served hot or cold.

Whichever drink racks up more sales by the end of March will determine which department receives funds. 10% of the total sales will go to the winning department.

Point Perk is at 43 W. Pike St. in Covington.

Bids to buy Covington health department building now being accepted

The Kenton County Local Board of Health is accepting sealed sale bids for the Northern Kentucky Health Department building in Covington. The building, at 2002 Madison Ave., is listed as surplus property.

The board will accept bids until noon May

9. All bids must be clearly labeled as “Sale of Surplus Property” on the outside of the envelope and be sent to the health department’s main office, 8001 Veterans Memorial Drive, Florence.

Anyone with additional questions should contact Ancel Scott Baxley by phone at 859-344-5464, by fax at 859-578-3689 or by email at Scott.Baxley@nkyhealth.org.

Scammers impersonating law enforcement agency, sheriff’s office warns

Scammers are at it again, the Kenton County Sheriff’s Office warns.

The department reported a new scam where a caller or text message using the name Justin Bradley says he is calling from the “Civil Service Department” about unpaid fines, missed jury duty or outstanding warrants. The messages include a callback number that is not the Kenton County

Sheriff’s Office’s.

Law enforcement agencies will not call or text you about delinquent obligations, deputies warn.

Scammers can sound very professional when they speak, according to the sheriff’s office, and may try to pressure you for immediate payment over the phone. Do not use redial or use numbers provided by the possible scammer. Hang up on them and block their number.

Contact the Kentucky Attorney General, Office of Consumer Protection at 888-4329257 to report scam attempts.

Gourmet pop tarts back at all Taste of Belgium locations in region

Taste of Belgium, known for its Belgian-inspired cuisine, has announced the return of its Belgian Gourmet Pop Tarts. The Cincinnati-based eatery has a location in Crestview Hills,

• AJ’s Towing & Recovery

• Boone County Clerk

• Campbell County Clerk’s Office

• Campbell County Fire District #1

LEGAL NOTICE

The Campbell County & Municipal Planning and Zoning Commission and the Campbell County Board of Adjustments will hold a special meeting/workshop on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at 7:00 PM (EST) at the Campbell County Fiscal Court Chambers located at 1098 Monmouth St. Newport, KY 41071 to introduce the Board and Commission Member to the Comprehensive Plan Update process.

Interested persons may attend the meeting. Questions/comments about the plan update may be sent to pzcompplan@campbellcountyky.gov

SCAN

PAGE

• Campbell County Fiscal Court

• Campbell County Planning & Zoning

• City of Alexandria

• City of Bellevue

• City of Cold Spring

• City of Covington

• City of Cresent Springs

• City of Crestview Hills

• City of Dayton

• City of Edgewood

• City of Elsmere

• City of Erlanger

• City of Florence

• City of Fort Thomas

• City of Fort Wright

• City of Independence

• City of Lakeside Park

• City of Ludlow

• City of Newport

Each Belgian Gourmet Pop Tart is made with pastry dough, filled with fruit preserves or chocolate and finished with icing. The treats are available in berry, lemon and s’more flavors. baked daily in limited quantities, and available for dine-in or carry-out while they last during breakfast and brunch hours.

Taste of Belgium has eight locations. The Northern Kentucky restaurant is at 2833 Dixie Highway.

Independence officer, dog appear in national fundraising calendar

Independence Police Officer Josh Salyers and K9 Officer Jocko will appear in this year’s Vested Interest in K9s Inc. nationwide fundraising calendar. The calendar helps the organization raise money for protection equipment, such as ballistic vests, for police dogs throughout the country.

“Vested Interest in K9s Inc. has donated over 5,435 bullet and stab protective vests to law enforcement K9s in all 50 states at a value of over $6.9 million,” according to a recent news release.

To learn more or to purchase a calendar for $20, visit www.vik9s.org.

• City of Silver Grove

• City of Southgate

• City of Union

• City of Villa Hills

• City Of Walton

• City of Wilder

• City of Woodlawn

• Covington Public Independent Schools

• Cresent Springs Board of Adjustment

• Family Dollar Store

• Fort Mitchell Board of Adjustment

• Fort Thomas Independent Schools

• Highland Heights Planning & Zoning

• Keating, Muething & Klekamp PLL

• Kenton County Fiscal Court

• Kenton County Joint Board of Adjustment

• Northern Kentucky Port Authority

• Northern Kentucky Water District

• Planning & Development Services of Kenton County

• The Baker Firm PLLC

• The Hidden Chapter Bookstore LLC

Taste of Belgium’s new pop tarts in s’mores, berry and lemon. Photo by Haley Parnell | LINK nky

The Northern Kentucky Health Department on Madison Avenue in Covington. Photo by Kenton Hornbeck | LINK nky

news from other places

Bill would allow schools to hire vets as armed guardians

FRANKFORT (AP)

– The Kentucky Senate on March 5 passed a bill meant to bolster school safety by allowing school districts to hire retired law officers or military veterans to work as armed guardians.

The proposal, sponsored by Republican Sen. Max Wise, would allow local school boards to hire and assign guardians at schools beginning in the 2025-26 school year. Districts could employ as many guardians as administrators deem necessary.

The measure is the latest attempt by Kentucky lawmakers to augment school security since the 2018 shooting at Marshall County High School in western Kentucky, where a student gunman killed two students and injured more than a dozen others. After the Senate’s 28-10 approval, the measure, Senate Bill 2, goes to the House.

Guardians could fill the void at schools lacking armed school resource officers – typically members of local law enforcement agencies – or they could serve alongside SROs. Hundreds of school campuses are without SROs due to insufficient funding or lack of available officers, Wise has said.

Honorably discharged military veterans, retired state troopers, retired law enforcement officers and former federal agents would be eligible to serve. Their preparation would include the first level of school resource officer training, as well as training on firearms proficiency and how to respond to active shooters. They would be allowed to carry concealed weapons on school grounds.

House to take up bill allowing parents to seek child support for unborn

FRANKFORT (AP) – The Senate voted 36-2 on March 5 to grant the right to collect child support for unborn children. The measure,

which would allow a parent to seek child support up to a year after giving birth to cover pregnancy expenses retroactively, advanced to the House.

The bill, Senate Bill 110, was revised before its approval. It originally would have allowed a child support action at any time following conception, but the measure was amended to have such an action apply only within the specified time limit. Republican state Sen. Whitney Westerfield said the bipartisan support for the measure reflects a recognition that pregnancy carries with it an obligation for the other parent to help cover incurred expenses.

Kentucky is among at least six states in which lawmakers have proposed measures similar to a Georgia law that allows child support to be sought back to conception. Georgia also allows prospective parents to claim its income tax deduction for dependent children before birth; Utah enacted a pregnancy tax break last year; and variations of those measures are before lawmakers in at least a handful of other states.

‘DEI not 4-letter word,’ Beshear tells crowd at civil rights march

FRANKFORT (AP) – Gov. Andy Beshear on March 5 condemned efforts to limit diversity, equity and inclusion practices at public universities after marching with other Kentuckians to commemorate the 60th anniversary of a civil-rights rally here that featured Martin Luther King Jr.

“DEI is not a four-letter word,” Beshear said in front of the state Capitol. “DEI is a three-letter acronym for very important values that are found in our Bible. Diversity, equity and inclusion is about loving each other…. Diversity will always make us stronger. It is an asset and never a liability.”

Beshear walked at the head of throngs of people that retraced the steps of the civil rights icon and 10,000 others who joined the 1964 March on Frankfort to call for legislation to end discrimination and segregation in the Bluegrass State. That march is credited with leading to passage of the Kentucky Civil Rights Act of 1966, which prohibited race-based discrimination in accommodations or employment.

Legislation to limit diversity, equity and inclusion practices at Kentucky’s public universities won Senate passage last month

and is pending in the House.

Liberty University to pay record fine for violating U.S. crime reporting law

(AP) – Liberty University has agreed to pay $14 million fine for failing to disclose information about crimes on campus and for its treatment of sexual assault survivors, the U.S. Department of Education announced March 5. The fine is by far the largest levied under the Clery Act, which requires colleges and universities that receive federal funding to collect data on campus crime and notify students of threats.

Department of Education officials said it identified numerous cases that resulted in the misclassification or underreporting of crimes. The university also determined several incidents to be unfounded, but without evidence the initial report was false. “This was especially common with respect to sexually based offenses, including rape and fondling cases,” according to the department’s Final Program Review Determination.

Many victims of sexual crimes feared reporting because of concerns of reprisal, the final program review stated. Several were punished for violating the student code of conduct known as the “Liberty Way,” while their assailants were left unpunished.

“Consequently, victims of sexual assault often felt dissuaded by Liberty administration’s reputation for punishing sexual assault survivors rather than helping them,” the final program review said. “Such fears created a culture of silence where sexual assaults commonly went unreported.”

The Lynchburg, Virginia, Christian school has marketed itself as having one of the nation’s safest campuses, with more than 15,000 students enrolled. Its police department, though, had a single officer with minimal oversight for investigating crimes during most of the time period reviewed by federal investigators, 2016 to 2023.

The school said it would continue to cooperate with the department and noted it has made more than $10 million in significant improvements since 2022 toward complying with the Clery Act and other laws, including in educational programming, new leadership and staffing.

The largest previous Clery Act fine was $4.5

million against Michigan State in 2019, according to a February report from the Congressional Research Service, levied after federal investigators said the school failed to respond adequately to sexual assault complaints against Larry Nassar, a campus sports doctor who molested elite gymnasts and other female athletes.

Booth made famous in final ‘Sopranos’ scene goes to anonymous bidder

BLOOMFIELD, N.J. (AP) — Madone! The booth in the ice cream parlor where Tony Soprano may or may not have been whacked has sold for more than $82,000. An anonymous buyer submitted the winning bid March 4 in an online auction for the piece of memorabilia tied to the award-winning HBO series “The Sopranos.”

Ron Stark, co-owner of Holsten’s, the northern New Jersey ice cream parlor, candy shop and restaurant where the scene was filmed, said he and co-owner Chris Carley decided to auction off the booth to help pay for a renovation of the dining area. “It was getting to the point where we didn’t think it was safe anymore because of the [table] legs breaking, and we didn’t want anybody to actually get hurt.”

In the show’s final scene, New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano, played by late actor James Gandolfini, was sitting in the booth when he orders a plate of onion rings and puts a coin in the jukebox as his wife, Carmella, and son, A.J., join him. His daughter, Meadow, struggles with parallel parking outside. A guy walks past the table and enters the rest room. A bell rings to signal the entrance of someone walking into the restaurant – and the screen cuts to black.

The original booth was replaced the day of the auction by a recreation.

State Sen. Max Wise is sponsor of a bill to allow schools to hire veterans as armed guardians.

Ron Stark, co-owner of Holsten’s, the New Jersey restaurant where the final scene of “The Sopranos” was filmed, sits in a reproduction of the booth used in the show.

From LINK nky’s Frankfort correspondent Rebecca Hanchett, here is a summary of what’s going on with Northern Kentucky’s legislators in Frankfort.

House OKs bill to bring birth centers back to Ky. for first time since 1980s

A bill that could bring freestanding birth centers back to Kentucky was approved by a House committee March 6 despite objections from a Northern Kentucky physician.

Dr. Allana Oak, an obstetrics physician with St. Elizabeth Healthcare, told the House Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations committee that the bill omits physician oversight of birth centers, which she recommends. Oak testified on behalf of St. Elizabeth on House Bill 199 – this year’s proposal to remove specific certificate of need requirements for midwife-staffed birth centers licensed in Kentucky.

Similar legislation, sponsored by Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer (R-Alexandria), is pending in the Senate.

There hasn’t been a freestanding birth center in the state since the 1980s, according to the Kentucky Birth Coalition that’s backed legislation similar to HB 199 for two years.

Although birth center regulations are still in place, advocates for the centers say certificates of need – a state law requiring approval of new health facilities – stand in the way. Birth centers in other states are typically staffed by certified professional midwives. Oak said that is one reason Kentucky should require the centers to collaborate with physicians.

Certified professional midwives have “significantly less training” than nurse midwives who are licensed nurse practitioners, Oak said. Both types of midwives provide care for home and hospital births in Kentucky now, but Oak told the committee she has “grave concerns with women of Kentucky thinking they are getting a higher level of care when it’s not.

“You’re going to have a hard time finding physicians that want to provide backup in the state of Kentucky for a lower level midwife … less experienced in their training,” she said.

Kentucky House Majority Whip Rep. Jason Nemes, the sponsor of HB 199, told the committee he doesn’t think statutorily-required physician oversight of birth centers is necessary. The Louisville Republican

worked with St. Elizabeth Healthcare and other hospitals on a floor amendment that Nemes said would address many changes requested by Oak.

Birthing centers would be required to have procedures in place to transport patients to hospitals as needed and would have to be located near hospitals. They would also have to have malpractice insurance and be properly accredited.

Physician oversight of the centers is not part of the agreement, Nemes said.

Senate votes to strip governor of appointments to state school board

The Kentucky Senate voted March 5 to require partisan elections for the Kentucky Board of Education – a move that would eliminate the governor’s ability to appoint members of the board.

Laws providing for gubernatorial appointments to the board were passed in 1990 after the state Supreme Court in 1989 ruled the state’s K-12 education system unconstitutional. Senate Majority Whip Mike Wilson (R-Bowling Green), the sponsor of the proposed state school board changes in Senate Bill 8, says it’s the right move.

“The bill gives voters the chance to make important choices on who is making the broad policy decisions about the education of their youth,” Wilson said before SB 8 passed the Senate State and Local Government committee Feb. 28.

He drew a harder line in calling for SB 8’s full Senate vote. “The exercise of raw politics can’t occur if voters make their own choices,” Wilson said.

The Senate passed the bill on a 24-14 vote. All Northern Kentucky senators – Chris McDaniel (R-Ryland Heights), Shelley Funke Frommeyer (R-Alexandria), John Schickel (R-Union) and Gex Williams (R-Verona) – voted for the bill, which now goes to the House.

Requiring voting members of the state school board to be elected would align with other school board elections in Kentucky, Wilson said in committee last week – although local school board elections are nonpartisan in Kentucky and most other states.

Under the measure, three voting members would be added to the state board of education for a total of 14. Members would be elected in staggered terms, two each from the state’s seven Supreme Court districts. Nonvoting members would remain the same: the secretary of the state Labor and Education cabinet, the president of the Council on Postsecondary Education, a current school teacher and a current student from one of the state’s 171 public school districts.

The first elections would be held in 2026. Gov. Andy Beshear has called SB 8 “a terri-

ble idea.” Instead of partisan board members, Beshear said in January, “we need them to be nonpartisan, serving each and every one of our kids.”

Ruling expected this month on Deters-Massie lawsuit over Congressional run

A Lewis circuit court judge is expected to rule March 15 on a motion tied to U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie’s qualification for reelection amid a legal challenge from primary opponent Eric Deters.

Lewis and Greenup Circuit Judge Brian McCloud said in court March 1 he would rule on Massie’s motion that the court find Massie “a bona fide candidate” for reelection to the 4th U.S. House District, Massie attorney Chris Wiest told LINK nky. Other motions are also pending.

Deters – a former Northern Kentucky attorney representing himself in the case –filed a lawsuit Feb. 22 challenging Massie’s qualification for reelection.

Wiest told LINK he does not expect a March 15 ruling on another Massie motion asking that Deters be sanctioned in response to the lawsuit. That motion requests Deters be prohibited from filing any future pro se (meaning “for himself”) state court actions without having the actions first screened by a judge.

Deters, a 2023 Kentucky gubernatorial candidate who is running against Massie for Congress, asserts in the Feb. 22 suit that Massie is not qualified to run this year based largely on residency questions surrounding current state House District 66

NCNB

candidate TJ Roberts – one of two witnesses to Massie’s Dec. 18 candidate filing in Frankfort.

Deters’ lawsuit claims that Roberts – whose home on East Bend Road in Burlington was destroyed by fire early last year but has since been rebuilt – was not living at that address last year when he listed it as his permanent address as a witness to Massie’s Dec. 18 filing. State law requires election filings be witnessed by two persons, both living in the same district as a candidate and registered with the same political party as the candidate.

Deters claims Roberts’ residency in the district was uncertain when Roberts witnessed Massie’s filing. His lawsuit asks the court to throw out Massie’s candidacy based largely on that claim.

Deters filed Jan. 5 to run against Massie in this year’s congressional primary.

Massie responded to Deters in a Feb. 26 motion, asking the court to rule in his favor based in part on a Feb. 26 affidavit from Roberts. In it, Roberts gave sworn testimony that the East Bend Road address is his permanent address.

According to the motion, Roberts stayed with his mother at her home in Walton after the fire through mid-June 2023. From that point to Jan. 10, Roberts testified that he stayed temporarily at a residence on Torrid Street in Burlington (also in the 4th District and 66th House District) until moving Jan. 11 into a rebuilt home at the permanent East Bend Road address.

The motion goes on to say Roberts was advised by the Kentucky Secretary of State’s office to list his permanent legal address “and not any temporary address” on both his witness signature for Massie and on Roberts’ own candidate filing dated Jan. 5.

Any person, association, corporation, or body politic may protest the granting of the license(s) by writing the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, 1003 Twilight Trail, Frankfort, Kentucky, 40601, within thirty (30) days of the date of legal publication.

St. Elizabeth Healthcare OBGYN Dr. Allana Oak testified on HB 199 March 6 in Frankfort. KET screenshot | LINK nky

Former Kentucky gubernatorial candidate Eric Deters smiles in May 2023 at a comment before the start of the Kentucky Gubernatorial GOP primary debate in Lexington. Photo by Timothy D. Easley | AP

By Rebecca Hanchett

Meet Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer

Each week, LINK nky is publishing a profile of one of our local legislators so that Northern Kentuckians can get to know the people representing them at the state level.

Wellness is more than physical to Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer. It’s mental, too, the Alexandria Republican and certified financial planner tells LINK nky. It’s also what she calls a “crucial” part of her work in the Kentucky Senate.

To demonstrate her commitment, the freshman senator in 2023 chose to make wellness of pregnant women and their families a priority during her first legislative session. Funke Frommeyer filed Senate Bill 135 to require the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services to include information on postpartum depression (along with an assessment tool) on its website. The bill became law and was signed by Gov. Andy Beshear.

“SB 135 was about perinatal mental health in offering a deeper understanding of what sort of disorders, including postpartum depression, are wrecking the very beginning of a new life, by a mother or a father’s emotional frustrations that aren’t fully understood,” Funke Frommeyer told LINK.

She also proposed a return of freestanding birth centers to Kentucky in her first session. The centers – which follow a midwifery model of care that extends beyond hospitals and homes – are found in 40 states other than Kentucky, although they technically are allowed under Kentucky law and regulations. Funke Frommeyer’s 2023 SB 67 would have exempted the centers from Kentucky’s certificate of need requirements to make it easier for them to return to Kentucky. But the bill didn’t become law.

The senator said she intends to work on a similar bill during the 2024 legislative session. The House Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations last week approved a similar bill.

“We need something that offers a midwifery model that is holistically healthy, and very focused on the wellness of the mom. I’m so very proud of that legislation which we’ll build on … in 2024,” she told LINK.

Wellness in the workforce and in schools also needs work, said the senator. According to Funke Frommeyer, mental and emotional health issues have a “real stranglehold” on employment and education in Northern Kentucky. Regarding schools, the senator told LINK that current state policy “may not be giving enough strength and authority back to the parents and the teachers to support their thriving students.”

“It’s the student who has to choose to learn, and we have such a heavy burden on our parents and teachers with so much heavy administrative oversight,” she said. “So I’d like to see a reduction in the infrastructure so that more money is available for the parents to choose what’s the best education for their child.”

As a freshman, Funke Frommeyer said she has learned that the legislative process (which she calls “truly fantastic”) requires a lawmaker to “truly” understand the culture and dynamics of both the Senate and the House. Knowing what’s happening early in the process, she said, makes for more timely collaboration with other legislators. Then there’s the importance of being avail-

able to constituents.

“Being a senator is a seven-day-a-week opportunity to truly make a difference and I welcome that,” she said.

Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer represents the 24th Senate District, which includes part of Kenton County and all of Bracken, Campbell and Pendleton counties. Funke Frommeyer co-chairs the interim Budget Review Subcommittee on Justice and Judiciary. She also is a member of the Senate standing committees on Economic Development, Tourism and Labor; Enrollment; Appropriations and Revenue; Education; Health Services and the Budget Review Subcommittee on General Government, Finance and Public Protection. Additionally, she is a member of the Interim Joint Committees on Appropriations and Revenue; Budget Review Subcommittee on General Government, Finance, Personnel and Public Retirement; Education; Tourism, Small Business and Information Technology; Economic Development and Workforce Investment; and Health Services. Funke Frommeyer also serves as a member of the Capital Projects and Bond Oversight Committee, the 2024-2026 Budget Preparation and Submission Committee, and the Kentucky Health and Human Services Delivery System Task Force, as well as serving on numerous legislative caucuses.

Rebecca Hanchett is LINK nky’s Frankfort correspondent. You can reach her at lhanchett@linknky.com

Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer comments on legislation during the 2023 legislative session in Frankfort. Photo provided | LRC Public Information

March

Bellevue’s 154th Birthday Party, 616 Poplar St., Bellevue. Bellevue turns 154 years old March 15. Join us for the birthday party. Celebrate with cake, pizza, bounce house and games inside the Callahan Center. Free; family friendly.

Mulch and Pine Straw Sale, buy bags of mulch (dark brown, black dyed and red in 2-cubic-foot bags) for $4.95 a bag and Pine Straw for $9.75 a bale to benefit Holy Cross High School. Free delivery in Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties. No tax or credit card processing fees. Free delivery begins March 30th. 859-3928999 or HCmulch.com.

St. Patrick’s Day Scavenger Hunt, 8100 Ewing Blvd., Florence. Through March 17, find Irish symbols in Florence.

Submit a selfie at all nine to receive a prize.

Questions: 859-6478177 or florence-ky.gov. Free; family friendly.

Bellevue’s St.Patrick’s Day Saturday Celebration, noon-5 p.m., 200-700 Fairfield Ave., Bellevue. Fun, shopping, food, drinks, live music and activities. Free; family friendly.

Campbell County Board of Education meeting, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Alexandria Educational Center, 51 Orchard Lane, Alexandria. https://www. campbell.kyschools.us/ board-of-education.

Edgewood City Council meeting, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Edgewood City Building, 385 Dudley Road, Edgewood. edgewoodky. gov/administration/ agendas.

Fort Thomas City Council meeting, 7-8 p.m., Fort Thomas City Building, 130 N. Fort Thomas Ave., Fort Thomas. ftthomas.org/ mayorcouncil/meetings-information.

For more events, scan the QR code or visit: https://linknky.com/events/

Eggs ‘N Issues, 7:30-9 a.m., Receptions

Banquet And Conference Center – South, 1379 Donaldson Road, Erlanger. NKY Chamber President and CEO Brent Cooper moderates a discussion about economic effects of legalized sports betting. 859-578-8800, www. nkychamber.com.

Florence Youth in Government Program, 4:30-6 p.m., Florence Government Center. 8100 Ewing Blvd., Florence. Interactive sessions for elementary and middle-school students with various city departments, showcasing inner workings of our community. Followed by opportunity to attend Florence City Council meeting. 859-647-5425 or email victoria.riley@florence-ky.gov.

Campbell County Fiscal Court meeting, 5:30 p.m., Campbell County Administration Building, 1098 Monmouth St., Newport. campbellcountyky.gov.

Fort Wright Caucus Meeting, 6-7 p.m., Fort Wright City Building, 409 Kyles Lane, Fort Wright.

Villa Hills City Council meeting, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Villa Hills City Building, 719 Rogers Road, Villa Hills. villahillsky.org.

Southgate City Council meeting, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Southgate City Building, 122 Electric Ave., Southgate. southgateky.org/ mayor-city-council.

Boone County Planning Commission meeting, 7-8 p.m., Boone County Fiscal Court, 2950 Washington St., Burlington.

Boone County Board of Education meeting, 7-8 p.m., Ralph Rush Professional Development Center, 99 Center St., Florence. www.boone. kyschools.us.

NKYP Hoops & Brews, 1:30-4 p.m., The Loft at Braxton Brewing, 27 W. Seventh St., Covington. Enjoy networking and NCAA basketball, sponsored by NK Young Professionals and St. Elizabeth Foundation. 859-578-8800 or www. nkychamber.com.

Singo at Barleycorn’s Brewhouse, 7-9 p.m., Barleycorn’s Brewhouse, 402 Licking Pike, Wilder. Musical version of bingo. Family friendly. 859-2912739 or www.barleycornsbrewhouse.com/ events.

Alexandria City Council meeting, 7-8 p.m., Alexandria City Building, 8236 W. Main St., Alexandria.

Be a part of the CHANGES TAKING PLACE RIGHT NOW AT

•5.6-acre site under contract for multi-use retail center

•8.3-acre site sold to Arlington Properties for a rental apartment development, with the first buildings ready in 2025

•9.72-acre site and 6.42-acre site off Olympic Boulevard have been cleared

•109-acre site off Pacific Avenue has been cleared and will be graded this spring to create pad-ready sites

•27-acre site off Dolwick Drive approved uses updated to include senior living or multi-family residential

•Pacific Corporate Center, an 80,000 SF building, has been reaquired by Corporex and returned to a white box condition

•2.3-acre site sold to Answers in Genesis in 2023, adding to the building and 36 acres sold to them in 2022

Villa Hills French manor-style home for sale for $1.2 million

Address: 1076 Colina Drive, Villa Hills

Price: $1,195,000

Bedrooms: Four

Bathrooms: Four (plus one half-bath)

Square feet: 4,220

School district: Kenton County

County: Kenton

Special features: This French manor-style property offers three finished levels, a kitchen with high-end finishes like quartz countertops and stainless appliances, plus an enclosed sunroom, a main-level owner’s suite with a fireplace, a private patio and an upper-level loft guest suite. The finished basement features a wet bar, living space and workout room. Outside, the property features a private pool and patio, and the home’s community amenities include a tennis court, pool and clubhouse.

This 1980s-built Villa Hills home has been updated with high-end finishes. Photo provided | Caldwell Group with eXp Realty, LLC

This home’s kitchen offers high-end finishes like quartz countertops and stainless appliances. Photo provided | Caldwell Group with eXp Realty, LLC

A view of the backyard of this home featuring a pool and patio. Photo provided | Caldwell Group with eXp Realty, LLC

Streetscapes finds breakfast, coffee, burgers in Latonia

By Maria Hehman

This Streetscapes we head to Covington’s Latonia section, where we visit a few spots that are both locally and nationally recognized and that have hosted a few celebrity guests. We’ll start with Granny’s Latonia diner for classic breakfast comfort food, grab a coffee at The Roost and end with a burger and fries from Bard’s.

Granny’s Latonia Diner

For many of us, one of the highlights of childhood was waking up after spending the night at your grandma’s to the smells of bacon, pancakes and just about everything in her kitchen. Granny’s Latonia diner serves its guests classic causal cooking with a taste of nostalgia. The interior is similar to that of your grandma’s refrigerator, with pictures and posters on every available inch. Granny’s has an added touch of endless guitars.

This local family business ensures every guest leaves full, and it even hosts a free annual dinner on Thanksgiving.

Few foods live up to a diner style pancakes, buttery and as big as the plate itself. Granny’s are some of the best around. There are omelets, eggs, biscuits and gravy for savory breakfast fans and sweet, deep fried French toast for the sweet tooths. Breakfast is served all day, so even those that sleep in get a taste of Granny’s breakfast.

The lunch menu adds diner staples like chili, soups, sandwiches, fries and onion rings to the breakfast options. On Fridays, they extend their hours and are open for dinner. There’s a special in addition to the core menu items.

This old school diner garnered attention and even landed them a few celebrity guests in 2017, when Robert Redford and Danny Glover filmed a scene for “The Old Man and the Gun” at Granny’s.

The Roost

The Roost is one of the most beloved coffee shops in NKY, and it isn’t just because of their coffee.

The atmosphere is calm and quiet, ideal to cozy up with a book while enjoying a chai tea. Looking in from the front windows, the charming interior could be mistaken for an antiques store, with lanterns hanging from the ceiling. Upon entering, guests find a hybrid coffee shop and retail space.

The Roost’s coffee menu has familiar favorites of Americano’s and cappuccinos, but for those wanting something more flavors, the specialty lattes are a perfect solution. A features board with barista picks offers guests that may be having a hard time narrowing down their selection a few trusted suggestions to choose from. One of their most creative is the blue moo latte, a drink with vanilla, milk and blue peppermint tea. It’s as pretty as it is tasty!

The Roost sells T-shirts, keychains, soaps and trinkets from local businesses. Although they operate mostly in the morning, in the evenings they can be found hosting events and workshops for local businesses in the community.

Bard’s Burgers and Chili

“A Dive Worth the Drive,” the slogan says. It’s one of the first things guests see on the door when they enter Bard’s.

Repeat customers know it, and new customers find it out with their first bite of Bard’s massive burgers. With burgers and chili in their name, it’s not surprising that’s what they’re best known for. There are over 15 specialty burger options. A sweet and savory option is their Moonrise Burger, a classic burger with doughnuts from Moonrise Doughnuts, a block south, replacing the bun. Customers that order the Fire Burger – not for the faint of heart – choose from three different spice levels to complete their burger with pepperjack cheese, caramelized onions, bacon and chipotle mayo.

The regular burgers are already a formidable challenge to me, but those up for a challenge can try their luck with the over-thetop Bardzilla. It’s a burger so massive, it has to be ordered 48 hours in advance and was featured on the Food Network.

To pair with the burgers, Bard’s offers every fried side, from classic french fries to fried pickles and cheese curds.

What to Know If You Go:

Granny’s Latonia Diner

Location: 3728 Winston Ave., Latonia

Hours: Saturday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; Friday 8 a.m.-7 p.m.

Phone: 859-291-4910

The Roost

Location: 3616 Decoursey Ave., Latonia

Hours: Sunday and Monday, closed; Tuesday-Friday, 7 a.m.-3 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Website: theroostlatonia.com

Phone: 859-663-6014

Bard’s Burgers and Chili

Location: 3620 Decoursey Ave., Latonia

Hours: Wednesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Website: bardsburgersandchili.com

Phone: 859-866-6017

Iced latte from The Roost. Photo by Maria Hehman | LINK nky contributor

The breakfast menu at Granny’s Latonia Diner is available all day. Photo by Maria Hehman | LINK nky contributor

The Roost’s eclectic interior is accented with lantern lights. Photo by Maria Hehman | LINK nky contributor

NKY student-athletes shine at KHSAA state meets

By Ray Schaefer and Evan Dennison

Ryle swimming coach Jeff Floyd would love an addition to his athletic department’s trophy case.

The Raiders could fill it with what they did on Feb. 24. They won the KHSAA state swim and dive combined team title – in which boys and girls scores are added – at the University of Kentucky’s Lancaster Aquatic Center.

“It’s the one title that everybody has a chance,” Floyd said. “With (boys champion) St. Xavier and (girls winner) Sacred Heart being such incredible teams, they can’t do it. But, in my mind, it shows who’s got the best overall program in the state other than those two.”

Ryle placed third in the girls standings with 140.5 points. When you add the boys’ 177 third-place points from the Feb 23 boys state meet, the 317.5 gave the Raiders the title. Highlands was second with 222.5, and 2023 Combined champion Paul Laurence Dunbar was third with 202.

“It’s amazing, especially for the girls, since we’ve never gotten third in the history of Ryle,” junior Reese Yauger said. “And then the Combined is just what we were shooting for – and we got it.”

Feb. 24 completed Ryle’s 22 days of strong swimming. At the Region 7 meet on Feb. 2, the Raiders won the boys team title, tied Notre Dame for the girls crown and took the Combined.

Individually, Yauger was fifth in the 100 butterfly, and Hannah Panko was seventh in the 100 freestyle.

In the relays, the Raiders’ Ava Hammons, Malia Kinross, Yauger and Panko took seventh in the 200 medley relay, and Hammons, Gabriella Stephens, Panko and Yauger finished fourth in the 400 freestyle.

Ryle and Highlands were not the lone Northern Kentucky teams to shine. Notre Dame finished fourth with 134 points, and junior Sadie Hartig won the 500 freestyle.

Hartig placed fourth in the 200 freestyle. She was also Northern Kentucky’s second

individual state winner; Ryle’s Landon Isler won the 1-meter diving crown Feb. 22.

“It feels really good,” Hartig said. “I’m glad I was able to help my team.”

Hartig’s 4:56.56 was nearly five seconds faster than the 5:01.32 of Atherton’s Lillian Borkowski. She wasted no time in showing the other seven swimmers her heels – she was nearly a second ahead after 150 yards and three seconds clear after 350.

“I think that she looked strong all the way through,” Notre Dame coach Jamie Kelly said. “She’s a very competitive person. That’s something she’s grown into it over the last couple years – she’s grown a killer instinct.”

Hartig agreed with Kelly’s assessment, even though the 500 freestyle is not her favorite event. “I guess I’ve come to love racing,” she said. “The 200 (backstroke’s) my favorite, but they don’t have that as an event.”

Northern Kentucky’s best relay performance belonged to Highlands. The Bluebirds’ Keira Kobida, Ragan Moore, Clare Herfel and Sarah Jones were second to Elizabethtown in the 400 freestyle. Jones, Kobida, Herfel and Moore also placed seventh in the 200 medley relay.

In the 400 freestyle, Dixie Heights’ Haley Waters, Freya Reil, Addi Johnson were fifth, and Beechwood’s Maddie Staley, Gabrielle Lee, Maria Morris and Ryon Argo placed seventh.

Jones was seventh in the 100 backstroke.

Boys swim meet

The Ryle boys team finished third in the boys state swim meet by 0.34 seconds.

Such a small amount of time kept Ryle from finishing second in the KHSAA boys state swimming meet March 1 at the University of Kentucky’s Lancaster Aquatic Center. As expected, there was no drama atop the team standings. St. Xavier amassed 562 points and won its 35th straight team title and 60th in program history.

There was suspense farther down, though.

Louisville Trinity edged Ryle, 179-177, for the runner-up spot.

Raspy-voiced Ryle coach Jeff Floyd didn’t sound upset. “We scored more points than we did last year,” he said. “We did really, really well.… I can’t be upset with the kids.”

Trinity finished third in the 400-yard freestyle relay – the final event – behind St. Xavier and Boyle County. Ryle could have taken second place in the team standings by placing fourth, or the Raiders could have tied the Shamrocks with a fifth-place finish.

It didn’t happen. Highlands’ Griffin Barlow,

The margin between the Bluebirds and Raiders: 34 hundredths of a second.

“We got a school record, and we tried our best,” Dennis said. “It’s all that matters.”

Ryle vs. Trinity was also a reunion of old college roommates. Floyd and the Shamrocks coach Mike Essig swam at Ohio University.

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Charlie Herfel, Noah Gracey and Chanith Abeysinghe finished fifth in 3:14.58 seconds. Ryle’s Chase Denigan, Nash Parsons, Garrett Dennis and Chase Knopf placed sixth in 3:14.92.

Ryle’s boys placed third for the second straight season. Photo provided | Charles Bolton

Ryle’s girls swimming team placed third. The Raiders ultimately won the Combined state championship.

Photo provided | Charles Bolton

“It was a fun meet,” Essig said. “… We knew it was going to be exciting; we hugged each other afterward. It meant a lot.”

The Raiders still had a good night – they placed third for the second straight season – and Ryle’s Andy Pleiman, Knopf, Denigan and Dennis had strong individual nights.

Pleiman took third in the 50 freestyle (21.01) and eighth in 100 freestyle (47.05). Denigan was sixth in 200 individual medley (1:55.05), Knopf was third in 200 (1:41.42), and Dennis was seventh in the 500 freestyle (4:43.50).

In the 200 freestyle relay, Pleiman, Nash Parsons, Lucas Dilger and Knopf placed fifth (1:27.88), and Denigan, Addison Coughenour, Dennis and Pleiman were seventh in the 200 medley relay (1:39.48).

Denigan, Addison Coughenour, Dennis and Pleiman were seventh in the 200 medley relay.

Highlands finished sixth with 57 points. The Bluebirds were fourth in the 200 medley relay (Luke Deegan, Barlow, Herfel and Abeysinghe) and eighth in the 200 freestyle relay (Herfel, Deegan, Gracey and Abeysinghe).

Barlow was eighth in the 100 breaststroke (57.76) and sixth in 100 butterfly (50.42).

Villa Madonna junior Ty Dropic’s sixthplace medal in the 200 individual medley (1:54.85) was the first time a Viking swimmer made the podium since Zach Bokelman did it in the 2000s.

“I think he’s improved in all four of his strokes, butterfly especially,” Villa Madonna coach Katie Kurzendoerfer said. “I think it’s his training with the Northern Kentucky Clippers.”

Indoor track and field

The inaugural KHSAA indoor state track and field meets took place on March 2-3 at the Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center in Louisville.

Several programs from Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties participated. Covington Catholic took home the Class AA boys title, while Beechwood finished runner-up in Class A in both the boys and girls meet.

Bishop Brossart’s boys finished third in the Class A meet.

Here’s a look at the individual standouts from NKY in the respective meets.

Class A

Individual state champions:

• Bishop Brossart boys 4×800 relay team of Nick Heck, Brennan Callahan, Ryan Clines, Nathan Ruth (8:19.23).

• Beechwood’s Lily Parke in the 1,500 meters (4:47.88).

• Bishop Brossart’s Nathan Ruth in the 800 meters (2:01.13).

• Beechwood’s girls 4×400 relay team of Katie Kocan, Lana Holt, Caroline Nordman and Maryah Counts (4:14.37).

• Bellevue’s Marcelo Herald in the long

Runner-up:

• Beechwood girls 4×800 relay team of Nora Wilke, Isabel Ginter, Charli Gerrein, Annie Harris (10:23.73).

• Beechwood boys 4×800 relay team of Samson Weldemichael, Robert Wilke, Holden Draper and Chris Roberdeaux (8:26.92).

• Bishop Brossart’s Kaitlyn Kramer in the 60-meter hurdles (10.13).

• Beechwood’s Katie Kocan in the 60-meter dash (7.84) and 200 meters (26.11).

• Beechwood’s Luke Erdman in the 60-meter dash (7.14) and 200 meters (22.71).

• Beechwood’s Lily Parke in the 800 meters (2:22.75).

• Beechwood’s Samson Weldemichael in the 3,000 meters (9:11.87).

• Bishop Brossart’s girls 4×400 relay team of Lexi Braun, Kaitlyn Kramer, Mackinley Scott and Larah Callahan (4:19.25).

• Ludlow’s Brooklyn Huff in the shot put

Third place:

• Bishop Brossart’s Nathan Ruth in the 1,500 meters (4:10.85).

• Beechwood’s boys 4×400 relay team of Oliver Unger, Christopher Roberdeaux, James Cusick and Luke Erdman (3:36.08).

St. Henry’s Kora Zimmer in the triple jump (32-8.75).

• Dayton’s Caleb Crutchfield in the triple jump (40-4.5).

• Walton-Verona’s Reese Jones in the high jump (4-10).

• Bishop Brossart’s Noah Everett in the pole vault (11-00).

Class AA

Runner-up:

• Covington Catholic’s Ethan Long in the 60-meter dash (6.94) and 200 meters (21.89).

• Covington Catholic’s Will Sheets in the 1,500 meters (4:07.16) and 800 meters (2:00.26).

• Covington Catholic’s boys 4×400 relay team of Luke Meagher, Garrett Gallagher, Jake Heitker and Hank Smith (3:35.25).

Third place:

• Covington Catholic’s Will Meagher in the 800 meters (2:00.95).

Class AAA

Individual state champions:

• Campbell County’s Olivia Holbrook in the 800 meters (2:15.58).

• Conner’s Joey Carroll in the 3,000 meters (8:35.57).

• Ryle’s Viktoriya Emilianova in the shot put (38-7.5).

Runner-up:

• Conner’s Isabella Vonlehfman in the 60-meter dash (7.72).

• Ryle’s Evan Smith in the 800 meters (1:56.46).

• Dixie Heights’ Ben Mwamba in the long jump (21-4.5).

Third place:

• Conner’s 4×800 boys relay team of Dawson Benjamin, Charlie Hanak, Joey

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Ryle’s Ethan Southerland in the pole

Covington Catholic won the boys Class AA state indoor track and field meet on March 2 at the Norton Healthcare Sports and Learning Center in Louisville. Photo provided | KHSAA

Ryle tops Beechwood in baseball coaches preseason top 10 list

The Northern Kentucky Baseball Coaches Association has released its preseason top 10 for the area.

Ryle took the top spot, with four-time reigning 9th Region champion Beechwood behind them. The Raiders return the majority of their top pitchers from a staff that posted a 3.38 team ERA last season. The Tigers lost some key pieces in the lineup with Cameron Boyd, Nazario Pangallo, Ben Meier and Landon Johnson graduating, along with one of their top pitchers, Matthew Kappes, but they still return a solid nucleus and one of their best arms in Chase Flaherty.

Rounding out the 10 are Covington Catholic, Campbell County, looking to get the 10th Region title back, Highlands, Simon Kenton, Dixie Heights, Conner, St. Henry and Cooper.

The KHSAA baseball season began March 11.

CovCath QB honored with all-around award; TMC’s Abdon wins

Covington Catholic senior quarterback Evan Pitzer’s all-around performance has helped him earn the annual Brian Williams “That’s My Boy” Award, given to the Northern Kentucky high school football player who best combines achievements in football, academics and extracurricular activities. Pitzer was honored recently at the

Greater Cincinnati Chapter of the National Football Foundation’s 57th annual scholar-athlete banquet.

Pitzer ranked second in Kentucky Class 4A with 32 passing touchdowns, third for passing yards with 2,592 and third with a program-record 69.9% completion percentage. He was second on the Colonels with 637 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, giving him a hand in 43 of CovCath’s 82 TDs. He was the Northern Kentucky Football Coaches Association Class 4A player of the year and an honorable mention all-state selection for the state runner-up Colonels (14-1).

The Northern Kentucky “That’s My Boy” award’s namesake is former award winner Brian P. Williams. The Covington Catholic graduate died in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks at the World Trade Center. Three other Northern Kentucky nominees were recognized at the banquet: Highlands’ Brody Benke, Cooper’s Jack Lonaker and Dixie Heights’ Beni Mwamba.

Among four similarly honored college players who demonstrated excellence on the field, in the classroom and the community was Thomas More University junior Isaac Abdon, a former standout at Lloyd Memorial. Abdon, a Saints linebacker who appeared in all 11 games, was second on the team in total tackles with 52 while earning all-district academic honors in 2023.

NKU men, women hoopsters pick up Horizon League honors

Three Northern Kentucky University men’s basketball players were named 2023-24 all-Horizon League honorees Match 4. Marques Warrick was named first-team all-Horizon League for the second straight season and the league’s Sportsmanship Award winner. Trey Robinson was named Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year while being selected to the All-Defensive Team. Randall Pettus II was named to the All-Freshman Team.

Two of NKU women’s basketball players were named by the Horizon League as 2023-24 honorees. Carter McCray was

named Freshman of the Year and a member of both the All-Freshman Team and All-League Second Team. Khamari Mitchell-Steen was named All-League Third Team.

Cooper’s Alexander, St. Henry’s Shea earn Gabbard scholarships

Two basketball players known for their hustle, Cooper’s Maleah Alexander and Carson Shea of St. Henry, each will be awarded $2,500 college scholarships by the Ray Gabbard Memorial Scholarship Fund. The seniors will receive their awards at the 9th Region boys and girls basketball tournaments at Northern Kentucky University’s Truist Arena. The 9th Region Basketball Officials Association named the scholarship fund after former longtime local official Ray Gabbard. The association helps raise money for the scholarships at an annual golf outing. This year’s event at Kenton County Golf Courses is slated for Sept. 7.

Alexander and Shea were among a strong contingent of applicants. Alexander, a starting guard and defensive stopper for two-time defending 9th Region champion Cooper, will use her scholarship at Liberty University. Alexander (3.3 ppg, 2.1 rpg) earned the 2023-24 Northern Kentucky Girls Basketball Coaches Association Division I Miss Hustle Award. Shea (6.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg) won the 2023-24 Northern Kentucky Boys Basketball Coaches Association Division II Mr. Hustle Award.

Smart steps down after 15 seasons on St. Henry sidelines

For St. Henry girls basketball coach Todd Smart, family time is calling. The Crusaders head coach the last five seasons and assistant for more than 10 years prior to that announced March 4 that he’s stepping down from the head coaching position.

Smart won 69 games the last five seasons, guiding St. Henry to back-to-back 9th Region tournament appearances. They’ve finished 34th District runner-up to Dixie

Heights the past two seasons and posted a 15-15 record in the 2023-24 season. In Smart’s first season as head coach, they reached the 9th Region All “A” Classic championship game before losing to Newport Central Catholic.

The Crusaders will not only look new on the sidelines next season with Smart’s departure, but also on the court as six seniors are set to graduate. Those graduating include leading scorer Kayla Unkraut and leading rebounder Taylor Hill. Sydney Bollman, Josie Knollman, Liz Mason and Aubrey Logan also played their last game in a Crusaders uniform in Sunday’s 9th Region tournament quarterfinal loss to Holy Cross. Five of the six played in at least 29 of the 30 games this season, while Unkraut missed 10 games due to injury.

They’ll return key rotational players Josephine Powers and Jayne Knollman and an influx of junior varsity players that went 22-3 this season.

St. Henry last won a district title in 2014 and a regional All “A” title in 1996. Their last region tournament victory came in 2012.

Covington Catholic’s Evan Pitzer (5) looks for running room in the Class 4A semifinal against Paducah Tilghman. Brandon Wheeler | LINK nky contributor

St. Henry girls basketball coach Todd Smart won 69 games with the program in five seasons as head coach. Photo provided | St. Henry Athletics