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Two local men found that out the hard way after pleading guilty in federal court to one count each of violating a Temporary Flight Restriction, per a release from the Southern District of Ohio’s U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Travis Lenhoff, 38, of Covington, flew his drone over a restricted area of Great American Ballpark during Reds Opening Day on April 12, 2022.

“Flying a drone over a stadium full of fans is dangerous and illegal without the proper FAA training, licensing, and approved flight plan,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge J. William Rivers. “We will continue to work with the FAA and local police to investigate these incidents when proper FAA protocols and procedures are not followed.”

Lenhoff and Dabney were both indicted by a federal grand jury in September of 2022. The crime they committed is considered a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in prison, one year of supervised release and a $100,000 fine.

Build & Elevate: Northern Kentucky Tri-ED officially rebrands to BE NKY

Northern Kentucky’s primary economic development organization has undergone a full rebrand; complete with a new color scheme, logo and name.

Going forward, Northern Kentucky Tri-ED will be known as BE NKY, short for BE NKY Growth Partnership. The name is derived from the organization’s BE NKY’s Build + Elevate Northern Kentucky investor campaign, which launched in February of last year. Their official website is already sporting the new branding.

“BE NKY is the final step in a transition the Board of Directors started in 2018. We began working toward a new name in 2020, but had to pivot our strategy due to COVID,” said BE NKY CEO Lee Crume. “We are excited to launch the name BE NKY Growth Partnership, the last piece of the Board’s restructuring efforts.”

The new name aligns BE NKY with other regional development organizations which have rebranded over the past decade. The Northern Kentucky Convention & Visitors Bureau rebranded to meetNKY in 2015. More recently, the Northern Kentucky Regional Alliance rebranded to the OneNKY Alliance in 2020.

In a press release, the organization stated the new name reflects “the team involved, which includes not only staff, but the public sector and private companies, all working together to achieve BE NKY’s vision and strategy for Northern Kentucky.”

Penalties for Covington’s short-term rental landlords may be changing

Landlords of unlicensed short-term rentals in Covington may soon see a change in penalties.

The Covington City Commission completed a first reading of an amendment to a proposed penalty to short-term rental landlords during its legislative meeting on Tuesday, March 14.

The penalty would apply to the owners of short-term rental properties who have failed to obtain proper licensing from the city and is the latest in a series of escalating penalties that date back to when Covington first began regulating short-term rentals in 2021.

Short-term rentals are private housing properties whose owners lease out rooms for short stays — often only a few days. Popular online platforms for facilitating such rentals include websites like Airbnb and Vrbo.

City law prohibits local landlords from posting advertisements online for shortterm stays without obtaining proper licenses from the city.

The most recent proposed penalty would have barred delinquent landlords from applying for short-term rental licenses for a year, beginning immediately after the city informed the owners of the violation.

The commission had initially planned on voting on the penalty during the legislative meeting on Feb. 28, but passed on voting at the advice of city solicitor David Davidson.

The amendment would bring violators before the city’s Code Enforcement Board to defend themselves before finalizing the prevention of new license applications. Davidson characterized the amendment as a way of guaranteeing proper due process of law.

“Here’s an opportunity to be heard,” he said at the Covington Commission caucus session on March 7. Davidson was not present at the March 14 meeting.

Ludlow welcoming growth for short-term rentals

Short-term rentals are alive and well in Ludlow.

Local policies on short-term rentals and how to regulate them were discussed at recent meetings in Union and Covington, spurring conversation elsewhere. There are about 29 currently active short-term rentals in Ludlow and the city is open to growth, said Mayor Chris Wright.

These properties are often rented through apps like Airbnb and Vrbo and can be occupied for under 29 days. They can be offered in a plethora of housing types, from attached and detached single-family homes to apartments and condominiums.

Owners wishing to rent their properties need to pay an annual $300 non-prorated permit fee by April 15 of each year, per Ludlow policy.

They are subject to show yearly proof of business liability insurance and have their units inspected by the city’s building inspector before permits are issued.

Regulations similar to normal rentals apply, such as occupancy limits (two adults per bedroom, max six adults per rental), noise control, and maintaining adherence to fire and safety codes.

Giving landlords an opportunity to fulfill occupancy in vacant units without the commitment or fixed rate of a regular, long-lease rental, short-term rentals can boost income for property owners and simplify rental agreements.

KYTC crews will soon start spraying for nuisance weeds

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will soon spray for nuisance weeds that can create a hazard for drivers across the Commonwealth.

KYTC crews will target a dozen noxious weeds, which could grow several feet tall. Transportation officials said if these plants are left to grow along highways, they could obscure drivers’ vision. These plants can also attract deer, which crews believe could help hide them from view.

Those weeds include Amur Honeysuckle, Canada Thistle, Common Teasel, Cutleaf Teasel, Japanese Knotweed, Johnsongrass, Kudzu, Marestail, Multiflora Rose, Nodding Thistle, Poison Hemlock and Spotted Knapweed.

Anyone who owns property along a stateowned road can request weeds along their property to get sprayed as well. A written application at the local KYTC Highway district office is required.

The nearest office for Northern Kentucky is located at 421 Buttermilk Pike in Fort Mitchell.