Interact for Health works to ensure people in our region have a just opportunity to live their healthiest lives.
www.interactforhealth.org
facebook.com/InteractForHealth twitter.com/Interact4Health
Currently our region lags the nation in how long and how well we live. In some communities, the average lifespan gap can be up to 26 years between neighborhoods located just a few miles from one another.1
It's true. And we must do better.
Many people assume that health care access, genetics or race cause the vast difference in lifespan. But the main reason is policies and systems that have advantaged some communities over others: urban over rural, white over black, wealthy over poorer.
Two weeks ago, Interact for Health launched our updated strategic plan, kicking off a new era of community-led health initiatives focused on closing those longstanding gaps. Priorities include a strong focus on mental health, investments in policy and systems change, and building community power.
We also announced plans to award $2.6 million in grants, open now, that will put money directly into the community to address our priorities:
• Mental health: Our rst $750K in grants will support partners working to increase the cultural competence of their workforce and programs. Another $400K will be allocated to support partners working with youth in crafting solutions to address the mental health crisis.
• Health justice: We’ve allocated $1.5M to partners working in policy and system change, community power or narrative change.
This is just our rst wave of investments in these areas; more will be announced in the coming months. Visit interactforhealth.org/open-funding to learn more.
At Interact for Health, we envision a future where everyone is healthy and thriving, regardless of who they are or where they live.
We are grateful to all LINK’s Partners - those organizations in the community who believe strongly in what we are doing, and have thrown their full support behind us. These NKY institutions are helping bring a voice back to our community.
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It’s difficult to look around Northern Kentucky without noticing how many women are at the helm in businesses and nonprofits.
Whether it’s advocating for economic development, dedicating time to helping disadvantaged communities or helping the region get recognized on a national stage, these are some of the women who wake up everyday to continue improving the region.
Nancy GraysonNancy Grayson is the President and CEO of Horizon Community Funds of Northern Kentucky, a community foundation designed to manage multiple funds specifically dedicated to the benefit of Northern Kentucky. Grayson’s responsibility is to work collaboratively with the various community leaders of Northern Kentucky to find solutions that best serve the needs of the region.
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.
Julie Kirkpatrick, Nancy Grayson and Alecia Webb-Edgington pose contributorAs a community leader, Grayson serves on countless boards dedicated to improving education, promoting healthy family relationships, and preserving the natural resources and history of Kentucky. Currently, she serves on the Endow Kentucky Commission, LINK Media Managing Board and the Metropolitan Club Board of Governors.
Grayson was the recipient of the Cincinnati Enquirer Woman of the Year Award in 2022, and NKY Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Women of Northern Kentucky Award in 2021, among others.
As a female leader, what has been the most significant barrier in your career?
“Being a female professional, a mother, a wife, a friend, and a volunteer can be challenging in that there are so many demands on our time as women. As my friend Jeanne Schroer of the Catalytic Fund once wisely said on a panel, “You can have it all as a
female leader, but perhaps not all at one time.” That really resonated with me. The idea also affords us all some grace with trying to be the ideal image of a woman.”
Do you have a message you would like to share with young women who aspire to be in a similar position?
“Don’t be afraid to try something that might scare you or feel different than the path you believe you should be taking professionally. You might be surprised to find out what you learn about yourself and what new opportunities might unfold.”
What woman leader inspired you early in your career?
“It’s difficult to choose just one, but I would like to share the name of someone who currently inspires me: Candace McGraw. She has truly helped to strengthen our region and to move our community forward through her leadership at the Cincinnati/ Northern Kentucky International Airport.”
Allyson Cook is the President and CEO of Erigo Employer Solutions, an administrative employment services firm which offers clients services in human resources solutions, payroll, benefits administration and recruiting.
Cook was previously an attorney where she accumulated over 30 years of business experience and legal expertise. Before Erigo, served as legal counsel for Stites & Harbison, PLLC in Covington where the firm dealt in commercial finance, employment, healthcare, general business services and litigation.
In her role, Cook advised and counseled many women-owned and minority-owned businesses on how to obtain business and
governmental certifications, as well as structuring joint ventures and teaming arrangements to maximize business opportunities for her clients.
What’s the biggest factor that has helped you be successful?
“I think one of the biggest factors for me is that early on in my career I had the opportunity to work in many different areas of the law and for clients in all different industries. I enjoyed every client, case and project that I worked on. I also had great mentors along the way, and the knowledge that I gained from my colleagues and clients has definitely helped me with the successes that I have enjoyed in my career.”
As a female leader, what has been the most significant barrier in your career?
“I think that starting out as a young, female attorney in a new area for me was challenging. While I had the knowledge and skill to be an attorney, law school did not really prepare me for day-to-day practice as an attorney. I spent a lot of time worrying about "what I didn't know" in the early days, and I feel that was a barrier for me early on in my career. As time progressed, I worrIed less about "what I didn't know,” and I really just focused on performing my work to the best of my ability. get the best answer and the best service to all your clients. I think as it evolves, those barriers become less and less.”
What woman leader inspired you early in your career?
“I really can't name just one woman leader who inspired me early in my career. I was very fortunate early on to be around a lot of successful women who allowed me to see
them in their professional roles as leaders on a daily basis. I learned alot from all of them. In fact, I have taken a little something from each of them along the way that has helped me advance in my career.”
Julie KirkpatrickJulie Kirkpatrick is the President and CEO of meetNKY, Northern Kentucky’s official tourism and convention services bureau. The goal of meetNKY is to improve the region’s quality of life by driving economic growth through tourism marketing and destination development.
Kirkpatrick joined meetNKY in 2014 where she served as the organization’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing. She was instrumental in the development and launch of Northern Kentucky’s signature bourbon tourism brand, the B-Line. Under her leadership, meetNKY had several record-breaking years in hotel occupancy and overall economic impact from tourism.
Prior to meetNKY, Kirkpatrick had a successful 20-year career in the hospitality industry, working for several hotel brands.
What’s the biggest factor that has helped you be successful?
“I know that I do not accept the status quo and the idea that things always have to be a certain way. I had some people rolling their eyes when we started marketing Northern Kentucky as a bourbon place. I was curious about the history as well as the potential and I would say that after five years of dedicated marketing, Northern Kentucky is thought of as a gateway to Kentucky bourbon.”
As a female leader, what has been the most significant barrier in your career?
“One of the most significant barriers that a lot of women face is the need to do it all –super leader, super mom, super friend, super partner. Sometimes in my career I have been a good leader, okay mom, and awful friend. Other times an awful leader, good mom, and super friend. As women, we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to be super at everything. I realize at this point in my career that even a role I adore and that gives me so much satisfaction will not hold my hand if I am in the hospital. Maybe COVID helped put a lot more of that in perspective. As you grow in your career, balance becomes key.”
Do you have a message you would like to share with young women who aspire to be in a similar position?
“I would tell young women that aspire to leadership to always be authentic and genuine. If you have a great sense of humor, let that show. Develop the ability to laugh at yourself when you mess up and always hold yourself accountable when you fail, because it will happen. Learn from things that don’t quite work out as you planned and fail forward.”
Sylvia Buxton
Sylvia Buxton is the President and CEO of Perfetti Van Melle USA, the North American branch of the multinational Dutch-Italian confection manufacturer that makes recognizable brands such as Mentos, AirHeads and Fruit-tella.
Buxton is an experienced veteran of the confectionery industry, previously for the Hershey Company for 24-years. While at Hershey, Buxton served as Senior Marketing Director of America’s Chocolate, Senior Marketing Director for Hershey’s seasonal brands and Senior Global Brand Director after Hershey’s $1 billion purchase of Brookside Foods.
Her executive experience makes Buxton a key player in the confectionery industry, and a unique regional leader with both national and international connections.
As a female leader, what has been the most significant barrier in your career?
“The challenging thing about career growth for women is that bias and discrimination often flies under the radar, which makes it more difficult to overcome. I would answer that I thought of myself as a leader rather than a woman leader. As I’ve become more experienced, I’ve realized that this is a flawed approach. It is important to face bias head on, so I need to embrace the fact that I am a woman and that brings with it a series of expectations that I need to understand to address. If I don’t recognize them personally, then I can also fall prey to my own biases about women and myself as a woman leader.”
Do you have a message you would like to share with young women who aspire to be in a similar position?
“The most important thing I could suggest is to dare to succeed. A lot of women, me included, can often be their own blockers as we have a tendency to think that our good work will speak for itself, and may not have the courage to step up and ask to be considered for a stretch role. Some of the best things have happened in my career when I pushed myself into an uncomfort-
able space”
What woman leader inspired you early in your career?
“For me, it was my mother. Hers is a really amazing story of growing up in Montreal, Canada before World War II. My mother joined the Women’s Army Corp, and she met my father who was a pilot in the British Royal Air Force and was stationed in Montreal briefly. After a whirlwind romance, the two got married right before my dad was shipped back to England for active duty. Throughout our childhood mom single handedly made sure that we all had delicious food on the table (her pies were legendary), the house was always spotless and the laundry was done (it was left folded on our beds). What I learned from my mom were many important life lessons including having a strong work ethic, serving others, learning, and growing, and being open to new opportunities.”
Catrena Bowman
Catrena Bowman is the Executive Director of the Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission, a nonprofit organization with programs that aim to enable families to achieve healthy social support and financial stability.
Bowman has a lengthy history of nonprofit community involvement, having previously worked for the Community Action Council in Lexington. Bowman was responsible for the agency’s community centers, youth programming and workforce development initiatives.
Besides her nonprofit work, Bowman is a small business owner in Covington. Her boutique, Inspired Fashion, opened in November 2021 and is located at 827 Madison Ave. The boutique allows women to experiment with different styles and colors, helping them step out of their fashion comfort zone.
What’s the biggest factor that has helped you be successful?
“Having a strong network and support system is the biggest factor that has helped me to be successful. When I moved to Northern Kentucky I did not know anyone. My connections in Lexington lead me to women in the Northern Kentucky region that in turn connected me with the Chamber and other valuable networking opportunities. I now have a circle of friends and business colleagues that I can call upon when I face challenges or issues as well as help me celebrate successes.”
Do you have a message you would like to share with young women who aspire to be in a similar position?
“I encourage every young woman to dream BIG! Don’t be afraid to try something that is in your heart even if you’ve never seen it done before. You are the catalyst to your life’s story and everything that you want to accomplish is possible with hard work and determination. Do not be afraid of the answer No – it is not an end, it’s a means to an end – keep going.”
What woman leader inspired you early in your career?
“Elaine Brown was the first female to lead the Black Panther Party. She used her voice in a male-dominated world to impact change and to lead an entire party to cel-
ebrate black culture. Her story showed me that even in the most difficult and trying times women will rise to the occasion and make something happen.”
Alecia WebbEdgington
Alecia Webb-Edgington is the President and CEO of the Life Learning Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people learn, secure, and sustain a better way of living through gainful employment.
Through her leadership, the Life Learning Center earned national recognition for their The Foundations for a Better Life Program for individuals facing employment barriers. The 12-week program focuses on addressing five domains of life: physical, financial, spiritual, emotional, and relational.
Prior to her nonprofit career, Webb-Edgington was the 63rd District representative in the Kentucky House of Representatives. She was reelected in both 2008 and 2010, and served on committees such as Transportation, Education and Appropriations and Revenue.
What’s the biggest factor that has helped you be successful?
“Work ethic. Never turning down an opportunity and always in pursuit of the next thing; asking myself 'what are we going to accomplish next?' Not being satisfied with being mediocre and surrounding myself with people who were tenacious and hardworking and way smarter than Alecia
As a female leader, what has been the most significant barrier in your career?
“Sometimes people make assumptions based on my sex as well; my capabilities, intellect and capacity have all been underestimated. People put capacity on women because they’re mothers, oftentimes limiting their opportunities because of assumptions made on their private lives. I have never let the fact that I am a wife and mother restrict my capabilities; that has only made me that much stronger and it made me a better leader.”
What woman leader inspired you early in your career?
“My grandmothers and my mother. I consider them leaders because they were leaders in their church, community, and in our family. My mother took an active role in her teacher’s association and in politics. These women didn’t sit around and wait for things to happen, they made things happen. They were resourceful with limited resources.
They would rally the troops to help others and come up with solutions; they knew how to get stuff done.”
Leaders across Northern Kentucky have voiced opposition to Senate and House bills 50, which seek to make partisan elections the standard for all municipal elections.
Typically, mayors, school boards, and other municipal positions are elected without party affiliations next to their names on the ballot. Adding those affiliations would mean more candidates move through the primary election process, and many worry that fewer candidates may be willing to run
for office as a result. The cost to hold additional primaries is also a reason many local leaders have opposed the bills.
“We know it’s challenging enough to find good people to run for office,” said Independence Mayor Chris Reinersman at a Feb. 7 city council meeting. “Why would we add another layer, another hurdle to get over for something that has really no obvious benefit?”
Republican legislators introduced the bill
in January. Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer of Georgetown, whose district includes a portion of Kenton County, sponsored the Senate bill. Rep. Matt Lockett of Nicholasville sponsored the House bill.
Thayer said he feels voters should have as much knowledge as possible when heading to the polls, and seeing a letter next to a candidate’s name may give them better insight into what they stand for.
“I believe voters should have the most amount of information possible when they go into the polls to cast their vote,” Thayer said in an interview with KET in February. “The number one step we could take to tell people about who they’re voting for is for people to declare their political party when they’re running for a current nonpartisan office.”
The bill is reminiscent of one passed in Tennessee in 2021, which gave school board candidates the option to declare their party affiliation. Arguments ensued over whether politics belonged in education, but the bill ultimately passed and altered school board elections the following year.
According to reporting by Chalkbeat, a nonprofit news outlet focused on education, proponents of the Tennessee legislation said party labels remove the guesswork out of school board elections.
“Some try to argue that school boards are somehow apolitical because they don’t have an R or a D beside their names. That’s nonsense,” said Tennessee Rep. Mark Cochran (R-Englewood). “The politics are al-
ready there. This is just shedding light on what politics are there.”
Few Republicans joined Democrats, who are outnumbered in Tennessee, to argue that the state needs less partisanship, not more. They believed the legislation would diminish the pool of qualified candidates due escalating political division and the expense of campaigning.
“We all want good school board members because good school board members are going to make for good schools,” said Rep. Patsy Hazlewood (R-Signal Mountain). “But we have seen across our state and across the country how difficult some school board meetings are. It’s going to be harder and harder to get good candidates to even consider running.”
Now, Indiana and Kentucky are seeing similar bills move through their legislatures in the 2023 session. Though, in Indiana, the legislation gives more local control on whether municipal elections will be partisan.
While Kentucky’s southern neighbors made it optional for candidates to declare their affiliation, Kentucky’s bill would require it.
Currently, laws in four states, including Alabama, Connecticut, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania, automatically allow for party labels to appear on the ballot for municipal elections or other local races.
Laws in Georgia, Rhode Island, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina, laws either explicitly allow for partisan or non-
partisan elections or give local officials the power to decide.
Since HB50 was introduced, elected officials statewide have voiced their concerns – it has become one of the few topics with support from both sides of the political aisle.
“From what I understand, there is bipartisan support for nonpartisan elections,” said Erlanger Mayor Jessica Fette at the meeting. “So, anytime you have Democrats and Republicans seeing eye-to-eye to keep the partisanship out of elections, I really think we need to take note.”
Mayors across Northern Kentucky, many of whom are Republicans like the legislators who introduced the bill, have taken measures to oppose the legislation.
At a meeting of the Kenton County mayor’s group — an unofficial group composed of the mayors from Kenton County’s 19 cities — on Jan. 21, a resolution was introduced to oppose the bill’s passage.
The resolution passed nearly unanimously with one holdout, Mayor David Hatter of Fort Wright, who opposed the resolution due to his general stance against mayors making resolutions.
Hatter later took the issue to Fort Wright’s City Council, which unanimously passed a resolution to oppose the bills during a meeting on Feb. 1.
Other cities have followed suit, including Independence, which passed a resolution on Feb. 6.
Ludlow passed a resolution that granted its mayor the right to oppose both bills.
In addition, Walton’s city council unani-
mously passed a resolution opposing the bills on Feb. 14. Sources from within the city office claim that council members simply didn’t find the costs associated with an additional round of elections to be worth the trouble.
Erlanger did the same. Fette said that Erlanger’s government was “strongly opposed” to the bill, adding that introducing partisan politics into local elections didn’t make sense.
Mayor Joe Meyer of Covington has not given his stance on the bills one way or another beyond his yes vote at the mayors meeting. At least one member of the Covington Commission, however, has expressed worry about the bill’s potential passage.
Covington Commissioner Nolan Nicaise brought the issue to the commission’s attention at the legislative meeting on Feb. 14. No action relating to the bills was taken at the meeting.
“We and the other commissioners and mayor ran as nonpartisan members,” he said.
At least two Kenton County commissioners agreed.
Later, he added, “I don’t think it’s good for local politics.”
Commissioner Joe Nienaber, in a conversation with LINK nky after a Kenton County Fiscal Court meeting on Feb. 14, said that most of the issues that come up in local politics simply don’t map onto ideological issues that tend to occupy candidates’ attention at the national level.
He also brought up the issue of cost.
“I think it would cost a lot of money,” Nienaber said, especially if primary elections became mandated. “And I think it would require a lot on behalf of people who are really getting paid $2,000, $1,500 a year.”
After the meeting, Commissioner Beth Sewell recalled cities struggling to get enough candidates to run for office in recent elections.
Of the 165 local elections across the three-county region, 50 total non-partisan races went uncontested in the 2022 General Election. There were nearly as many uncontested partisan races, with 44 total races that went uncontested in the 2022 election – meaning more than half of all local elections in 2022 had no contest.
Sewell added that if a particular city wanted to make its elections partisan, it should be allowed to decide on its own.
The city of Florence also passed a resolution opposing the legislation.
“Our leaders oppose any bills that would add substantial costs, require more poll workers and add partisan politics to local offices.”
Florence council also added that “within the state of Kentucky, there are 415 cities and only five of them partake in partisan elections. We ultimately see no significant benefit to requiring partisan elections that would warrant additional cost and challenges presented by the requirement. The city of Florence believes decisions are best made at the local level.”
Senate Bill 50 has been delivered to the committee on local and state governments, where committee members can potentially discard the bill or revise it before it goes to a vote.
House Bill 50 has been introduced to the committee on committees and might be assigned to a different committee sometime during the regular session, which ends March 30.
Police arrested a man Wednesday, Feb. 22, at a residence on Idlewood Drive in Covington after a SWAT situation, Covington Police said in a release.
Simpson eventually gave up and submitted to capture.
number of city residents, including numerous school-aged children, that the organization served.
Ohio and Kentucky have put out the call for companies to apply to provide construction and design services for the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project.
The suspect, Jamie Simpson, age 48, had armed himself with a knife and barricaded himself inside a home on the street, according to the release. Police said Simpson surrendered to the SWAT team before they took him into custody.
His subsequent charges include burglary, assault, strangulation, kidnapping, sexual abuse and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The incident began when Covington’s officers reported an assault at an Idlewood residence. The victim informed officers of Simpson, claiming he was the assailant and that he was likely still in the home on Idlewood.
Police obtained a search warrant and dispatched the SWAT team to the home, where
The city of Independence will issue $150,000 of ARPA and CARES Act funding to the Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky, a mental health provider that services the region.
Children’s Home has been soliciting funds from cities across Northern Kentucky to help expand its services. The Independence City Council decided to donate when they learned that Independence was one of the top cities the organization served.
Independence is “definitely in the top 20,” said Children’s Home CEO Rick Wurth at the February city council meeting.
Children’s Home initially asked for $100,000, but the council agreed to increase the amount after seeing the large
At the same meeting, Mayor Chris Reinersman lauded the organization’s work and expressed his hope that it would help curb ongoing issues with mental health in Northern Kentucky. He said that he was “very very proud to be a part of this city council,” when they decided to increase the amount to $150,000.
Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky is one of the largest providers of mental health in the region. It also has a continuum of services with two state-licensed residential mental health programs and nine evidence-based treatment systems.
The organization began expanding its licensed services in 2014 and has since seen a 437% increase in incident and family member impacts, which includes nights of care, treatment and therapy services. Children’s Home served 3038 individuals between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022.
The request for proposal, which is a document that solicits bids from qualified contractors to complete a project, was released this week.
Groundbreaking is expected to begin in late 2023, and bids are due by March 31.
A firm is expected to be selected in May, allowing for planning to take place and initial construction to begin before year’s end, according to a press release from the governor’s office.
During coyote mating season, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife officials say there are
more sightings both in cities and across the country.
The winter mating season is in its peak this month and will continue through March.
“Coyote sightings typically increase this time of year when they are mating, and through July when they are raising pups,”
Laura Palmer, wildlife biologist for the department, said in a statement. “Human conflicts can be avoided by having a basic understanding of these wild animals.”
Palmer said most coyotes don’t bother people, livestock or pets usually, and residents may not be aware they are living near their home until they start causing issues.
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife recommends if anyone encounters a coyote to not panic or turn their back. They recommend making loud noises, keeping one’s eyes on the animal, and doing anything to appear larger. Officials also recommend removing potential food sources like grills, grease traps, garbage, and to be extra vigilant with pets that may be prey or competition for food. They are asking residents to check outdoors before letting pets outside, and to keep leashed animals on a short, non-retractable leash during walks.
Northern Kentuckian Cameron Batson collapsed while playing a pickup game of soccer in 2010. The 18-year-old died of an undiagnosed heart condition that caused sudden cardiac arrest.
An AED — automated external defibrillator used to treat life-threatening cardiac issues — was not readily available.
St. Henry Soccer player Matthew Mangine Jr. collapsed at soccer practice 10 years later. While there were AEDs on site, nobody utilized one until EMTs arrived at the scene.
These deaths and many others are something that Rep. Kim Moser (R-Taylor Mill) is hoping to change through a measure she plans to file in the Kentucky House of Representatives.
Speaking at the Kentucky capitol on Feb. 21, Moser said that sudden cardiac arrest is the third leading cause of death. It is happening more often in high school students with undiagnosed heart conditions.
The condition garnered national spotlight when Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin
suffered cardiac arrest in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Jan. 2.
“We know that access to and having access to AEDs — automatic external defibrillators — is critical,” Moser said.
Moser’s measure will require all schools to have AEDs at sporting and school-sanctioned events.
“It also requires that all schools have an emergency action plan, which is followed by hands-on rehearsal at the beginning of every team season, or at least annually,” Moser said.
School staff and coaches must also train and be certified in CPR.
Moser is working with Rep. Ruth Ann Palumbo (D-Lexington) to add language to existing House Bill 331, which requires schools to have and maintain AEDs.
As chair of the House Health Services Committee, Moser said she plans to prioritize this bill.
Matthew Mangine Sr. spoke at the press conference and said he hopes schools across Kentucky implement education programs and AEDs.
“As we know, sudden cardiac arrest can strike anyone at any time, regardless of age or physical fitness,” Mangine said.
After the passing of Matthew Jr., the Mangines launched the Matthew Mangine Jr. “One Shot” Foundation. The foundation seeks to educate folks on sudden cardiac arrest.
After Cameron Batson’s passing, his family launched Cameron’s Cause.
In the days after Cameron’s death, they found out he had Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia — doctors diagnosed his 15-year-old brother, Logan, with the same condition within days of Cameron’s death.
However, with the early diagnoses, doctors implanted a defibrillator that allowed him to treat any dangerous arrhythmias.
Logan spoke at the capitol and said that an essential member of their family was missing. Through Cameron’s Cause, the family partners with Northern Kentucky Emergency Medical Systems to educate, train, and place AEDs at sporting locations.
“We will continue to do everything we can to help prevent tragedies like this from happening,” Logan said.
Maybe they were a year ahead of schedule last season when they advanced all the way to the state semifinals of the KHSAA Sweet 16 Tournament at Rupp Arena in Lexington.
But make no mistake, Cooper’s girls basketball team isn’t flying under anyone’s radar this season.
And the Jaguars are just fine with that.
“Our girls are just so locked in and they’re together all the time. We talked about coming into the season we had a pretty good idea we were going to be ranked one of the top teams in the state and in the region. We knew that our role was going to change a
little bit as far as how people were talking about us and how people are going to challenge you every single night,” Jaguars coach Justin Holthaus said.
Challenge accepted as the Jaguars are 27-3 headed into Friday’s Ninth Region semifinals at Truist Arena. They’ve played the top flight teams in the region, and from around the state. Their only losses to in-state competition are to the No. 1 (Sacred Heart) and No. 2 (DuPont Manual) teams in the final statewide media poll. They’ve gone 12-0 against region opponents and defeated five top-20 teams in the state.
They’ve continued to show progress, now a much more mature team from the one that had just one senior on the roster last season.
They’re led by Ninth Region KABC Player of the Year and Miss Kentucky Basketball candidate Whitney Lind. Lind committed to Lehigh in June and her credentials throughout her career as a Jaguar warrant strong consideration for best player in the state on one of the best teams in the state. She’s led the team in scoring and rebounding since eighth grade as she approaches Lexi Held’s all-time program scoring record of 2,430 points.
But what makes this team special is how they distribute the ball. If teams want to key in on Lind, several others can hurt their opponent. They’ve
got five other players that average at least six points per game.
“We’re very versatile. We have a lot of girls that do a lot of different things,” Lind said. “We have girls that can hit threes, we have girls that get offensive rebounds and put them back when we miss. We have confidence in every single person it’s going in or we’re going to get the rebound. When you have that confidence in each other, when you share it, good things happen.”
Lind, Kay Freihofer and Yamilet Rondon-River bring the senior leadership. They’re a tightly bonded unit that puts team over self. And they play hard no matter who the opponent is. Despite beating teams by an average of 24.7 points per game, the focus on a game-bygame basis is just that - playing hard, especially on the defensive end.
“No matter who we play, we just always have to do what we do and play hard. We stress a lot on our defense and get a lot of stops and turn it into baskets,” Freihofer said.
Cooper allows 37.3 points per game, good for seventh in the state. It’s where they hang their hat.
“When we talk about what’s going to win us games, what’s going to win us district championships, region championship, it’s going to be on that defensive end so our girls really have bought into it,” Holthaus said.
While they haven’t had as much adversity as last season that came with nine losses before the state tournament and Freihofer
breaking her hand, they know things could turn at any moment at this time of year where if you lose, things suddenly come to a halt.
“Our kids have bought into that mindset of competing every single day in practice and finding that high level,” Holthaus said.
The Jags aren’t going anywhere either. Even when the three seniors previously mentioned graduate, the pipeline is stocked full. Liz Freihofer, Logan Palmer, Bella Deere, Maleah Alexander and Payslee Jones will take over the senior leadership roles next season.
Damaysia Knox will also be a senior after missing the second half of the season to injury. Knox transferred in this season from Ohio, getting comfortable with her new surroundings but suffering an injury 13 games in. Knox holds a University of Dayton offer.
That’s before mentioning exciting prospects in sophomore Zene Thompson and eighth grader Haylee Noel, who impressed so much over the summer during AAU she received an offer from the University of Arkansas.
But first things first, another chance to play at Rupp Arena, the lifelong dream of a kid growing up in Kentucky to reach the state’s pinnacle at the state tournament. Cooper is just two wins away from doing so and they know they can’t get too far ahead of themselves.
“One game at a time,” Lind said. “No matter who it is, we have to be proud of the effort we put out there and be proud of the defense we play.”
Covington firefighters are back with weekly fish fries as of Friday, Feb. 24.
Fish fries will be held every Friday through April 7 at the International Firefighters Union Hall 38 on Howell Street in Covington. All money raised during the event will go to benefit the hall.
Drinks will be served starting at 4 p.m., and food will be available from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Uniformed professionals, including police, other firefighters, nurses, members of the armed services and medical first responders will receive a $1 discount on meals. The Peaselburg Neighborhood Association will also provide desserts.
Contact the Covington Firefighters’ administrative office at (859) 431-0462 for more information.
Blackwood began working at Holmes Middle School in 2008. She started out as an instructional assistant before going back to school in 2012. She’s been working as a full-time teacher at Holmes since 2019.
Teachers are nominated for Gold Star’s award by either parents or colleagues for their ability to “go above and beyond for their students,” said Sarah McGough of Gold Star Chili in a release from Covington Schools.
Members of the public will cast votes for the winner of the contest, which will be announced in April. The winner will receive a $1000 grant for their classroom and a $500 donation for their school district. They will also receive a Gold Star Chili-themed gift basket and up to 30 tickets to see a performance at the Children’s Theater of Cincinnati.
To learn more about the award and see how to vote for Mrs. Blackwood or any of the other candidates, visit goldstarchili.com.
From a young swim instructor at Beechwood Swim Club in Fort Mitchell to a Marine on the battlefields of Vietnam, Fred Hellmann’s has always carried one message through life: never give up.
Hellmann wrote his autobiography “Never Give Up: A Vietnam Veteran’s Memoir” to tell his story.
The Behringer-Crawford Museum recently hosted Hellmann as part of its NKY History Hour, a virtual event that invites guest speakers to share local history.
namese mortar round on July 6, 1967, which hit him in nine different places on his body. He still carries with him at least 35 pieces of the shrapnel from that explosion.
At the end of his military service, Hellmann had accumulated eight medals including the Combat Action medal and the Purple Heart medal. He was honorably discharged at the rank of Staff Sergeant in 1969. The 79-year-old is now retired and spends the majority of his time with his family.
“Never Give Up” includes Hellmann’s family’s letters, entry reports from unit diaries and photographs, many of which were taken by Hellmann himself.
“As Marines lie out in the open and bullets whizzed by within a foot of my head, I took these pictures,” Hellmann said. “The American fighting man is needed … so, we go … because it’s our job.”
Rachel Blackwood, a science teacher at Holmes Middle School, was recently honored as a finalist for the Gold Star Chili Teacher Award.
Gold Star and the school held a surprise ceremony for Blackwood and her students on Feb. 15. Gold Star Chili named Holmes as one of 10 finalists out of 800 nominations, according to communications from the school district.
Hellmann was raised in Crestview Hills and graduated from Covington Catholic High School in 1962. He attended the University of Kentucky and later worked at The Hellmann Lumber Company in Covington.
After becoming eligible for the draft in the fall 1965, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and was sent to Vietnam in August 1966.
Hellmann was wounded by a North Viet-
Fort Thomas City Administrator Matt Kremer welcomed two new city interns, Jake Bowling and Ben Schuh, at the recent city council meeting. Both bring an interest in finance and business.
“Jake is a senior at Highlands High School who plans to study mathematics at the University of Kentucky,” Kremer said. “Ben is a senior at Highlands High School with plans to study business in the future.”
Both are enrolled in a dual-credit course in Northern Kentucky University’s entrepreneurial mindset class, taught at Highlands by business teacher Elise Carter.
Address: 254 Latta Ave., Ludlow
Price: $529,500
Beds: Four bedrooms
Bath: Two full bathrooms, two half bathrooms
Sqft: 3,326 on a half-acre
School district: Ludlow Independent Schools
County: Kenton
Special features: This 12-sided home once appeared on “Ripley’s Believe It or Not” and in the Guinness Book of World Records. The grand staircase is illuminated by a stained glass skylight. Inside the duo-decagonal house is a chef’s kitchen, formal living and dining rooms, as well as four bedrooms. Outside is an inground pool and poolhouse and four-car garage. The home is also a piece of preserved local history. Built in 1900 and designed by Alexander Latta, a famous inventor responsible for the first successful American steam engine, it won the City of Ludlow Preservation Award in 2013 and is located in central Ludlow.
Newport is a melting pot of cultures with restaurants and bars that highlight the heritage of many Northern Kentuckians. Come with us to Newport for German and Italian cuisine and entertainment.
For those with a deep dish pizza craving, there’s no need to trek to Chicago when Bourbon House Pizza is right on Third Street.
Pizza is always a crowd favorite. The simplicity of sauce, cheese and toppings can please even the pickiest eaters. What sets Bourbon House Pizza apart from other pizzerias is what they do with those simple ingredients. They have three additional crust options: vegan, cauliflower and gluten free, so everyone can have pizza regardless of their diet.
Regulars to Bourbon House Pizza may have heard the hype about the ranch dressing. It’s so well-liked that the menu has a pizza for ranch lovers that contains “no pizza sauce, just ranch dressing, chicken, onion and bacon.”
joyable, that you are rolling on the floor, laughing.”
Rotolo strives to be less of an eatery, and more of an entertainment destination for the evening. Bowling is the main event, but they offer a range of games including bocce, a traditional Italian game that resembles bowling, and a variety of arcade games.
This boutique bowling alley will make you forget about the simple beer bottles and canned nacho cheese served at the bowling alleys of yesteryear. The atmosphere is closer to a cocktail lounge than that of a rental show and cigarette-laden bowling alley.
Their food and drink offerings stick with the Italian fare, with choices of bruschetta, risotto balls, and a bellini to make guests feel like they’re on an Italian holiday.
What to Know if You Go:
Hofbrauhaus has been giving NKY quality German cuisine and beer for 20 years now, and has rightfully become a community staple. Servers are dressed in traditional lederhosen while carrying as many as a dozen beer steins at once. Unlike most restaurants, with individual tables for each party, Hofbrauhaus has long tables and benches, reminiscent of an old-style beer hall in Germany.
The setup encourages conversation and connection with other diners. In the warmer months, Hofbrauhaus has a large bier garten that is always packed, so those who want a seat may consider arriving early. It’s a boisterous, exciting environment with live music from groups that match the theme and tradition of the German-style restaurant.
When it comes to the food, they serve authentic German cuisine through and through. Those who can’t decide on a dish can get a sampler of appetizers, ranging from fried pickles to Bavarian pretzels to tie the group over until the wurst or schnitzel arrives.
Bourbon House Pizza’s in-house ranch is also for sale to take home.
Those desiring a classic pizza can find it in the BH Supreme. With ricotta, mozzarella, sauce and the choice of three toppings, it’s an easily customizable pizza.
For the rare guest who doesn’t want a slice of pie, Bourbon House also serves salads, hoagies, calzones and pastas along with an appetizer menu with over a dozen options.
Walking into a traditional bowling alley usually evokes memories of the faint smell of cigarettes and plastic rental shoes. Many bowling alleys have yet to adapt to a more modern feel, and that old style bowling alley just isn’t as enticing to visit anymore. Rotolo makes guests forget everything they know about bowling alleys in the past.
Their website breaks down what rotolo means. In Italian, it means “to roll” but it’s commonly used to “describe the sensation of finding something so funny, so en-
Hofbrauhaus
Location: 200 E. Third St., Newport
Hours: Sunday through Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight
Website: hofbrauhausnewport.com
Phone: (859) 491-7200
Bourbon House Pizza
Location: 100 Aqua Way, Newport
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday from noon to 9 p.m.
Website: bourbonhousepizza.com
Phone: (869) 261- 2610
Rotolo
Location: 1 Levee Way, Newport
Hours: Sunday from noon to 10 p.m.; Monday and Tuesday from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from noon to 1 a.m.
Website: rotolobowling.com
Phone: (869) 652-7250
After a seventh place finish last year and a 14th place finish in 2021, Notre Dame Academy improved once again with a third place finish at the KHSAA state swim meet at the University of Kentucky Lancaster Aquatic Center.
Senior Lainy Kruger, a University of Florida commit, capped a stellar high school career. She won her second straight state 200-yard freestyle in 1:46.36 and her second consecutive 100-yard breaststroke title in 1:02.30, closing out her high school career with five state titles.
In both races this year, Kruger finished a full two seconds ahead of her competition.
Kruger’s final run with her fellow Pandas ended with 196 points. Sophomore Sadie Hartig swam three different races in under a 30-minute span where she finished second in the 500 freestyle and fourth in the 200 freestyle relay. She then finished up joining her fellow teammates Claire Monahan, Olivia Wallace and Riley Quinn in the 100 backstroke where they finished 12th.
Ryle’s boys swim team finished third in the KHSAA state swim meet at the University of Kentucky’s Lancaster Aquatic Center on Feb. 18.
The Raiders ended with 152 points, putting them five points ahead of fourth place Henry Clay. Chase Knopf, Roman Furuta, Garrett Dennis, and Blake Koenigsknecht started Ryle’s impressive finish by placing fourth in the 200-yard medley relay with a
time of 1:39.10.
The Raiders also came in fourth in the 200 and 400 freestyle relays. They were just 43 hundredths of a second away from a third place finish in the 200 freestyle relay. In the 400 freestyle the Raiders were a little less than two seconds away from a third place finish.
Cooper Junior Peytton Moore just missed out on a third consecutive one-meter freestyle KHSAA state diving title. Moore finished two-tenths of a point behind Madison Southern’s Reagan Patterson, 512.5-512.3, both scores breaking the previous state record of 509.3.
Moore led Patterson by a little less than four points, 359.40-355.45, with three dives to go. In the final dive, Patterson scored a 62 to barely edge out the victory over Moore.
Simon Kenton’s Leigha Travis finished fourth with 397.40, Grace Hedger of Camp bell County was fifth with 348.05, Savannah
Bien of Villa Madonna was seventh with 344.65, and Highlands’ Addison Tinkler was eighth with 344.05.
Ryle’s Landon Isler was second in the boys one-meter freestyle with 517.75 points. Covington Catholic’s Jake Larkin was next with 495.65, and Dixie Heights’ Alex Warming was fourth with 473.
tral Michigan, starting off as a graduate assistant, then a running backs/recruiting coordinator to eventually landing the offensive coordinator position before heading to Cincinnati to join Fickell. Guidugli was initially set to head to Wisconsin to join Fickell in January, but changed course to join Marcus Freeman’s staff.
Freeman is coming off his first season as head coach in which the Irish went 9-4 and won the Gator Bowl over South Carolina. Freeman served as Fickell’s defensive coordinator at Cincinnati from 2017-20 before becoming the defensive coordinator at Notre Dame in 2021.
Former Highlands standout Gino Guidugli is headed to South Bend to become the next quarterbacks coach for Notre Dame.
Guidugli had been on University of Cincinnati’s staff since Luke Fickell took over in 2017, serving as the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator the past two seasons.
Guidugli was the Bearcats quarterback from 2001-04, throwing for over 11,000 passing yards and breaking the school’s records for career passing yards, touchdown passes, and completions during his time in Clifton. Prior to that, Guidugli was a standout basketball and football player at Highlands and was part of three state championship football teams from 1998-2000, being the starting QB in ’99 and ’00.
He then got into the coaching ranks at Cen-
The Kentucky Lions Eye Foundation and the Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches announced the senior student athletes and coaches selected as the KABC Regional Players and Coaches of the Year. Each Regional Player of the Year candidate is now up for the Mr. and Miss Basketball award to be announced at the March 19 banquet in Lexington.
In the Ninth Region boys, Covington Catholic’s Evan Ipsaro and Holy Cross’ Jacob Meyer were announced as Co-Players of the Year. Cooper’s Whitney Lind won the girls’ KABC Ninth Region Player of the Year while Walton-Verona’s Grace Brewer won the girls’ KABC Eighth Region Player of the Year.
Conner’s Matt Otte was named the boys KABC Ninth Region Coach of the Year while Holy Cross’ Ted Arlinghaus earned girls Coach of the Year honors. Bishop Brossart’s Steve Brown earned the girls Coach of the Year honors in the 10th Region.
Luxury retirement living is coming to Northern Kentucky. The Ormsby is an all-new Life Plan Community in Ft. Mitchell that will offer close to 200 modern residences in a vibrant, walkable setting with a full continuum of life care services available at a signifi cant discount to residents. RSVP to an upcoming event. Call 1-859-577-9677 or visit OrmsbyLiving.org.
