LINK Kenton Reader - Volume 2, Issue 15 - March 8, 2024

Recycler’s deal with Newport to end metal shredding in NKY

By Haley Parnell

Newport residents and city officials have spent almost three years in court to compel River Metals Recycling to comply with city noise regulations. A recent agreement could make that wish come true.

In an agreement with the city, River Metals, known as RMR, will move its shredding operations with some stipulations from Newport to the former Garden Street Iron & Metal facility in Cincinnati. Campbell County District Court Judge Cameron Blau signed off on the agreement Feb. 20. RMR’s parent, North Carolina-based Nucor, acquired Garden Street in October 2023.

As part of Blau’s approval, the case was set for review on Feb. 24, 2025. Should RMR comply with the agreement in the intervening 12 months, the case will go before Blau to drop misdemeanor charges against the company for violating the city’s noise ordinances. Newport residents near RMR’s facility for years have reported sporadic and sometimes daily explosions at the site.

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Northern Kentucky Sierra Club balances fun, environmental protection

By Haley Parnell

Agrassroots environmental organization has helped Northern Kentucky communities with projects ranging from testing air quality to getting folks out in nature.

Stemming from the national organization that started in the 1890s, the Northern Kentucky Sierra Club supports both lighthearted aspects, like nature exploration, but also more serious efforts for environmental protection.

“Sierra Club’s historic motto is ‘Explore, Enjoy and Protect,’ whether it’s the earth or our environment,” said John Robbins, the local group’s chair. “So I consider it a very balanced environmental group, both interested in learning, fun and environmental

protection or preservation.”

The Sierra Club in its earliest days coined the term “outings” to bring people from the city to the outdoors to understand better why they should be concerned about preserving and protecting nature. At the time, Robbins said, the concern was lumber companies cutting down old forests.

The name “Sierra Club” is derived from the Sierra Mountains, where the club led early outings from Oakland, California, into the old forests of the Sierra Mountains on land that’s now part of Yosemite National Park. The outings back then looked similar to today’s club outings, with activities like blazing trails and building camping areas.

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Street soccer builds bridges in community with futsal p6 Streetscapes finds local tasty treats in Union p15

Conner

baseball faces year of change p16

A Northern Kentucky Sierra Club trail service outing from 12 years ago. Photo provided | NKY Sierra Club

A fire at River Metals Recycling in Newport on April 15, 2023. Photo provided | Ken Rechtin

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“If the operations are indeed moved – substantially reduced in Newport and moved over across the river, I would think that this is a win,” said Chad Silber, president of the Newport Clifton Neighborhood Association. “I’m encouraged by that, and I think the city should be commended for getting RMR at the table, even getting this far. I’m always the type of person that’s like ‘trust but verify,’ so when I see the actual steps being made, I will feel better.”

The Feb. 20 agreement came in lieu of a previously scheduled March 5 bench trial.

“I believe that we’ve got commitments here that are much stronger than we’ve ever heard from them before,” Newport Assistant City Manager John Hayden said. “It’s a much bigger ask than we could have gotten from the court. The judge would have been limited to a fine per violation (a maximum of $10,000 for the five violations), and the city doesn’t even get that money.”

According to the agreement, RMR is currently making “substantial improvements” to the Cincinnati facility, including installing a new pre-shredder, to consolidate its shredding operations there. It anticipates that work to be completed in 12 months.

RMR, which has 19 facilities across six states, has already begun to reduce the shredder operation in Newport, the agreement reads. Hayden said he anticipates RMR’s shredding operations to be moved in less than a year.

Under the agreement, the Newport facility may continue to operate as a collection, processing and transfer site. RMR also will be required to install a Fire Rover in Newport, which can detect emerging hot spots and further reduce the risk of fire. The citations and the district court charges will be dismissed upon installing the Fire Rover and terminating shredding.

“I think the hardest thing, probably on the residents’ side, was the waiting game,” Hayden said, “because now we’re in court, and we’re dealing with that and we’re talking to the attorneys, but we can’t come out and say, ‘This is what’s going on.’

“So, you know, we’re hearing the rumors. We’re seeing the stuff on Facebook; we’re hearing all that, but we’re trying to be careful about what we say and what our message is while trying to be neutral and trying to be fair to everybody.”

RMR regional manager Neal Coulardot said that, for RMR, maintaining good community relationships is a priority. The company said in a news release that it is pleased that, “after a concerted and cooperative effort by both parties, the City of Newport joins RMR in the agreement and supports the diversion and dismissal of all charges.”

“We value our very positive working relationship with the City of Newport, which has spanned several decades,” Coulardot said. “We are proud of the role our facility plays in the circular economy by providing the recycled scrap that is used to make some of the lowest carbon-embodied steel in the world. This business has been at this

Newport location since World War II, and we’re proud to have continued its operation for the last 40 years.

“We are even more proud of our track record of supporting our community by employing 33 people at our Newport facility, doing business with numerous local and regional companies, providing financial support and volunteering for many worthy organizations, and being a good corporate neighbor.”

Though Newport residents said the intent spelled out in the agreement is encouraging, they think there are still some holes that would allow RMR to continue operations as is.

“We’ve had so many broken promises from RMR that it is hard for the citizens group and the residents to really believe without having specific teeth in the agreement and seeing true actions,” said Annette Kitchen, a Newport resident and chair of the RMR Citizen’s Group. “The agreement doesn’t appear to show any accountability or responsibility to RMR, and that’s a concern.”

Kitchen is concerned about other stipulations outlined in the agreement as follows:

• The commonwealth and RMR have agreed that the charges should be diverted if RMR cannot terminate shredding due to procurement, installation, permitting or other matters involving the Cincinnati facility outside RMR’s control. The company may apply to the district court to extend the 12-month deadline for terminating shredding in Newport.

• RMR intends to cease operation of the

shredder at the Newport facility once the pre-shredder is installed and operating in Cincinnati, except in the circumstances outlined in the agreement. Those include maintaining the shredder at Newport so that it is available in the event of an emergency or “significant” market condition changes.

The pre-shredder, Hayden said, tears things up into large chunks at a much lower speed than the main shredder. He said it is the city’s understanding that most of the explosions heard by residents are from propane tanks that people hide in trunks of cars, washers or dryers because they can’t recycle them. When the tanks are crushed, they explode.

Once RMR ceases its Newport shredding operations, the shredder at the site can be used only under the following conditions:

• Four hours per month (with no material running through the shredder) to maintain its operating condition.

• In case of a mechanical or logistical problem at any of RMR’s metal recycling facilities in Cincinnati, and Ashland or Louisville in Kentucky. It can be used only until that facility’s mechanical or logistical problem is resolved. RMR must also make “reasonable efforts” to provide 48 hours’ notice to Newport and attempt to fix the problem quickly.

• If the Cincinnati facility temporarily exceeds its capacity, RMR can use the Newport facility to handle the excess volume no more than 75 days in a 12-month period. The company must also make “reasonable efforts” to provide a 48 hours’ notice.

A fire broke out at River Metals Recycling’s Newport facility in April 2023. Photo provided | Ken Rechtin

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• Should market conditions “significantly change,” RMR may resume continuous operation of the shredder, but only after it begins installation of a pre-shredder – though RMR can resume operation before the pre-shredder is in service. RMR must make “reasonable efforts” to provide 21 days’ notice to the city.

One specific concern Kitchen said she had with the agreement was there being no cap on the number of explosions within the 75day, rolling 12-month period.

“I’d like to see, if there is an explosion per day, then the operations are shut down for that day or if there are consecutive days,” Kitchen said. “Unfortunately, with us not at that table because it was a criminal case, we really don’t have a voice, so we do have to trust that the city of Newport has our safety, health and our best interest.”

Kitchen also said that she believes the Newport facility should be required to implement a pre-shredder for its operations during the 75-day rolling period.

Newport Planning and Building Director Brian Steffen said it would not be feasible for RMR to move back and forth between facilities. “It’s just not cost-effective to start the shredder back up,” he said.

“They’ll have, I think, 15 employees remaining on site here in Newport and 100 at Garden Street, so just logistics-wise, it would be very impractical to run this plant and the one on Garden Street,” Steffen said.

Hayden said the city will continue to keep an eye on what RMR is doing, and nothing prevents the city from filing more charges if necessary.

“Part of the conversation that we’re going to be having back with these guys is, ‘What are you guys going to do to help us in the meantime to slow this down and try to mitigate it?’ But I hope that we don’t have to, but I wouldn’t say no, for sure,” he said.

Further, Hayden said neither the city nor Blau, through the criminal case, can force RMR to cease shredding operations entirely.

“I reiterate the fact that we’re not trying to shut this company down,” Silber said.

“I think they provide a service. I just think they need to provide that service where it’s not so abusive to local residents.”

Something that Hayden said makes this agreement different from past promises from RMR is that this is a court order. Previous agreements, like what was outlined in an August 2023 news release, were just commitments.

News of an agreement was announced Aug. 11 by Newport, just days before the scheduled Aug. 14 start of a bench trial. Commitments outlined in that release were for RMR to implement a pre-shredder and a Fire Rover at the Newport facility. The release said that the initial investment by RMR will exceed $5.5 million and add operating costs of over $600,000 annually.

Those commitments never happened.

Behind the scenes, RMR representatives told the city they would move their shredding operations out of the city entirely.

“Of course, that sounded great, but then they swore us to the utmost level of secrecy,” Hayden said. “So, we weren’t able to convey that. All I could really say was, ‘I think the solution they have is going to be better than a pre-shredder. I think you’re going to be very happy with it, but we just can’t tell you yet.’ Of course, that bred all sorts of questions and concerns. It was a lot, and it was difficult for us to keep that under wraps.”

Hayden said the agreement must be backed by some force of law in case RMR goes back on promises it made.

Per the agreement, RMR’s signing is not to be “deemed or interpreted as a finding or admission of any violation, wrongdoing or liability on the part of RMR.”

Hayden said RMR’s purchase of the recycling facility in Cincinnati and the monthslong discussion with the city to form the legal agreement demonstrated the business’s intent. He said having RMR President Bob Eviston start personally meeting with city staff is what helped it get across the finish line.

“We feel very confident that this is the deal that they want, and this is the deal that we’re happy with,” Hayden said.

Hayden also credited Kitchen’s cooperation with the city and confidentiality. “The great thing about working with Annette was she was extremely professional with us,” he said, “She maintained a great degree of confidentiality in an issue where I can only imagine that she was getting bombarded with questions and things that she probably knew about that she wasn’t at liberty to say and didn’t.

Both Silber and Kitchen said they want to see RMR management get involved with the residents to help reset the relationship. Silber said he was more than willing to invite RMR representatives to come to a Clifton Neighborhood Association meeting.

“I would like to see them not only open the door to hear residents’ concerns but actually work with us directly,” Kitchen said.

Trial’s background

The city started sound monitoring in 2020, looking for violations of the city’s industrial standards in its zoning code. They began seeing violations and recorded some activity that would exceed the thresholds in the code in January 2021. Misdemeanor charges were then brought before Blau.

RMR built a sound wall between August and October 2021. “Their hopes that they communicated to us is that the sound wall or sound barrier was going to reduce any sort of felt impact from combustion events for the residence in Clifton,” Steffen said. “We quickly found that that was not the case.

Steffen said the city had been responding to complaints about RMR before the initial monitoring started.

That sound monitoring lasted roughly 18 months. The idea behind it, the city said, was to create a baseline and facts so that they had evidence to work with.

“Once we did that, we decided, what’s the best way for us to enforce this because we’re getting a lot of questions from the neighborhood,” Hayden said. “We didn’t want to do something that was just for

show. We wanted to be able to get some results and be able to get the neighbors some relief from what their concerns were. We thought that the strongest way that we could go forward was through the zoning code; we had the standards for noise, and so the remedy there was a misdemeanor.”

This move by the city, Hayden said, was unique and not something they would typically do against a business, but he said RMR was clearly in violation.

“The hope wasn’t about wanting to be punitive with River Metals, but it was to get them to come to the table and come up with a solution that would alleviate these concerns the residents were bringing,” Hayden said.

The city said this case is not closed so long as there are concerns or activity that could be seen as detrimental to the residents.

Kitchen said the citizens group will continue its efforts and work with the city until the issue is entirely resolved.

Silber echoed those statements.

“I hope the city doesn’t just close the book and walk away after this,” Silber said. “From my interactions with John, Bryan and the city manager (Tom Fromme), everybody involved indicates to me that there will be continued monitoring. If RMR continues operations in the manner that they have in this 12-month period or after, per the arrangement, I would hope and think that the city would continue to back the residents in some further action.”

Hayden said the city is cautiously optimistic about the settlement but will remain vigilant.

Also in the works

Aside from Newport residents’ supporting the city’s criminal case against RMR, they have also taken action to test air quality and soil quality around RMR and are supporting two state bills targeting recycling facilities like RMR.

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Continued from page 1

“These early explorers created some of the original trails in Yosemite, and later the Sierra Club got Yosemite declared a California state park, then later got President Theodore Roosevelt to declare it a national park,” Robbins said. “Those declarations preserved the forest.”

The national club is broken down into state chapters and then into local groups, such as the NKY’s. The local group covers 12 counties with roughly 640 members, mainly from Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties.

Like the early members of the Sierra Club, the NKY group has fun with its outings, but they also get involved in what they call campaigns.

“They’re not just a hiking group, although they do that, but they’re really interested in doing some backbreaking hard work and correcting things that are not exactly right,” Newport Commissioner Ken Rechtin said. “I really like the group. I like their energy.

“This is also a volunteer effort,” he said. “None of these folks get any monetary benefit from it. All of them are doing it for the betterment of the community and betterment of the environment, and that’s really a big part of it.”

One local campaign the chapter has worked on is placing sensors in Newport to test air quality around River Metals Recycling, also known locally as RMR. Preston Knibbe, the chapter’s chair of membership and communications, is a co-lead in the project with another member of the executive committee, Andrea Ankrum.

Knibbe said the campaign is one way he was able to get more involved in local environmental issues. As a Newport resident, he said he didn’t know then that his desire to get more involved locally would lead to his city’s own backyard. “This is a very tangible way to get more involved to help, you know, not just locally but like literally where I live.”

The Sierra Club set up PurpleAir sensors, which measure fine airborne particulate matter – such as organic chemicals, heavy metals or dust – known as PM 2.5 because the particles measure 2.5 micrometers or smaller. Results will be shared with the Kentucky Energy and Environmental Cabinet’s Division for Air Quality to determine RMR’s compliance with the Clean Air Act and air quality permits.

The Clean Air Act, enacted in 1963, is intended to reduce and control air pollution nationwide.

The Northern Kentucky Sierra Club is leading the effort in collaboration with Newport residents and the Environmental Protection Agency Division 4, which serves Kentucky.

Robbins said people look to the Sierra Club for help because they are a big name, though local chapters don’t have the money or resources to help that the national group might.

“They’ve been excellent,” Newport’s Rechtin said. “I mean, when they came into this issue, they really created a lot of energy behind the problems like air quality, water quality and soil quality. I think they have energy, youthfulness, knowledge and expertise.”

Ankrum and Knibbe are in charge of installing the sensors and collecting the data daily.

“I’ve been coordinating with residential homeowners that have volunteered to host sensors and local businesses and things like that to set up a time so I can stop by to evaluate their site and install the sensors,” Knibbe said.

The project will be assessed at six months to determine if enough data has been compiled to meet the objectives. They will also be sending the Environmental Protection Agency and the state data on a routine basis so they can see what progress they’re making.

“I’m in the energy side of this; we have some people in the Sierra Club that are really better with water, and some people are good with air,” Robbins said. “We have experts who know a lot about legislation, but some people are more into the political side. What I really enjoyed about the Sierra Club is the balance compared to other groups.”

Aside from the air quality study, the NKY Sierra Club has supported Newport residents who backed litigation between the city and RMR for noise violations caused by explosions at the facility. Rechtin said Robbins and other members repeatedly show up to court hearings.

“They have shown up to many of the hearings and those types of things, and (they) are just a fantastic group to work with,”

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A Jan. 20 Northern Kentucky Sierra Club nature outing visited the Licking River’s South Fork in Falmouth. Photo provided | NKY Sierra Club

Big Bone Lick State Park in Boone County was the site of a recent Northern Kentucky Sierra Club outing. Photo provided | NKY Sierra Club

Hikers take part in a Northern Kentucky Sierra Club outing to Kincaid Lake State Park in Pendleton County. Photo provided | NKY Sierra Club

Continued from page 5 Rechtin said. “I think their continued efforts are going to be what helps resolve this issue.”

Robbins said many people involved in the group are also interested in the Licking River because it flows through the heart of the group’s territory. It covers a triangle from the Covington-Newport area to the southwest corner of Carrollton to the southeast corner of Maysville.

Come spring or summer, Robbins said the chapter is considering getting people out on the Licking River and taking samples below RMR to continue efforts through water pollution.

If you have a problem you’d like the group to look into, contact the NKY Sierra Club at northern.ky.sierra.club@gmail.com or show up to a meeting. A member who lives in Independence got Robbins involved last year after she found out that a nearby park was using a toxic herbicide that was making her sick and causing her plants to die.

Robbins said the member was able to go to the mayor and ask him to prohibit the use of that herbicide, and then she shared her story at an NKY Sierra Club meeting.

“This is the kind of thing that the Sierra Club does – one of our members calls and says, ‘Hey, we’re having trouble with this or that in the environment.’ It gives us a way to band together,” Robbins said. “The advantage is numbers count. If you can take a group of 20 or 50 or 60 or 600 and put them under the banner of something called the Sierra Club, that has more (impact) than just a group of citizens stomping their feet on the pavement.”

Robbins has been with the Sierra Club since the 1980s. As chair, Robbins wears many hats: He writes the meeting programs, finds speakers and coordinates the meetings. He is also an outing chair and has led hikes for the club since 2003.

One of the things that the NKY Sierra Club has done over the years, mirroring its predecessors, is blaze trails. They put in two trails at Big Bone Lick State Park in Boone County from 2003 to 2006.

In 2016, Robbins said Kenton County bought roughly 200 acres of land in Morning View and wanted to put trails in, but officials said they didn’t have the money for it.

“I was at that meeting, and I raised my hand and said, ‘I’ll lead the effort, and I’ll get the Northern Kentucky Sierra Club to supply the volunteers, and we’ll put them in.’ And we did,” Robbins said. “Now there are trails up and down hills, a few hundred feet.”

Robbins said that effort by the NKY Sierra Club was completed around 2020.

On more casual outings, club members will go on hikes, bike hikes or paddling in a canoe or kayak in different areas of the region.

“We’re environmentalists; we stop and look at things and talk about nature and pollution, and if we see litter, we pick it up,” Robbins said. “I think the Sierra Club really reaches more people by being more down to earth. We offer programs where people can have fun.”

The club requires first aid and CPR training to be an outing leader. Robbins said that, if you want to take a bunch of people out

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where there is no cell service, and someone has a heart attack or breaks a leg, you have to be prepared for that.

“Our members are older, and so we have to be more responsible than some of the other groups,” Robbins said.

With most of the NKY Sierra Club members being from an older generation, a unique aspect of Knibbe’s involvement in the executive committee is that he’s just in his mid-20s.

“You point out how unusual it is for a young person like Preston to be on the committee,” Robbins said. “Well, most members don’t even vote (for the club’s leadership roles). When I was a young man – I’m 69 now and will be 70 later this year – when I was in my 20s, I was getting married, buying a house, trying to go to school, doing all these things. I wasn’t thinking about any kind of leadership board.”

Knibbe’s role is more technology-leaning and mainly deals with sending out emails and maintaining the chapter’s website. “There was an open position, and it was a way to get more involved at the leadership level,” Knibbe said.

Robbins Knibbe may be the youngest executive committee member in the state.

“I don’t know this, but I’ve said this to the chair of the Kentucky Chapter; I said, ‘Is Preston the youngest in the state of all the groups’ – there are six other groups,” Robbins said. “‘Is he the youngest on any of the boards?’ And I didn’t get an answer, but I was bragging. I said, ‘We got a 20-something year old.’”

Knibbe said he joined the NKY Sierra Club

about two years ago because he is an outdoor enthusiast who wanted to get more involved in local environmental issues.

“First and foremost, I’m a climber and a hiker, and I enjoy getting to experience the outdoors,” he said. “I’ve always been a person who paid lip service to do better with the environment and things like that. I always had a drive or desire to help in some way, but I didn’t know how to start outside of recycling and things like that. It was kind of an unknown to me.”

Knibbe said he first heard the Sierra Club name through an uncle involved in a Utah chapter. He decided to test the waters by attending some trail outings and meetings.

“I thought, this seems like a great way to get more involved and definitely can leverage some of the more knowledgeable people within the group to better my knowledge of what can be done outside of the basics,” he said.

Knibbe said looking locally is a good starting point for anyone looking to get involved in issues that don’t seem to have a local solution.

“I think, for young people, our generation, you may see things on social media that aggravate you and inspire you to act in some way, but you don’t really know how to get involved,” Knibbe said. “The local level, I think, is a really easy entry point. Not only because you can kind of actively see the changes that you’re hoping for, but it also just blurs that barrier to entry.”

FInd more information on how to join the NKY Sierra Club at www.sierraclub.org

Big Bone Lick State Park in Boone County was the site of a recent Northern Kentucky Sierra Club outing. Photo provided | NKY Sierra Club

Big Bone Lick State Park in Boone County was the site of a recent Northern Kentucky Sierra Club outing. Photo provided | NKY Sierra Club

Northern Kentucky Street Soccer bridges communities through futsal

By Nathan Granger

“It’s really interesting to me to see the demographic changes in Northern Kentucky,” said Casey Grady. “I went to Dixie Heights High School,… and it’s very different now.”

Specifically, Grady is talking about the burgeoning immigrant and international community in the region. Rather than shrink from this change, Grady decided to get involved and see what he could do to make the lives of the newcomers easier. He’s now president of Northern Kentucky Street Soccer.

“I see soccer as a bridge for our international community,” he said.

It’s more than simply playing the game, however. It’s the way people come together to play the game and the spaces that facilitate it. In the United States, Grady said, the culture around soccer is very different from the rest of the world. Many U.S. soccer programs operate on a pay-to-play model, which can limit access to people who lack the means.

In fact, despite Northern Kentucky Street Soccer’s name, the game they focus on isn’t conventional soccer on a grass field, but, rather, futsal. Futsal rules are similar to soccer’s, but the game is distinct. It’s played on a hard surface with smaller teams of five players each.

Basketball and tennis courts can easily be converted into futsal courts, and in many other countries, Grady said, futsal is the go-to sport for fun. Grady compares it to pickup basketball games here, which often come about organically through groups of friends rather than institutionalized sports programs.

“We’re trying to promote the pickup culture in the same way you would do pickup basketball,” Grady said. “That culture exists almost everywhere else in the world.… People play in their neighborhood on futsal courts. Every school has futsal courts. It’s the main thing they have at their gym and in recess.”

As such, Grady’s ambitions for the program are less about funneling players, whether adults or children, into professional or college-level athletic programs and more about promoting friendly competition and developing life skills.

“I don’t care about any kid becoming a professional,” Grady said. “I just want a kid to be able to play and be a kid.”

He points to a Minneapolis program called Sol of the Cities, which not only organizes futsal games for groups of kids but also provides mentoring and community services initiatives, as a model for what he would like to accomplish with Northern Kentucky Street Soccer.

Sergio Gutierrez, who owns Olla Taqueria Gutiérrez in Covington, and Alyssa Adkins, who works with Gutierrez, attended a public hearing on Covington’s federal grant dollars earlier this month to pitch Northern Kentucky Street Soccer as a program worth funding. Olla has sponsored previous events for Northern Kentucky Street Soccer.

The value of the program comes from its ability to cultivate “a sense of community and social cohesion by providing a space for residents of all ages and backgrounds to come together,” Adkins said. “Last year we had a tournament, and there were different teams in this tournament. Full teams from U.S., Jamaica, Brazil, Venezuela, Guatemala, Japan and Mexico, all residents of Covington that not a lot of people just get to see everyday.”

The group has two primary locations: Kenney Shields Park in Covington, which is their primary location in the summer, and an indoor basketball court at Grace Church in Fort Wright.

“A lot of times, if you want your kids to play, you have to join really expensive clubs, or they have to go to private schools,” Gutierrez said. “It’s an expensive sport, when in reality back home if we have a ball and some ground, it’s all we need.”

With the Brent Spence Bridge corridor construction on the horizon, the group’s access to Kenney Shields Park is uncertain. Grady said that, even though they don’t necessarily need their own dedicated facility or building, he would like a space where he can reliably set up pickup games, such as a park or a school. The current futsal court conversion at Kenney Sheilds cost less than $1,000 to set up, he said.

“We want more places for people to play, and right now there are zero futsal courts in Northern Kentucky,” Grady said.

Although he’s aware of the FC Cincinnati minipitch at Austinburg Park and across the river, he would like to see more grassroots organizing around the game, pre-

serving its impromptu spirit.

He describes showing up in Fort Wright one morning and having the kitchen staff from Walt’s Hitching Post come out after the morning rush and play on their breaks as an example of the easy-going, accessible environment he wants to preserve.

“That’s awesome,” he said. “When I saw that happen, I was just like, I made those dudes lives better for that day.”

Learn more about Northern Kentucky Street Soccer by visiting nkystreetsoccer. com, Facebook (NKYStreetSoccer) or Instagram (@nkystreetsoccer).

“Come play with us,” Grady said.

Futsal players at Kenney Shields Park in Covington. Photo provided | Casey Grady

Covington schools elevate support for English learners

Covington

By Nathan Granger

The Covington Independent Public Schools Board of Education approved two measures Feb. 21 aimed at improving instruction for students in the district that are learning English as a foreign language.

The first renewed a summer program that provides in-person training to teachers on English language instruction. The second was a contract with English-language instruction specialist Hector Montenegro, who will advise the district on how to address the needs of English-language learners better.

The number of students who speak other languages as their primary language –which the district refers to as English language learners, or ELLs – has been steadily increasing, especially at 6th District Elementary School, Holmes Middle School and Holmes High School. Montenegro’s work will focus mostly on students in those schools. So far, 213 ELL students have enrolled in the district this year, according to district data released at the end of January.

“We want to increase our achievement for our ELL population,” said Susan Pastor-Richard, who heads the district’s ELL program. At the Feb. 21 board meeting, she said she wanted to ensure the district had a “solid program” in the face of the growing

“Especially at the high school, 6th District, middle school, all of them, including [Holmes Middle School Principal Lee Turner], is excited to get somebody in there on the ground in the school, and the teachers need to help, too,” said Assistant Superintendent Scott Alter. “They need the help; this is kind of uncharted territory, and our population is booming.”

The Feb. 21 approvals are the latest resources and programs the district has adopted to assist its ELL population. The district has 15 English-language teachers, six dedicated translators and 24 ILA Pros, which are machines capable of providing real-time translations of spoken conversations between people speaking different languages. The district also provides special programs in the summer for newcomers.

Montenegro is a well-regarded specialist in English language instruction that formerly worked as a math teacher and principal. These days, he helps schools train teachers on working with newcomer populations and provides strategies for family engagement. Often, Montenegro told LINK nky, districts and teachers “don’t have strategies to address the specific needs of newcomers,” even if they genuinely want to help.

Montenegro has already performed some work at John G. Carlisle and 6th District

elementaries. In addition, he appeared as a motivational speaker for the district in August, about a week before the school year started. Montenegro said that his consulting will focus on analyzing data in the district, observing classrooms and providing teachers and other district staff with instructional, leadership and community engagement strategies.

LINK nky attended a teacher training day in August to speak with teachers about their experience working with ELLs.

Eric Fuentes, who has been with the district since 2017 and now works as an English language teacher at 6th District, said many of the newcomers arrive in Covington with a wide range of experiences and cultural expectations that can sometimes make it difficult to adapt to American schools.

“[Our ELL] population is coming in with its own set of background experiences that may or may not include trauma,” Fuentes said. “In some countries they don’t maybe start school until 7, so we might have a student that comes into first grade that has never been in school.”

One of the key things that distinguishes the ELL population at the high school level, Pastor-Richard and some of the teachers said, is that many of the students work outside of school, sometimes at night. This can make it difficult to stay engaged during the

school day.

“They work third-shift jobs, they come into school and they’re tired,” said Paul Mackiewicz, a math teacher at Holmes High School.

One of the challenges that can arise is convincing the students to prioritize school.

“How do you tell them that the education is beneficial while at the same time kind of understanding their experience of, like,… sending money home once a month or, like, they’re the breadwinner in their family and they’re 18 years old?” Mackiewicz said. “So, I think for some that can be a really big challenge because, for them, they see the immediate need in front of them, and education is not a part of that.”

Fuentes said in August that he would have liked to see more family engagement events and other measures to keep the students’ families involved, and this week’s approvals could eventually bring those hopes to fruition.

“Kids do better when they feel they belong,” said Superintendent Alvin Garrison at the February meeting. “So that’s what we’re hoping to create, that culture of belonging to help them feel like, ‘This is my school.’”

Independent Public Schools central office.

Photo by Nathan Granger | LINK nky

immigrant student body in Covington.

The number of identified English language learners in each grade in the 2023-24 school year (top) and the total number of identified ELLs in the district from year to year (bottom) as of Jan. 25. Data provided | Covington Independent Public Schools. Charts by Nathan Granger

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

Kenton County showcases voting machine security in runup to May primary

The public was invited to the Kenton County Board of Elections on Feb. 24 to see how the county’s voting machines work – a move Gabe Summe said was to combat worries about fraud and security breaches ahead of the May primary. Summe, the chair of the board of elections and the county clerk, planned the demonstration earlier last month.

At the presentation, Summe gave a complete breakdown of the voting machines, their modems, how they store voting information, how they are counted and how they are unable to connect to wi-fi.

“If someone was to question the voting count, our machines have a backup paper trail,” Summe said. State law requires a paper ballot evidence trail in elections.

Wireless network connections through voting machines is where concern about possible fraudulent voting arises in the public, but Summe said Kenton County’s voting machines do not have that wireless networking capability.

Summe handed out informational packets about the DS200 voting machines Kenton County uses, showing voters how to identify if the voting machines have a modem that could allow a wireless connection. The two methods listed for voters to identify the voting machines are a visual inspection and a configuration report.

The visual inspection shows voting machines with a modem board, a SIM card, and a power board switch. The DS200 without a modem has only a power switch without a modem.

The DS200 scanner prints a configuration report with security protocols after being opened. This report indicates if a modem is present. Each machine prints a configuration report each time it is turned on and activated for voting.

The DS200 voting machines allow voting to occur digitally, followed by a printed ballot of the information put in the machine. After the machine prints a voter’s ballot, it can scan the ballot information. After the ballot is cast, the voting information is stored on an encrypted hard drive in rare cases of a recount or any interference.

Ludlow Schools superintendent announces retirement after 13 years leading district

Mike Borchers, the superintendent of Ludlow Independent Public Schools, announced his retirement at the district board of education meeting on Feb. 22. Borchers will step down from his role on June 30.

“It has been an honor to be the superintendent of the Ludlow Independent School District for the past 13 years,” Borchers said in an official statement. “Having spent my entire 29 years at Ludlow, I know and understand the vital role the school plays in the success of our community… We are truly Building Tomorrow for our students and the Ludlow community.”

In the same statement, Borchers thanked the district’s staff and highlighted recent successes, particularly its new construction projects.

Covington fire chief resigns amid tensions with union over staffing

Mark Pierce will resign his post as Covington fire chief as of March 31, according to a city news release.

“I love Covington, and I love being a firefighter in Covington,” Pierce said in the release. “But wise people always told me ‘you’ll know when it’s time to leave,’ and that time has come.”

Pierce was hired onto the force in 1995 and has served as chief since 2018.

Although it is not mentioned in the city release, the resignation occurrs amid tensions between the city and Professional Firefighters Local 38, Covington’s fire union, about overtime. The Feb. 20 commission meeting saw the city commissioners express disapproval of Pierce’s recommendation to reduce the required number of on-duty firefighters following public criticisms of the policy from the union.

The release states the city has already begun looking for a new chief.

Ludlow chief: Merging police may be wise, but not happening soon

Scott Smith, the Ludlow Police chief, recently outlined the reason behind the ongoing discussion regarding merging Ludlow’s police department after talk at a recent city meeting.

In a report about a year ago, Smith said Ludlow at some point will have to merge its police with neighboring police departments because the retirement system is too expensive.

He clarified that the merger would not happen soon due to various steps that must be taken before a merger could happen hap-

pen. Those are:

• All police departments and police chiefs involved must agree. Then, the mayors of each city will need to approve the plan. After that, the city council members will need to agree.

• Following that, the councils must figure out the expenses, equipment and other significant details for a merged department.

• “Once everybody agrees and they feel comfortable with each other,” Smith said, “then the final question: Who runs it? Who’s in charge of it? Is one city in charge of it? Do we have a commission?”

A some point, though, Smith said, some of the region’s smaller cities will have to merge their police departments. “I’ve had conversations with other chiefs about this. And the ones I’ve had conversations [with] also agree that eventually it does have to happen.”

Foul play not suspected with skeletal remains discovered in Fort Wright

Skeletal remains were found Feb. 24 in the woods in Fort Wright.

Fort Wright police said a resident was walking in the area of Howard Litzler Drive near Madison Pike when the remains were found. A search of the area was conducted, and all of the located remains were turned over to the medical examiner’s office for further identification, police said.

Police said they don’t suspect any foul play.

Anyone with information regarding the remains is asked to contact Kenton County Emergency Communications at 859-3563191. Questions regarding the remains can also be directed to Fort Wright police Chief Edward Butler at 859-426-3104 or via email at ebutler@fortwright.com.

Gabe Summe, the chair of the board of elections and county clerk, explains the security process of the DS200 to Jeannine Bell Smith. Photo by Maeve Hamlet | LINK nky contributor

The future of Ludlow's police force was a topic at a recent city meeting. Photo by Aya Aleily | LINK nky contributor

McConnell’s decision to step down as GOP leader reverberates in Kentucky

(AP) Mitch McConnell's decision to step down as Senate Republican leader in November is reverberating back home in Kentucky, setting off a wave of speculation about the future of his seat as well as the loss of influence for the Bluegrass State.

McConnell was cagey enough in his announcement to leave room for guessing about whether he might seek another term in 2026. Those who know him well are coming down on both sides of that question.

“It rings the bell for the Senate race in 2026,” said Kentucky political commentator Al Cross, a longtime McConnell watcher. “While he hasn’t made any announcement, it’s a foregone conclusion now that he’s not going to run for reelection. He made those repeated references to age and nearing the end of his career. So it’s clear enough.”

State Senate President Robert Stivers was more circumspect, saying he wouldn’t be surprised if the 82-year-old senator seeks another term in 2026.

“I do not believe that this announcement today is any indication of what his future plans may be,” Stivers said Wednesday.

McConnell is Kentucky’s longest-serving senator and won his seventh six-year term in 2020.

Students would be required to watch anti-abortion video under W.Va.

bill

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia’s Senate passed a bill Feb. 27 that would require the state’s eighth- and 10th-grade students be shown a video produced by the anti-abortion group Live Action. The bill

now heads to the state’s House of Delegates for consideration.

A similar bill making the video, “Baby Olivia,” required in schools also has been proposed in Kentucky, among other states.

The animated video is meant to visualize development in the womb, from an egg being fertilized and implanted, and progressing through embryonic and fetal developments. A voiceover introduces viewers to “Olivia” as a fully developed baby in utero. It has been criticized by physicians and educators for misleading viewers. The video, for example, refers to a “heartbeat” at six weeks, although an embryo at that point isn’t yet a fetus and doesn’t have a heart.

Live Action’s website says it “exists today to shift public opinion” on abortion and is dedicated to supporting a “culture of life.”

Ohio panel OKs bids to allow fracking under state parks, wildlife areas

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio’s Oil and Gas Land Management Commission on Feb. 26 awarded bids to extract oil and gas under state parks using hydraulic fracturing.

Protesters filled the meeting room during the proceeding, many crying “shame.” Some made up their faces and wore sacks to represent negative effects of climate change.

Energy companies from Texas and West Virginia were granted rights under Valley Run Wildlife Area, Zepernick Wildlife Area and Salt Fork State Park. These and other entities are now cleared to receive leases from the state and must discuss permits

and other details with state regulators. The department said in an emailed statement that the leases include provisions such as water quality testing and restricted drilling times. In addition, no surface areas of the parks would be disturbed by drilling.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources will receive $59.7 million in bonuses under the fracking leases and each lease includes a 12.5% royalty paid to the state for production.

Hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking, extracts natural gas or oil from impermeable rock formations. Water, chemicals and sand are blasted into these formations at pressures high enough to crack the rock, which allows trapped gas and oil to flow to the surface.

The commission has faced multiple legal challenges, arguing that the commission did not follow the bidding process outlined in state law and violated the state’s open meetings requirements. That appeal was dismissed Feb. 23.

AT&T to give customers $5 credit for outage on cellphone network

DALLAS (AP) – AT&T announced on its website that it will give a $5 credit to each customer affected by a Feb. 22 cellphone network outage within two billing cycles. The credit does not apply to AT&T Business, prepaid service or Cricket, its low-cost wireless service.

The outage knocked out cellphone service for several hours for thousands of AT&T users across the U.S. AT&T blamed the incident on an error in coding and not the result of a cyberattack.

EPA to lift summer ban on E15 fuel in 8 states; Ky. not covered in rule

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency announced Feb. 22 that it would end a summertime ban on the use of higher-ethanol fuel for drivers in eight states that produce much of the nation’s ethanol.

Ohio is among the states where fuel with 15% ethanol – known as E15 – will now be available year-round. The higher-ethanol blend has been prohibited because of concerns it could worsen smog during warm weather.

The new rule is to take effect in April 2025. The summer ban will remain in Kentucky.

Ban on gender-affirming care for minors allowed to take effect in Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A federal appeals court on Feb. 27 allowed Indiana's ban on gender-affirming care to go into effect, removing a temporary injunction a judge issued last year.

The ruling was handed down by a panel of justices on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago. It marked the latest decision in a legal challenge the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana filed against the ban, enacted last spring amid a national push by GOP-led legislatures to curb LGBTQ+ rights.

The law was slated to go into effect on July 1. But the month before, U.S. District Court Judge James Patrick Hanlon issued an injunction preventing most of it from taking effect. Hanlon blocked the state from prohibiting minors’ access to hormone therapies and puberty blockers, but allowed the law’s prohibition on gender-affirming surgeries to take effect.

Hanlon’s order also blocked provisions that would prohibit Indiana doctors from communicating with out-of-state doctors about gender-affirming care for their patients younger than 18.

In a written statement Feb. 27, the ACLU of Indiana called the appeals court's ruling “heartbreaking” for transgender youth, their doctors and families.

“As we and our clients consider our next steps, we want all the transgender youth of Indiana to know this fight is far from over," the statement read. "We will continue to challenge this law until it is permanently defeated and Indiana is made a safer place to raise every family.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell leaves a Republican luncheon on Feb. 28 at the Capitol in Washington. Photo by Jacquelyn Martin | Associated Press

Protesters pack a Feb. 26 meeting of the Ohio Oil and Gas Land Management Commission in Columbus, Ohio. The commission awarded bids to frack for oil and under public land, including state parks and designated wildlife areas. Photo by Samantha Hendrickson | Associated Press

NKwhy: How road crews brace for pothole season

It’s almost spring in Northern Kentucky, the season when ice cream shops open, of church fish fries … and potholes.

Spring is the worst time for potholes. They form when moisture gets under the pavement, then freezes and expands, causing the pavement to bend and crack. Then, as the ice melts, “gaps or voids are left in the surface under the pavement,” according to a report from the American Automobile Association. As cars drive on these weakened surfaces, the pavement breaks down, leaving potholes.

Potholes aren’t just annoying: They can cause damage to vehicles. Hitting a pothole can knock your car out of alignment, puncture one or multiple tires and possibly damage your wheels, per the AAA report.

“Most pothole repair is proactive, not reactive,” said Covington Public Works Director Keith Bales. “We just know this time of year especially that we’re going to have potholes everywhere.”

Bales said the city knows certain areas will always need repairs, and it often has to do with the vehicles that traverse the roads.

An example Bales gives is a state route in Latonia where large trucks often sit at a light; Bales said those areas have to be redone every year.

How does pothole repair work?

The methodology around filling potholes can vary based on their severity and the repairs needed, said Boone County Public Works Director Thomas Logan. In most cases, the potholes are cleared of debris and filled with an “asphalt-based material” that is then tamped down. For bigger jobs, though, Logan said repair teams use a method that includes “milling (to remove layers of damaged asphalt), saw cutting and excavation (for deeper, full-depth repairs) and replacement with hot-mix asphalt.”

Complicating the process for repair crews, Bales said, blacktop plants close in the winter. The hot asphalt method is both cheaper and more effective, Bales said, so Covington has been “sending someone up near Dayton, Ohio, each day to get some asphalt in order to come back and hopefully get a better finished product with the patch.”

Even with all the work done to patch pot-

holes, some repairs don’t last even a year, Bales said, because “the weather is very hard on (the roads), so it just depends on the situation – depends on the traffic.”

Report a pothole

The City of Covington has an online portal you can use to report potholes or any other concerns about the city’s public infrastructure. It’s available at covingtonkycitizenengagement.portal.iworq.net.

Covington City Commissioner Ron Washington told LINK nky the portal has been very effective. “It makes it really very easy for anybody you don’t really have to be that tech savvy,” he said.

Bales said that, when they receive a report of a pothole, “we’re gonna hit those immediately.”

In Boone County, Logan said the best way to report a pothole is by calling the Public Works Department at 859-334-3600. However, he said Boone county is working on an online pothole reporting tool, too. It’s expected to launch this summer.

Who pays for pothole repairs?

Road repair in general can be pricey, and those costs can come from several different sources.

State transportation funds come from a combination of state road funds, state general funds, state-restricted funds and federal funds, said Jake Ryle, public information officer for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s District 6, in an email to LINK nky.

Once state legislatures approve KYTC’s budget, Ryle said, those funds are distributed among the 12 state districts. District 6, which includes NKY, which spread those funds across five branches: permits, bridge preservation, operations and pavement management, roadside maintenance and roadway maintenance.

For roads maintained by cities, the cost of repairs and maintenance typically comes from that city’s capital improvement fund. The money in this fund comes from taxes. Cities also get some funding from the state for local road repairs.

Potholes on Lambda Drive in Erlanger.

Photo by Nathan Granger | LINK nky

March

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.

NKY Chapter, Kentucky Public Retirees, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Golden Corral, 4770 Houston Road, Florence. Monthly meeting for all retirees from state, local and county government who receive KERS or CERS pension; support staff from state universities and independent school systems; state police; and retiree spouses. Group helps members secure retirement benefits, learn about issues affecting retirement, and participate in activities and events.

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

Be a part of the CHANGES TAKING PLACE RIGHT NOW AT

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

Business After Hours, 4:30-6:30 p.m., Metropolitan Club, 50 E. RiverCenter Blvd, Covington. Networking event to bring together current and prospective members of the NKY Chamber of Commerce. Sponsored by Frost Brown Todd. 859-578-8800 or NKYChamber.com/BAH.

“Promised Land” Opening Reception, 6-9 p.m., Studio Kroner, 130 W. Court St., Cincinnati. Exhibitions of works by Kevin Muente, NKU professor of painting, through April 13 (Thursday-Friday, noon-5 p.m.; Saturday noon-4 p.m.). 513-428-9830 or www. studiokroner.com.

Crestview Hills City Council meeting, 7-8 p.m., Crestview Hills City Building, 50 Town Center Blvd., Crestview Hills. www.crestviewhills. com/192/City-Council.

•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

real estate

Unique 1970s Edgewood ranch on private cul-de-sac

Address: 434 Black Oak Court, Edgewood

Price: $600,000

Bedrooms: Four

Bathrooms: Three

Square feet: 3,123

School district: Kenton County

County: Kenton

Special features: This recently renovated 1970s home sits on a private cul-de-sac lot. The midcentury-style property features three large bedrooms on the first floor plus a bedroom in the basement, which also offers a large, open living space with a kitchenette. The living room features a unique stone-surround fireplace and a spiral staircase leading to a loft space.

This mid century ranch in Edgewood has been recently renovated. Photo provided | Sara Brown with Cahill Real Estate, Services Brandon Stamper with Plum Tree Realty

A view of this home’s finished basement with living space and kitchenette.

Photo provided | Sara Brown with Cahill Real Estate, Services Brandon Stamper with Plum Tree Realty

The living space of this home features a unique stone-surround fireplace and a spiral staircase leading to a loft. Photo provided | Sara Brown with Cahill Real Estate, Services Brandon Stamper with Plum Tree Realty

By Maria Hehman

OStreetscapes visits Old Union Road in Union

ne of Northern Kentucky’s biggest booming areas is Union, thanks to business development including Union Promenade, which will feature dining, retail and living spaces. While locals eagerly anticipate the arrivals of favorites like Dewey’s Pizza and Taste of Belgium, we’ve gone to Old Union Road to explore some other options. Join us this Streetscapes for bourbon, farm food and frontier favorites.

Union 42 Bourbon and Brew

Local bourbon bars are quintessential defining places in Kentucky, but few places do it as well as Union 42 Bourbon and Brew. This hometown bar welcomes locals and weary travelers alike with ample beverage offerings. With bourbon in its name, it’s no wonder the place has hundreds of options to choose from. Where to begin? The staff does an excellent job of finding the right samples for expert and novice bourbon drinkers alike. In addition, selections of Scotch and Irish whiskeys and beer options ensure, regardless of taste, every guest will find a beverage to enjoy.

This quaint space is off of U.S. 42 down a winding road full of horse farms. The back

of the bar proudly displays its wide array of bourbons, with a few TVs overhead so guests never have to miss a Kentucky basketball game. Although the atmosphere may shift during a UK game, Union 42 isn't a typical sports bar. The smaller space invites conversation among strangers and friends. The next time you’re looking for a spot in Union, go off the beaten path to this humble, hole-in-the-wall bar.

The Farmstand Market and Cafe

Next door to Union 42 Bourbon and Brew, the Farmstand Market and Cafe serves freshly made farm-to-table meals for lunch or dinner. Salads, sandwiches (called farmwiches), wraps and burgers make up their lunch menu. The create-your-own farmwich menu includes meats, cheeses, veggies and bread options for a fully customized sandwich for each individual's taste. There’s also a farmwhich menu of grilled cheeses an hot sandwiches.

Mouthwatering options include grilled turkey and brie with apple butter, a French dip with provolone on a french roll au jus and a chicken caprese wrap with grilled chicken, basil pesto, spinach, tomato, fresh mozzarella and balsamic vinegar drizzle in a spinach wrap. The local love burger is a standout; the grass fed burger is blended with sauteed local shiitake and oyster mushrooms and smoked gouda all in the burger itself. It’s topped with more gouda, caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms and microgreens. All farmwiches and burgers come with a side and pickle.

Farmstand’s dinner menu features all the greatest hits of home cooking, with meatloaf, pork chops and New York strip steak for the carnivores. There’s also grilled salmon, stuffed chicken portobello mushroom and vegan rice bowl to round out the dinner bell menu. A full service bar completes guests' meals.

Along with farm-to-table meals, Farmstand’s market offers local goods. The atmosphere is casual, cozy and country.

Boomtown Biscuits and Whiskey

Across the highway from Old Union Road, you’ll find a more bustling area. Boomtown Biscuits and Whiskey has been a hit in Union since its opening and is one of the reasons non-Boone County residents venture away from their home turf. Boomtown created contemporary takes on classic “frontier food.” Forget stale bread, canned vegetables and questionably clean water; they’ve reinvented the meaning beyond frontier foods and crafted culinary delights for all palettes.

With biscuit in the name, it would be wrong not to order one. When they’re this good, indulge in the biscuit and gravy flight. The gold shoes appetizer offers guests three biscuits and three gravies, picked from among sawmill, goetta, creole, mushroom and peppercorn. Trail pickins is another popular appetizer (think a charcuterie board out West, with biscuits (duh!), butters, jams, jellies and pickles).

Sandwiches are served on those famous

biscuits. Boomtown’s Yukon features fried chicken, sawmill gravy, smoked cheddar and bacon, and it is a great option for those wanting classic frontier food. The Rosewood, a Korean fried chicken sandwich with house-made kimchi, and Gochujang BBQ are great options for those who want to sample Boomtown’s contemporary creations. The Oregon Trail is one of their best – and most healthful – menu items. It features sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, kale, carrots and poblano in a bulgogi glaze. This vegan dish can also have protein added to it.

What to Know If You Go:

Union 42 Bourbon and Brew

Location: 9900 Old Union Road, Union

Hours: Tuesday-Thursday, 4-10 p.m.; Friday, 4-11:30 p.m.; Saturday, 5-11:30 p.m.

Website: union42bb.com

The Farmstand Market and Cafe

Location: 9914 Old Union Road, Union

Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., 4-8 p.m.; Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m.

Website: thefarmstandmarket.com

Phone: 859-817-1134

Boomtown Biscuits and Whiskey

Location: 9039 U.S. 42, Suite H, Union

Hours: Wednesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Website: boomtownbiscuitsandwhiskey.

com

Phone: 859-384-5910

Union 42 Bourbon and Brew has a beverage for any taste. Photo by Maria Hehman | LINK nky contributor

The Farmstand Market and Cafe offers mouthwatering food and sells local goods. Photo by Maria Hehman | LINK nky contributor

Union 42 Bourbon and Brew exterior. Photo by Maria Hehman | LINK nky contributor

Lofty goals remain despite Conner baseball’s year of change

By Marc Hardin

Change has been a constant over the last nine months for the Conner High School baseball team, which has experienced some seismic foundational shifts since the end of the 2023 season.

In June, longtime head coach Brad Arlinghaus stepped down after 17 seasons. Arlinghaus won a program-record 327 games, four 33rd District championships and a 9th Region title. Five times he was named the Northern Kentucky Baseball Coaches Association's coach of the year.

Calling it a day as well was the coach's father, Jim Arlinghaus, one of the last local high school baseball assistants who used traditional scorekeeping methods with score books and a pencil.

Also wrapping up their Conner baseball careers were 13 seniors. They graduated following last season's 26-13 record that culminated with a 1-0 loss to Highlands in the 9th Region tournament semifinals. Among the departed: four of the team's six .300 hitters, every player but one who hit a

home run, the top five starting pitchers and three of the top relievers.

Those are a lot of pieces to pick up for a first-year head coach. The man charged with reassembling Conner's veritable assembly line of great talent is former player and recent Cougars freshman coach Mike Hart. He was promoted to head coach in July.

“I’ve got one returning full-time starter and a couple players who have some starting experience,” the coach said. “I’ve got a bunch of guys who are eager to prove themselves.”

The returnee with the most experience is senior Rex Richter, who can play shortstop, outfield and pitch. He finished second on the team in hits last season and batted .325. He led the team with 21 walks and 12 stolen bases. He had a 1.75 ERA in six pitching appearances.

When Richter returned to the team Feb. 12, he knew there would be a lot to get used to between the first day of practice and the first game March 11 at home against Holy Cross. Even the home dugout is different, thanks to a switch to the first-base side.

“We’re adjusting to the changes and ready to prove the doubters wrong,” Richter said. “I think we’re heading in the right direction.”

The new course is being charted by Hart, a 1986 Conner graduate. He has coached locally for 24 years, the bulk of them directing the Kentucky Buccaneers Baseball Club. Among Hart's recent accomplishments at Conner is coaching the Cougars’ 2023 9th Region freshman championship team.

“I’ve had the pleasure of coaching a lot of these players when they were freshmen,” Hart said. “Yeah, we lost a lot of seniors. But, to go along with that, I know we’ve got a lot of guys who are hungry to get after it.”

The coach has nine new seniors on the reconfigured roster. Almost all are production-starved players with talent.

“They are ready to make their own mark,”

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the coach said.

One of those inexperienced seniors is Gabe Huff, who had one plate appearance last season.

“We have a lot of different players and a different head coach, but we’ve all played for him,” Huff said of Hart. “We’re real confident in him and ourselves.”

Once the new coach was in place, he began filling out his staff. What he envisioned was a group that was an extension of himself with a lot of heart, plenty of experience and an endless supply of Cougar pride.

To that end, Hart added some Harts.

“Two of my sons, Drew Hart and Blake Hart, are on staff. They both played baseball at Conner,” Mike Hart said. “They were with me on the freshman team. They know what we’re trying to do. We’re going to rely on our defense and our offense. Losing our pitching staff is tough, but we’re going to live around the plate and put it in play and let the defense take care of it.”

Drew Hart is a hitting coach and handles infielders and outfielders. Blake Hart is also a hitting coach. He handles catchers. The pitching coaches are former Northern Kentucky University pitcher Chad Frommeyer and former Cougar Zach Volz. The team’s Driveline consultant is former Cougar Cameron Ross.

“The players are familiar with us, and we’re familiar with them,” the head coach said.

Some of those grown-up former freshmen include pitcher-outfielder Aaron Wichmann, middle infielder Owen Louden, and corner infielders Bryce Bowman and Dylan Hart, the head coach's nephew. Others who can pitch are Dylan Hart and Tristian Winterman. They’re all seniors itching for a chance to perform. Junior JJ Bagby is another corner infielder who can pitch.

“The culture we’ve built here is very good,” Huff said. “A lot of us don’t have a lot of experience, but we’re still Conner boys. We still love each other. We still want to win the district and the region and go to the state tournament.”

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Conner baseball standout Rex Richter is the lone full-time starter returning to the team for the 2024 season. Photo provided | Rex Richter

Conner’s Aaron Wichmann is one of nine new seniors for the baseball team. Photo provided | Bob Jackson

Kozerski successor named at Holy Cross; his son to take reins at Brossart

Holy Cross and Bishop Brossart recently named their next football coaches.

Curt Spencer will be the next leader at Holy Cross while Adam Kozerski will guide the Brossart Mustangs.

Spencer has been on the Holy Cross staff for at least 10 years and led the middle school program for Holy Cross the last two years.

He’s been a high school official from 200817, is a board member of the NKY football league and was the linebackers coach for Holy Cross from 2017-21. He helped revitalize the middle school program, winning the eighth grade championship this past season.

Spencer succeeds former Holy Cross coach Bruce Kozerski, who stepped down in December. Kozerski, a Bengals offensive lineman from 1984-95, was the Holy Cross head coach for 20 seasons.

Bruce’s son Adam Kozerski joins Brossart via Holy Cross, where he coached under his father for over a decade.

While this will be his first head coaching gig, Adam Kozerski has decades of football background, starting with his father, Bruce. Adam Kozerski played at Holy Cross for four years and has an engineering degree from the University of Louisville.

He was on staff with Holy Cross since 2012, holding a variety of roles from assistant coach, JV head coach, assistant offensive coordinator, position coach of the defensive line, wide receivers and tight ends.

He won’t be foreign to the Class 1A, 4th District either. Holy Cross and Brossart go head-to-head in district play with Ludlow and Trimble County also in the district. The Mustangs went 5-6 in 2023 and lost in the first round of the playoffs to Dayton. Kozerski replaces Paul Wiggins, who coached the program for 10 seasons with a 67-43 record and was not retained after the season.

Beechwood’s Jones, Simon Kenton’s Pernell set long-range records

Dixie Heights, 5. Cooper, 6. Boone County, 7. Notre Dame Academy, 8. Beechwood, 9. Dayton, 10. Holy Cross.

head coach, replacing Raymond Joshua, who left the program after two seasons and a 10-32-2 record. Coach Wagner played Division I college soccer at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and has coached with the King’s Hammer club soccer program.

The Thoroughbreds were 3-20-1 last season with 10 seniors. They finished 36th District runner-up and lost in the 9th Region tournament quarterfinals.

2 from NKU earn player of week honors on diamond

Beechwood girls basketball standout Gia Jones set the program single-season record for 3-pointers made, as an eighth grader. She now has 77 this season. The previous record was 69 by Beechwood alltime leading scorer Ally Johnson.

Simon Kenton’s Brynli Pernell is also a record-setter for the Lady Pioneers program from deep. Pernell has made 76 three-pointers this season, breaking the previous record set by alum Maggie Jones with 74 in a season.

Bluebirds top preseason prep softball rankings; top players also named

The 9th Region softball coaches voted Highlands No. 1 in a recent preseason poll. The Bluebirds, 27-9 last season including an unblemished 16-0 mark against regional opponents, are two-time defending 9th Region tournament champions. Highlands has won 21 straight games against 9th Region foes. The Bluebirds finished 15-1 against the region in 2022. The complete top 10: 1. Highlands, 2. Ryle, 3. Conner, 4.

The coaches also voted on the 9th Region’s top softball players. Here are the results: 1. Maddie Goddard (Ryle), 2. Ava Scott (Cooper), 3. Bailey Markus (Highlands), 4. Mollie Sharp (Conner), 5 (tie). Abby Turnpaugh (Notre Dame Academy), 5 (tie). Laney Schuster (Ryle), 7. Kaitlyn Dixon (Highlands), 8. Michelle Barth (Highlands), 9. Skylar Mitchell (Dixie Heights), 10 (tie). Payton Brown (Highlands), 10 (tie). Sydney Schumacher (Dixie Heights).

Where are they now? CovCath grad scores 1,000th point in college

Grant Disken, a 2020 Covington Catholic graduate, scored 12 points Feb. 17 for Saint Leo on Senior Night and joined the men’s basketball team’s 1,000-point club. Saint Leo, a Division II program in Florida that plays in the Sunshine State Conference, fell to Embry-Riddle. It’s Disken’s second elite scoring-club membership: He also scored over 1,000 points at CovCath. Disken, a 6-foot senior guard, is third on Saint Leo in scoring with 12.6 points per game and third among regulars with 79.8% free throw shooting.

Indiana soccer vet is new girls coach for NewCath soccer

The Newport Central Catholic girls soccer team has hired Emily Wagner as the new

Northern Kentucky University junior utility player Trinity Robertson was named Horizon League softball player of the week for the week of Feb. 18-24 following an 8-for16 performance at the plate that included three multi-hit games. Robertson smacked a home run and four doubles and had three runs scored and eight RBI in five games. She hit .500 for the week, slugged .938 and put together a .529 on-base percentage.

NKU senior baseball player Liam McFadden-Ackman earned the Horizon League’s first weekly baseball award of the season when he was named batter of the week. The infielder helped NKU capture its first opening weekend road series win since joining NCAA Division I with a 6-for-14 performance at the plate for a .429 batting average. He also blasted a home run and totaled six runs scored, four RBIs, four stolen bases, two doubles, two walks and a hit by pitch while generating a .529 on-base percentage and a .786 slugging percentage.

NewCath boys basketball team earns 1,500th win over Bishop Brossart

The NewCath boys’ basketball team earned program win No. 1,500 in Friday’s 67-47 home win over Bishop Brossart. The Thoroughbreds finished the regular season with a record of 8-21.

Curt Spencer was named the next head coach of the Holy Cross High School football program. Photo provided | Holy Cross High School

Guard Gia Jones has set a long-range shooting record for the Beechwood girls basketball team. Photo provided | Beechwood Athletics

Ryle’s Maddie Goddard was voted the 9th Region’s top softball player by local coaches. File photo | G. Michael Graham

Lawson Tackett Murdock died Feb. 20. He was 21

Born Dec. 3, 2002, in Lexington, Lawson’s gentle and jovial nature endeared him to all he met. His ever-present smile and infectious laugh filled every room and the hearts of his friends and family.

Lawson loved life and pursued many interests during his short life. When he took an interest in something, he went deep, analyzing every aspect and learning every detail he could. The Ryle High School graduate was enrolled at Northern Kentucky University. He possessed an amazing mind for mathematics, statistics and analysis, and he found joy in sharing his knowledge with those he cared about.

Although Lawson was always thinking, he also was always creating. He loved music, particularly country music. He was a gifted songwriter, a talent he fostered by analyzing the writing techniques of his favorite artists. He used songwriting to ex-

Lawson Murdock

press his deepest emotions. His last song, “When I Go,” was written the day before his death.

Lawson was an “overcomer.” He lived with cerebral palsy, but he refused to be defined by the disease. He was active and athletic from a young age. Whether hiking or hunting “out west,” or simply taking long, solitary walks around his neighborhood, Lawson felt most at home outdoors. Though he loved exploring adventures away from home, nothing could compare to the paradise in his own backyard.

Lawson understood that meaningful relationships required work. He strove to nurture each of those special bonds. He coveted time with friends and family and was particularly fond of children, who were drawn to him by his playful, gentle spirit.

Lawson is survived by his parents, Shawn Lawrence Murdock and Shawn Rae Tackett Murdock; siblings Megan (Brandon) Murdock Loschiavo and Maclain Murdock; grandparents Barbara and Lloyd Murdock, and Brenda Tackett; and cousins Chelsey (Jeff) Gardner, Andrew Harrington, Janece Harrington, Jackson Murdock, Chandler Murdock, Aiden Tackett and Hanna Tackett; a dear nephew to Tonya (Greg) Har-

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The City of Florence, Kentucky will receive bids Thursday, March 7, 2024, at 10:00 am. for the Renovations at the Tanner’s Maintenance Facility at 7850 Tanners Ln, Florence, KY 41042. This Notice was published by posting in full on the City of Florence, Kentucky Internet Website, www.florence-ky.gov. The address where the full posting may be directly viewed is https://florence-ky. gov/publication-of-bid-solicitations-enacted-ordinances/. The public has the right to inspect and obtain a copy of any document associated with the posting by contacting the City Clerk of the City of Florence, Kentucky, 8100 Ewing Boulevard, Florence, KY, 41042, Telephone no. 859-647-8177.

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rington, Shea (Jenny) Murdock, and Owen (Kandice) Tackett.

He was preceded in death by grandfather Ronald Ray Tackett; an aunt, Jan Cloyde; childhood caregiver Ginny Hamilton; and his precious cat, Sly.

In addition, Lawson will be remembered by his neighborhood friends, elementary and middle school family, his friend group “The Boys,” his Oklahoma family and countless others.

A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. April 7 at the Prickel Barn, 14112 Walton-Verona Road, Verona, KY 41092. A reception follows the remembrance service.

In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to the Lawson Murdock Memorial Fund. Donate online through tmcfunding.com (search for Lawson Murdock) or in person the day of services. Condolences: chambersandgrubbs.com.

John Elfers

Former Kenton County Attorney John R. Elfers died Feb. 18. Photo provided | Middendorf Funeral Home

John R. Elfers, who served as the Kenton County attorney for 28 years, died Feb. 18. He was 92.

As county attorney, he established the Domestic Relations Office and sat in leadership positions for various civic and professional organizations. Elfers also served five years as Covington’s city attorney.

“Condolences to the family of former Kenton County Attorney John Elfers,” said current Kenton County Attorney Stacy Tapke on X. “While I didn’t know him personally, John served as county attorney for 28 years and was there at a time of great growth in Kenton County & the airport.”

In lieu of flowers, Elfers’ family requests donations to the Alzheimer’s Association.

To read Elfers’ full obituary, learn more about his visitation or make a donation, visit middendorf-funeralhome.com/obituaries/john-elfers.

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