kenton county news briefs

Figures overlooking Covington for more than 100 years to be removed, recast

made from terracotta due to its lightweight nature and ability to withstand rain, freezing and thawing.

Even so, over many years, the figures have stood. It was time to recast them, said cathedral Communications Director Laura Keener.

The gargoyles are decorative false rain spouts. The chimeras, decorative anthropomorphized figures atop the façade, are modeled after the ones at Notre Dame Cathedral Paris. While both are decorative features at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, the gargoyles on Notre Dame Cathedral Paris and others have a practical function as downspouts, projecting rainwater from the buildings, Keener said.

Keener said architects at SHP, an architecture firm in Cincinnati, used TrueScan 3D technology to create exact replicas of the chimeras and gargoyles. They will be molded and recast in terracotta utilizing the same process cathedral builders used in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Artisans at Boston Valley Terra Cotta in New York will then recreate the figures.

The Rev. Jordan Hainsey, administrative assistant to the Most Rev. John C. Iffert, bishop of the Diocese of Covington, said that the outside of the cathedral is based on Notre Dame and the interior is based on the Abbey of Saint-Denis in Paris.

Hainsey said the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption was constructed by the diocese’s third bishop, Camillus Paul Maes.

Tuesday Morning going out of business; store in Fort Mitchell to close

In the wake of Bed Bath & Beyond seeking Chapter 11 protection, another large retailer with a location in Northern Kentucky is shutting down for good.

On April 28, discount household merchandise retailer Tuesday Morning announced that it is going out of business and closing all 200 of its remaining brick-and-mortar stores across 25 states. Three years ago, Tuesday Morning had over 700 stores nationwide.

The chimeras and gargoyles that adorn the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington have been removed to be molded and recast.

The figures date back to the mid-19th century and have loomed over the cathedral for over 100 years. The cathedral features 58 terracotta figures, also known as grotesques. The chimeras and gargoyles were

But scholars and art historians have historically argued about the purpose of chimeras and gargoyles, she said.

“Many claim they are symbols of guardianship for protection from evil for both the cathedral and God’s people,” Keener said. “Many art historians, however, say that the medieval artisans created the grotesques as a purely creative gift for God alone.”

Maes broke ground on the cathedral on April 13, 1894; laid the cornerstone on Sept. 8, 1895; dedicated the cathedral on Jan. 27, 1901; and dedicated the façade on June 29, 1910. The façade was left unfinished in 1914 and was later completed by the 10th Bishop of Covington, Roger J. Foys, in 2002.

The retailer’s lone Northern Kentucky store is located at the Expressway Plaza at 2178 Dixie Highway in Fort Mitchell. Earlier this year, the location in the Alexandria Village Green complex closed.

Merchandise is being marked down by 30% off the lowest ticketed price, according to the company’s website. Gift cards will be accepted through May 13.

On February 14, Tuesday Morning announced that it was seeking Chapter 11 protection. It’s the second time the company has filed for bankruptcy. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in May 2020, the chain experienced financial troubles due to prolonged store closures.

In December, Tuesday Morning voluntarily delisted from the NASDAQ stock exchange, raising questions about the company’s financial health.

Dixie Heights High School to dedicate ‘Mural with a Mission’

A new mural, created through a collaboration between Dixie Heights High School students and local artist Brent Billingsley, was dedicated and unveiled on May 5.

The artwork is one of several pieces associated with the Cincinnati Reds and PNC Bank’s “Murals with a Mission” campaign, which aims “to create murals at Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky high schools designed to elevate positive social messages for the student community,” according to a press release from the campaign.

Schools in the Princeton, Mason and Loveland school districts have also participated in the program.

Calvary Christian students honored with Muñoz Foundation academic scholarships

Two Calvary Christian School students, Faith George and Katherine Sterneberg, are among 18 local students who will receive college scholarships from the Muñoz Foundation.

The foundation’s latest scholarships total $42,000, according to a press release. Individual award amounts were not disclosed.

Called the “Straight A Awards,” the scholarships are given to students who demonstrate the key values of the foundation: “pursuing academic excellence, accomplishing athletic achievement, showing a strong ambition all while playing an active role in the community, maintaining a winning attitude, and displaying the ability to overcome adversity,” the release said.

Friends, family remember

Devin Simpson as Fort Wright police investigate his death

The Fort Wright Police Department announced April 28 that it is investigating an incident that led to the hospitalization and eventual death of 30-year-old Devin Simpson a week earlier.

On Aptil 29, dozens of friends and family members held a vigil in Simpson’s honor.

His mom, Angela Barrett, said seeing the large outpouring of love for her son and the grieving family gave her some relief.

“It makes me very proud of my son. I had no idea that there were this many people, and more, so many more,” Barrett said.

Those in attendance, including Simpson’s stepfather, Robert Couch, had nothing but nice things to say about the man who loved to fish, hunt, shoot guns and work.

“He’ll give you the shirt off his back,” Couch said. “And he’ll make you feel good about doing it. If it was raining outside and you were wet and he gave you his shirt, he’d tell you he needed a shower.”

Others, while heartened by the show of support, said they’re still overtaken by bouts of sadness.

“I was at work the other day, and I just sat down because I started crying,” said family friend Douglas Enlow. “I couldn’t hardly function at work.”

Fort Wright Police have released few details about what happened, but many at the vigil believed he was beaten to death while trying to break up a fight between a man and woman.

“He was definitely a hero,” Couch said. “He actually went out trying to save a young lady.”

The Hamilton County Coroner’s Officer listed “apparent homicide” as Simpson’s cause of death, leading those at the vigil, many of whom were wearing “Justice for Devin” T-shirts, to call for one thing: justice.

“That’s the only thing I’m going to accept is justice for Devin,” Barrett said.