LINK Kenton Reader - Volume 2, Issue 25 - May 17, 2024

KENTON

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 24 — MAY 17, 2024

THE VOICE OF NKY

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How accessible is Northern Kentucky?

By Kathleen Bryant

L

aurie Hamilton’s 12-year-old daughter, Kirin, primarily uses a wheelchair to get around.

Hamilton, a Covington resident, told LINK nky she is grateful for resources to which she has access to help Kirin, who attends Holmes Middle School. The Center for Independent Living Options helped her family find stable housing, and the teachers and aides at her school have been phenomenal, she said.

The sidewalks can make it difficult for Kirin to move through her community, though.

“One time we were pushing her down the sidewalk in her wheelchair, and the sidewalk condition was terrible,” Hamilton said. “She hit a bump, a strap fell off of her wheelchair, and she fell into the street. We had to take her to an emergency room, and she wound up having two black eyes.”

Rene Thompson, who works at the Center for Accessible Living and also uses a Continues on page 3

This sidewalk at 719 Main St. in Covington is undermined by the roots of a red maple tree. Covington’s Public Works Department says anyone concerned about public trees damaging sidewalks in front of their property should call 859-292-2292 to have city personnel come and take a look. Photo by Kathleen Bryant | LINK nky

State’s public schools face an un-common question

By Rebecca Hanchett

K

entuckians don’t call their public elementary, middle or high schools “common schools,” at least not in everyday conversation. “Public schools” seems a more natural fit.

The public school reference is seemingly everywhere today: The Kentucky Department of Education classifies schools as public schools, public programs or nonpublic. Public school districts – there are 171 in Kentucky, overseeing 1,477 schools – typically refer to themselves as “public schools.”

A container of colored pencils. Photo provided | Anton Sukhinov via Unsplash

Way back in 1891, though, when the current (and fourth) Kentucky constitution was ratified, “common schools” was the contemporary reference for public schools.

The term public schools didn’t appear in the state constitution until 1941 (and again in 1953) when voters approved a school funding amendment.

To this day, Section 183 of the state constitution says, “The General Assembly shall, by appropriate legislation, provide for an efficient system of common schools throughout the State.” There’s also Section 184 regarding funding “for the purpose of sustaining the system of common schools.”

Kentucky statute defines common school this way: “Common school” means an elementary or secondary school of the state supported in whole or in part by public taxation. No school shall be deemed a “common school” or receive support from public taxation unContinues on page 5

Can independent voters cast a ballot in primary election? p7 Tech startup’s smartwatch band helps keep deaf safe p10 Beechwood plays smallball with eyes on big prize p17

Advancing Greater Care for Your Heart in Northern Kentucky Across the nation, we face a growing epidemic of individuals experiencing arrhythmia, an irregular heartbeat that occurs when the heart’s electrical impulses are too fast, too slow, or erratic. Not all rhythm disorders are dangerous, but if your heart cannot effectively circulate oxygen-rich blood, then the lungs, brain, and other organs may be adversely affected—and may shut down or be damaged.

Patients from Columbus, Cleveland, Louisville, Lexington, and beyond who faced bottleneck delays now have easy access to a myriad of EP procedures and care from these EP providers at The Christ Hospital Health Network. This team performs the highest arrhythmia treatment volumes with the lowest possible complication rates, typically less than 1%.

The most common arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation (AFib) which, according to the Center for Disease Controls (CDC), will affect a projected 12 million people nationwide by 2030.

Dean Kereiakes, MD, FACC, MSCAI, Chairman of the Heart & Vascular Institute, said completing the state-of-the-art EP expansion exemplifies The Christ Hospital Health Network’s mission and vision.

Electrophysiology (EP) is the cardiology subspecialty that focuses on diagnosing and treating disorders related to the heart’s electrical system, such as AFib. But with the tremendous influx of arrhythmia patients, many EP practitioners are struggling to meet the increasing demand for services. Ablation, a common treatment for AFib, often has a waiting period of up to six months due to the high demand and limited availability of appointments.

Fortunately for the tristate, The Christ Hospital Health Network recognized this pressing need and implemented a monumental expansion of its EP center to meet the growing demand. In early April 2024, the doors to this reimagined EP suite were opened to serve the community.

Expertly staffed and completely upgraded with cutting-edge technology, this expansion is a game changer for the Tristate. The newly opened EP center significantly increases the treatment capacity, reducing the wait for arrhythmia patients seeking timely, expert care.

Daniel Pelchovitz, MD, FACC, FHRS, Medical Director of Electrophysiology at The Christ Hospital Health Network, leads a world-class team of EP physicians who treat patients at the expanded suite located on the Mt. Auburn campus. These experts routinely perform AFib ablations and other arrhythmia procedures and treatments, including pacemakers, defibrillators, and lead extractions—for which the hospital is a regional leader.

Daniel Pelchovitz, MD, FACC, FHRS Dr. Pelchovitz explained the likely reasons for the national surge in arrhythmia patients.

“Advancements in science and research have significantly improved numerous therapies and procedures, enabling people to survive many medical conditions and live longer. Consequently, there is an unprecedented increase in the number of individuals aged 75 and older developing atrial fibrillation (AFib). Additionally, recent advancements in personal digital devices, such as Apple Watches and home EKG machines, alert individuals to the possibility of an AFib event, further contributing to the increased detection of this condition.”

LinkNKY AdvancingGreaterCareYourHeart.indd 1

“As the leader in regional heart care, The Christ Hospital Health Network strives to improve the health of Dean Kereiakes, MD, our community. This extraordinary state-of-the-art FACC, MSCAI electrophysiology suite features multiple labs equipped with ultra-modern technology, positioning us as one of the nation’s premier electrophysiology facilities.”

In addition to innovative technology and nationally distinguished physicians and surgeons, the EP team provides extraordinary compassionate care to every cardiology patient.

“When we treat a condition of the heart, it starts with a sincere interest in the individual and their healthcare goals,” said Dr. Pelchovitz. “Our patients are more than just a heart failure diagnosis or heart rhythm disorder.”

Cardiology patients also come to the Heart & Vascular Institute for a second opinion, especially those who are told by their providers that there are no further medical options to pursue.

“At The Heart & Vascular Institute, we never want to tell a patient there is nothing more we can offer them,” said Dr. Kereiakes. “Our team of cardiology specialists have unparalleled access to revolutionary treatments, innovative devices, and unique alternatives that are not available elsewhere. Many of our experts have been directly involved in the research and development of these groundbreaking therapies, which now benefit patients regionally and worldwide.

If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with a heart rhythm disorder, The Christ Hospital Heart & Vascular Center offers consultations and second opinion visits to review symptoms and treatment options.

Get piece of mind. To schedule a second opinion call 513-998-5570, or visit thechristhospital.com/second-opinion

LINK Partners and have thrown their full support behind us. These NKY institutions are helping bring a voice back to our community.

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Continued from page 1

wheelchair, has also noted problems with Covington’s sidewalks. “There are areas of [Covington] where people in wheelchairs have to get out onto the street, putting their lives at risk,” she said.

PRESIDENT & CEO Lacy Starling MANAGING EDITOR Meghan Goth SPORTS EDITOR Evan Dennison The LINK nky Kenton Reader is a weekly newspaper.

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Living with a disability in NKY In addition, someone with ambulatory difficulty may also struggle with other census-identified disabilities like “selfcare difficulty” and “independent living difficulty.” Many people with cognitive difficulty, for example, also have ambulatory or mobility issues.

Covington Assistant Public Works Director Bill Matteoli explained to LINK the work that the city does to enhance accessibility on streets and sidewalks.

“Covington’s Public Works Department is actively and continually investing in projects to ensure that Covington’s right of way areas are accessible,” Matteoli said. “In the last six fiscal years, Public Works has overseen the installation of 305 [Americans with Disabilities Act] ramps included as part of the city’s annual street resurfacing program.”

They install additional ramps, which can cost $2,000-$5,000 each, as part of streetscape projects and in response to alerts on problem areas.

Still, it’s a work in progress.

“The city has been wonderful in taking care of downtown,” Thompson said, “but we have issues anywhere we have those lovely, old trees. I adore them, but I don’t adore those lovely, old roots.”

Housing also can create obstacles for people with disabilities.

Rob Festenstein works at the Center for Independent Living Options, a nonprofit operating in Greater Cincinnati, including Northern Kentucky, that is mostly run by community members with disabilities. The organization “empowers people with disabilities to lead independent and inclusive lives in the community.”

Festenstein said people with disabilities face many of the same issues as the rest of Northern Kentucky amidst the current housing shortage.

“Affordable housing is harder to find,” Festeinstein said. “Inflation has increased, rents are going up, and our organization’s grant funds can only be stretched so far.”

The Center for Independent Living Options also collaborates with NorthKey and Welcome House to get their clients into stable homes.

There are challenges unique to people with disabilities searching for housing.

Historic parts of Northern Kentucky are home to some beautiful and celebrated old houses. However, many are over 100 years old. They were built decades before housing codes and the Americans with Disabilities Act required that houses be built according to minimum accessibility standards. This presents a major barrier to people with disabilities seeking housing.

Thompson, with the Center for Accessible Living, used to run the disability resource hotline in Northern Kentucky. “75% of the concerns we received were with accessible housing,” she said. “It didn’t matter the income level of the person.”

Thompson is also a dedicated advocate for

There is also data to explore how people with disabilities are affected by socioeconomic issues. In Northern Kentucky, 57.79% of the population with a disability was unemployed as of 2023.

The poverty rate for people with disabilities in Northern Kentucky is 22.92%.

Compare that to Kentucky’s overall poverty rate of 16.5%.

According to the 2023 Annual Disability Statistics Collection Report, 12.58% of the combined populations of Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties have some form of disability.

U.S. Census Bureau data, meanwhile, shows that 24.7% of Northern Kentucky’s population of disabled people has some type of “ambulatory difficulty.” The bureau defines that as characterized by a “serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.” This often requires the use of mobility devices such as wheelchairs, walkers, crutches or canes.

Ambulatory or mobility disabilities are estimated to be “the most common category of disability” for Americans living outside of institutions. This is also true in Northern Kentucky.

people with disabilities. Part of her advocacy focuses on convincing builders and developers to make houses and apartments more accessible.

“Anything built or renovated since 1990 should be accessible,” Thompson said.

“Note the word ‘should.’”

The reality, Thompson said, is that not every home is built or rebuilt to ADA standards, and not all builders feel incentivized to make places accessible. When that’s the case, it falls to those with disabilities or their families to make those changes and accommodations.

“Getting a ramp can be expensive,” Thompson said. “Most insurance companies won’t cover it.... If the person is renting, the owner has to approve and get the building permit.

Occasionally, we’ll have a landlord refuse even though they are aware they are renting to a person with a disability.”

That’s where Thompson’s advocacy efforts come in. “We try to educate landlords and builders about the needs and benefits of making residences accessible.”

Part of that involves pointing out to developers that making homes accessible can have economic advantages.

“Builders need to understand that making homes that are accessible increases their desirability,” Thompson said. “I try to point out that the population is aging and this means more people will acquire disabilities.”

People in poverty are more likely to experience housing instability. To understand how disability affects that relationship, LINK asked Welcome House, a Northern Kentucky organization that helps local homeless populations for context.

“What we have observed through our data is that there is a connection with people who have a disability and [those who] live in poverty,” said Amanda Couch, vice president of programs and services at Welcome House. “Last year our street outreach team encountered 330 individuals [living on the street]; 77% of those reported a disability and 56% reported having no income.”

Going outside the river cities Even with sidewalk issues, Covington is a largely walkable city. Assuming the sidewalks can be safely traversed, people can get to many of the places they need via sidewalks. Other cities in Northern Kentucky that are in more suburban and rural areas face a different problem – a lack of sidewalks all together.

LINK spoke to Greg Clift, superintendent of Florence’s Infrastructure Support Services, and project manager Tom Gagnon about how Florence has been working to address that. The city is working with Boone County to improve sidewalk coverage and connectivity throughout the city. The most recent major project has been the addition of an accessible sidewalk on the Ky. 18 bridge over the interstate.

“Now people can get from the east side of the city to the west just by walking,” Clift said. “Just a couple of sidewalks have helped people get from residential to business areas.”

LINK asked Clift and Gagnon to explain how connectivity helps accessibility in the city. They said that their priority is creating a walkable city, which includes people with disabilities.

This is in line with the idea promoted by many urban planners that, while accessible sidewalks benefit everyone, they can specifically provide many opportunities to people with disabilities. Sidewalks alContinued on page 4

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Continued from page 3

low people with disabilities to live independently by getting groceries, finding jobs and participating in community events.

Clift and Gagnon said that, while the city works on improving walkability, they need feedback on sidewalks.

“We’re always open to ideas,” Clift said. “If people see a need for a sidewalk, that is something we can look into.”

Feedback from people with mobility disabilities or difficulties can be varied. People with differing levels of mobility require different things from their communities’ sidewalks.

“If the sidewalks are not even, sloped or cracked, it can be very difficult,” Kathleen Fedders, of Villa Hills, said. Fedders uses a cane when walking on certain terrains.

“With my issue, I require a very flat surface [to walk on]. I always have to look out for where I’m going,” Fedders said.

Additionally, there are many parts of Northern Kentucky which still lack sidewalk connectivity and coverage.

“Once you get in the rural areas, sidewalks are harder to come by,” said Aaaron Wagner, executive vice president of disability and program services at Easterseals Redwood, an organization based in Fort Mitchell.

Easterseals Redwood helps people navigate sidewalks and roads with disabilities.

Its Assistive Technology Center helps people find modification and adaptability devices that allow them to move around their communities with greater independence.

Public transportation According to the Kentucky Ohio Virginia Interstate Planning Commission, public transportation “provides an important service for seniors, youth, the economically disadvantaged and the disabled populations in our community.”

People with disabilities have higher rates of poverty, and senior citizens are at an increased risk of developing a disability. These factors, along with the relatively high prices of accessible personal vehicles,

4 MAY 17, 2024

highlights the public transportation needs of the disabled community.

In Northern Kentucky, the Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky – TANK – is the primary public transportation system in the region. LINK spoke with Gina Douthat, TANK’s general manager, to learn how the system makes its vehicles accessible.

TANK has fixed routes served by the 40foot buses people are familiar with. “We provide ADA service and accessibility to our fixed route network,” Douthat said.

This includes a wheelchair seating area and a mechanized onboarding ramp which can be deployed by the driver in around 30 seconds.

Aaron Wagner with Easterseals Redwood explained the impact those fixed routes have on housing options for people with disabilities.

“Transportation gets expensive, and funds are limited,” Wagner said. “The bus lines restrict where people with disabilities can live. We try to find housing for our clients in more urban areas, like Covington and Fort Mitchell, where there are more bus lines.”

Fixed-route TANK buses can deploy wheelchair ramps in about 30 seconds. Photo by Kathleen Bryant | LINK nky

TANK also has a service specific to people with disabilities through the Regional Area Mobility Program. Through this program, TANK has organized “a door to door paratransit service available to disabled citizens who are unable to use TANK’s fixed route bus service.” There are eligibility requirements for this service, and those interested must submit an application to be considered for it. This includes a cognitive and physical abilities assessment.

“If you can use the fixed route network, we want you to use it,” Douthat said. “But, if you can’t, due to your disability or where you live, you could qualify.”

As TANK continues to improve this service, Douthat says the main feedback they receive is that people would like more service. “It’s challenging to get a trip at the exact time you want.”

Douthat said that ridership in this program is growing every year. She expects that, as the population gets older and people live longer, that trend will continue.

The sidewalk on the street where Laurie Hamilton’s daughter, Kirin, fell into the road while riding in her wheelchair. Photo by Kathleen Bryant | LINK nky

Continued from page 1

less the school is taught by a certified teacher for a minimum school term as defined by KRS 158.070 and every child residing in the district who satisfies the age requirements of this section has had the privilege of attending it.” (KRS 158.030(1)) It’s an old definition – one that “has essentially remained substantively unchanged since before the adoption of the present constitution,” predating current statutes, according to a 2023 Kentucky court decision now under appeal.

New England roots So, where did the term common schools get its start?

Common schools grew out of an 1830s reform movement in New England, where change agents like politician Horace Mann – known widely as the “father of American education” – pushed for a universal, free education system.

The idea behind the common schools was to make school available to all children regardless of social status or religion, according to the PBS series “Only a Teacher.”

A system of taxation and fees was proposed to cover costs.

New schools soon multiplied across the country, becoming what the series calls the “precursor to today’s public school.”

Besides Kentucky, New York, Illinois and Washington still include the term common schools in their state constitutions or statutes.

Common schools, Kentucky-style The term common schools has appeared in quite a few Kentucky court cases – most notably the Kentucky Supreme Court’s 1989 ruling in Rose v. Council for Better Education that declared the state’s entire system of “common schools” unconstitutional.

That ruling led to massive public school reform, the passage of the Kentucky Education Reform Act in 1990 and a new funding and distribution formula for public schools that many know as SEEK. Today, educators (and some state legislators) are interested in revisiting SEEK, as funding has reportedly failed to keep pace with spending.

There’s also a push for school choice – public funding for schools outside of the sys-

tem of common schools.

In early 2024, state lawmakers voted for a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow them to fund “education costs of students in kindergarten through 12th grade who are outside the system of common (public) schools,” according to the legislation in House Bill 2. The proposed amendment will go on the statewide ballot this November.

Here’s the ballot language: “To give parents choices in educational opportunities for their children, are you in favor of enabling the General Assembly to provide financial support for the education costs of students in kindergarten through 12th grade who are outside the system of common (public) schools by amending the Constitution of Kentucky as stated below?”

Kentucky courts have been clear that voters need to know exactly what they are voting for when it comes to amending the state constitution. So the inclusion of the word “public” in parentheses in reference to common schools in the ballot questions is likely no accident. Adding the word “public” lets voters know that common schools means public schools.

Adding the term common schools ties the proposed amendment to both the Kentucky constitution and statutory definitions of common schools now in place.

In the courts Momentum for the proposed ballot question picked up steam in the 2024 General Assembly after two recent court cases: a 2023 Kentucky Supreme Court decision outlawing a 2021 law (HB 563) allowing tax credits for private school vouchers and a 2023 Franklin circuit decision (Council for Better Education v. Glass) that declared unconstitutional a 2022 law (HB 9) allowing public funds for charter schools.

The circuit case – Council for Better Education v. Glass – is pending review by the state courts of appeals. At the heart of the case is how the lower court interpreted what is – or isn’t – a common school.

Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd said in his ruling in Glass that a “primary characteristic of the common schools is that they must ‘take all comers,’ and educate each child regardless of poverty, language barriers, disability, health or ad-

Students in class. Photo provided | CDC via Unsplash

diction problems at home, or any other obstacle to learning.”

It remains to be seen what impact an appeals court ruling in the case would have on public education in Kentucky.

On the ballot It also remains to be seen what impact the proposed constitutional amendment would have on public schools.

Because voter approval of the amendment would allow lawmakers to fund education outside the system of common schools, it isn’t intended to do away directly with public education in the commonwealth. That’s where the idea of school choice comes into play.

Kentucky Senate education chair Sen. Steve West (R-Paris) focused on the “choice” part in a comment made last year to Louisville Public Media.

“We’re not looking at school choice as an either-or proposition,” West reportedly told the news site. “We have to recognize that choice already exists for parents with financial means.”

Others claim the proposed amendment would draw money away from public education.

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“Since Kentucky is already having difficulty meeting its constitutional obligations to equitably fund its public schools, as described in this report, amending the constitution to allow the legislature to also fund a separate system of private schools will only make that task more difficult,” the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy wrote in an August 2023 report. That report is titled “The Funding Gap Between Kentucky’s Wealthy and Poor School Districts Is Now Worse Than Levels Declared Unconstitutional.”

When asked about the amendment’s chance at passage this November, University of Kentucky political science associate professor Stephen Voss told LINK nky he wouldn’t say the proposal is “guaranteed to pass” – even in a heavily Republican state like Kentucky.

“Kentucky Republicans have tended to be relatively moderate when it comes to education policy, compared to voters in the South, where battles against the educational profession have been successful.

Teachers often are important and influential citizens in Kentucky’s smaller towns and counties,” Voss said. “Former Gov. Matt Bevin suffered politically when he took on the teachers. Opponents to the proposed amendment may have an easier time attracting sympathy in Kentucky than they would in other ‘red’ states.”

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Cold Spring Town Center: Mixed-use development planned for former DAV site

Lou Gerding speaking at the Cold Spring Planning and Zoning meeting. Photo by Haley Parnell | LINK nky

By Haley Parnell

T

he former Disabled American Veterans site in Cold Spring is regaining a purpose after years of litigation that delayed development.

The Cold Spring Planning and Zoning Commission approved a proposed zone change and stage one plans for a mixed-use development on the 27-acre site at 3725 Alexan-

Cold Spring Town Center site plan. Photo provided | Cold Spring Planning and Zoning

dria Pike, at its intersection with Industrial Road. The site, which has the working name Cold Spring Town Center, by developer Al Neyer LLC, was approved for two proposed medical office buildings with three retail or commercial buildings on the east side of the development.

The western portion of the site has been labeled as “future development.”

The plans show only the general size and type of tenant in concept, and no contracts are in place with any specific tenants. Though the planning commission approved the plans, they must still be passed by the city council.

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The future development area, as well as the three retail/commercial buildings, will require a stage one plan review when it is considered for development. The uses must comply with the mixed-use planned development zone and could include office, commercial or residential uses.

The initial phase of the site is anticipated to include a blend of uses.

“Contextual development was important to us, and as we were developing these plans, we were taking a look at the existing character of the Alexandria Pike corridor and wanted to make sure that lived in that same world,” Brian Yangyuen with Al Neyer said.

The site has been held up by a years-long eminent domain battle between the city and Campbell County Schools, which wanted to build a middle school at the site. The Campbell County Board of Education voted to settle the lawsuit in July 2023, ending the dispute.

The city announced in December 2020 that

it planned for a health care facility to replace the DAV building.

Many residents attended the meeting and expressed their disapproval of the proposed development.

One of those residents was former longtime Cold Spring Council Member Lou Gerding. He said citizens were told that the development would have less impact on the area than the previously proposed school.

“The mayor, when they purchased the property, told the citizens that it was going to be medical facilities and possibly a hospital,” Gerding said. “That’s what he told us when people were asking, ‘Why are you buying the DAV property.’ Now what do we got? Could be some medical offices there but it could be any office building.”

Gerding wasn’t the only past council member to speak against the development. Former Cold Spring Mayor Mark Stoeber also addressed the commission.

“This is probably one of the largest and most important zone changes the city has faced in my history in the city because of its location, and it’s putting one of the heaviest commercial uses of the city in the north end of the city, where it was never designed to be used,” Stoeber said.

Stoeber said he didn’t know why the commission was considering a mixed-use development zone given the size of the site.

He said the city had previously approved that zone for lots that were 60 or 70 acres.

According to the developer’s plans, the site “reflects the needs of the citizens of Cold Spring and will provide a valuable asset

for the community regarding services provided as well as revenues generated for continued financial success with the city, schools, county and commonwealth.”

The site encompasses approximately 27 acres spanning three parcels and is currently zoned as an industrial park. All structures on the site are planned to be demolished. Al Neyer requested a zone change, which was approved, for mixeduse development and neighborhood commercial.

The zoning change could allow for, but is not limited to, specialty retail, restaurants, banks and professional services.

The main entrance to the development will use the existing light on Alexandria Pike across from Furniture Fair. Right-in and right-out access will also be available off of Alexandria Pike. A separate entrance and exit will also be used off of Industrial Road.

A traffic study will be conducted as part of the stage two plans.

Given what residents said during public comment, Cold Spring Planning and Zoning member Steve Popovich moved to table the item for more information.

“This decision is made by the citizens of Cold Spring,” Popovich said. “It’s not just us; we’re all representing you. We’re also, of course, very concerned about the long term of the city. I’ll say this, there are a lot of concerns, and boy was I educated tonight.”

Can independent voters cast ballot in primary?

T

he state of Kentucky uses a closed primary election system. This means that anyone who wishes to cast ballots for a Republican or Democratic party candidate in the upcoming presidential and legislative primary elections on May 21 must declare a party affiliation to receive a ballot.

ballot was May 7.

In other words, when it comes to the federal and state primaries, independents can kick rocks.

People can cast an in-person absentee ballot ahead of Election Day if they meet the criteria for absenteeism. This includes people who are not living in the county where they’re registered, people who have a disability that prevents them from voting during the early voting period or on Election Day or anyone who otherwise can’t vote during the allotted times. View a complete list of absentee criteria at the Kentucky State Board of Elections website at bit.ly/4bqG5Ck.

But what about local races?

In Kenton County, the Covington City Board of Commissioners will see 10 candidates compete for the four open seats on the city commission. Voters will cast ballots for four of the candidates, and two of the candidates will be eliminated, bringing the field down to eight candidates for the general election in November. The commission race is nonpartisan; all of the candidates are running without official party affiliations.

Absentee turnout tends to be low in Northern Kentucky. Summe said at a meeting of the board of elections on May 3 that the county had received only about 600 absentee requests mailed out thus far and only about 200 had been returned.

Voters can also cast their ballots early without meeting the criteria for absentee voting on May 17 and May 18 from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at any of the following locations:

A voter receives an I Voted sticker. File photo | LINK nky

So, can a registered independent, who can’t vote in the federal and state primaries, vote for the non-party Covington race?

“Regardless of party affiliation, if you live in Covington, you have a ballot,” said Gabe Summe, chair of the Kenton County Board of Elections.

So, the short answer is yes; even if you’re not a partisan, you can vote for the commissioners.

The long answer is that your party affiliation will determine the size of your ballots.

If you’re a registered Republican, you’ll get ballots with the Republican federal and state candidates and the non-party commission candidates. If you’re a Democrat, you would get similar ballots with the Democratic candidates – which in this election applies only to the presidential election – plus the commission candidates.

For nonpartisan voters in Covington, your ballot will contain only the commission candidates.

The Kenton County Library in the fall 2023 general election. Photo by Joe Simon | LINK nky contributor

• Covington Branch of the Kenton County Library, 502 Scott St. in Covington.

• Lakeside Christian Church, 195 Buttermilk Pike in Lakeside Park.

• Kenton County Government Center, 1840 Simon Kenton Way in Covington.

• Calvary Student Life Center, 3711 Tibbatts Center in Covington.

• Independence Senior & Community Center, 2001 Jackwood Parkway in Independence.

Finally, people can cast normal ballots in person on May 21 at any of the established polling locations in Kenton County. View all of the Election Day polling places in Kenton County, based on voters’ precinct locations, at the Kenton County Board of Elections website at bit.ly/3UPZrvo. Find your precinct by entering your information at the Kentucky State Board of Elections website (find it here: bit.ly/4bqG5Ck) or by consulting your registration documentation.

The deadline to register to vote was April 22, and the deadline to request an absentee

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MAY 17, 2024 7

news from other places Powerful storms kill 3 as tornadoes tear through central, southeastern US

said water rescues were ongoing in those areas and described the flooding from heavy thunderstorms as life-threatening.

prior administration.” He said leadership of the Department of Juvenile Justice over the past five years “has been excellent” but declined to say more, citing pending litigation.

“Do not attempt to travel unless you are fleeing an area subject to flooding or under an evacuation order,” the weather agency alert said.

Tornado damage in Michigan. Photo provided | Associated Press

COLUMBIA, Tenn. (AP) —Severe storms tore through parts of the U.S. May 8, spawning damaging tornadoes, producing massive hail and killing two people in Tennessee and one person in North Carolina.

A storm that rumbled across northeastern Tennessee brought high winds that knocked down powerlines and trees. Claiborne County Sheriff Bob Brooks said a 22-year-old man was in a car struck by one of the trees.

On the afternoon of May 8, a tornado emergency — the weather service’s highest alert level — was issued for an area south of Nashville including the towns of Spring Hill, Chapel Hill and Eagleville.

The National Weather Service had previously reported a likely tornado on the ground in nearby Columbia, about 45 miles south of Nashville. People in Columbia were injured and homes were damaged, according to Lynn Thompson, assistant director of Maury County 911. Thompson told The Associated Press that he could not provide any further details: “We’re getting overloaded right now.”

Rita Thompson, Marketing & Communications director with Maury Regional Health, said the hospital had received five patients.

One died, another was in serious condition and three had injuries that were not life-threatening.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a temporary ground stop at Nashville International Airport because of the weather, media outlets reported. Northeast of Nashville, a flash flood emergency was issued for Sumner and Robertson counties including the cities of Hendersonville and Gallatin. The National Weather Service

The National Weather Service in Nashville on May 8 issued a tornado watch for parts of Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee until 3 a.m. CDT. The weather service continued issuing tornado warnings into the night, mostly in Tennessee, but also in Missouri, Alabama, Georgia and Texas.

In North Carolina, a state of emergency was declared for Gaston County May 8 following a large storm. First responders were working to clear roads of downed power lines and broken trees and were helping residents, officials said. The New Hope Fire Department responded to a tree down on a car. One person in the car was killed and another was taken to a hospital, officials said.

More than 135,000 customers lost power in the state, according to PowerOutage.us.

The National Weather Service confirmed tornadoes touched down May 7 in western Ohio: five in Warren County and one each in Darke, Mercer and Auglaize counties.

The weather service said crews are still surveying areas in other counties to determine if tornadoes struck there, as well. The strong storms also brought hail and heavy rains to the state and knocked out power to thousands of utility customers.

Lawsuit alleges decades of child sex abuse at Illinois juvenile detention centers CHICAGO (AP) — Child sexual abuse at Illinois juvenile detention centers was pervasive and systemic for decades, according to disturbing accounts in a lawsuit filed May 6 by 95 men and women housed at the youth centers as children.

The lawsuit details alleged incidents of abuse from 1996 to 2017, including gang rape, forced oral sex, beatings and groping of children by corrections officers, sergeants, nurses, therapists, a chaplain and others at nine youth centers. Many plaintiffs said they were threatened or rewarded

The office building at 100 North Western Ave. shown May 6, in Chicago, where an office of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice is located.

Photo by Charles Rex Arbogast | Associated Press

to keep quiet.

“The State of Illinois has allowed a culture of abuse at Illinois Youth Centers to flourish unabated,” the 186-page complaint said.

The lawsuit, filed in the Illinois Court of Claims, follows similar harrowing allegations of child sex abuse at juvenile detention centers in Maryland, New Jersey, New Hampshire, California and New York City.

Some cases have gone to trial or resulted in settlements; arrests have been infrequent.

The Illinois lawsuit contends the state failed to supervise, discipline, remove or investigate alleged abusers, enabling the abuse to continue. The complaint alleges the abuse happened at youth centers in locations all over the state including Chicago, Joliet, Harrisburg, Murphysboro and Warrenville. Several locations have since closed.

The lawsuit names the state of Illinois, the state’s Department of Corrections and Department of Juvenile Justice as defendants.

It seeks damages of roughly $2 million per plaintiff, the most allowed under law.

In an emailed statement, the Department of Juvenile Justice said the alleged incidents took place under former department leaders but that the current administration takes youth safety seriously and that “all allegations of staff misconduct are immediately and thoroughly investigated” with other agencies, including state police.

The 95 plaintiffs are among hundreds of victims of sexual abuse at Illinois detention centers, said Jerome H. Block, an attorney who brought the case and who expects to file more lawsuits. His firm has helped bring lawsuits in Maryland, New Jersey and New York City.

“The very people that were entrusted with keeping our clients safe when they were children were the ones perpetrating the sexual abuse,” Block said. “This is longterm institutionalized sexual abuse.”

Mother identified as person killed in fall at daughter’s OhioState graduation

Ohio State University’s football stadium. Photo by John Minchillo | Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A woman who fell from the stands to her death during a graduation ceremony at Ohio State University last weekend has been identified as a woman whose daughter was receiving her diploma.

The Franklin County Coroner’s Office said the 53-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene, just outside Ohio Stadium on May 5. The Columbus Dispatch reported the death was being investigated as an apparent suicide, citing coroner documents.

Spokespersons for Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Department of Corrections referred reporters to the Department of Juvenile Justice’s statement.

An investigation continues into how the woman fell from the stadium, which the school says is 136 feet tall, to the pavement below. However, Ohio State police do not suspect foul play and believe the fall was not accidental, university spokesperson Ben Johnson said.

At an unrelated May 6 news conference, Pritzker, who first took office in 2019, told reporters “it was a matter that involved a

It happened around midday, near the stadium’s Bell Tower, as the last graduates were filing into the stadium. According to

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the commencement program, the woman’s daughter was among those graduating.

The commencement continued without mention of what happened, but some students and others at the ceremony were visibly upset after the fall. A spokesman said the university has contacted all graduates and staff who volunteered at graduation to offer counseling services.

Indiana professors sue after GOP legislators pass law regulating faculty tenure INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Two professors are challenging an Indiana law creating new regulations on faculty tenure at public colleges and universities in a federal lawsuit filed May 7.

The law mirrors conservative-led efforts in other states to influence higher education viewed as unfriendly or hostile to conservative students and professors. The two professors at Purdue University, Fort Wayne, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana, want portions of the law blocked before it takes effect July 1.

A spokesperson for Purdue University — the defendant listed in the case — said the university hasn’t been served with the lawsuit.

“The suit was filed against Purdue University because they are the state institution mandated to enforce the unconstitutional provisions of the law,” the ACLU said in a news release.

Under the law signed by Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb in March, governing boards must review tenured professors’ status every five years. Schools have to create a policy preventing faculty from gaining tenure or promotions if they are “unlikely to foster a culture of free inquiry, free expression and intellectual diversity within the institution.”

According to the law, academics must expose students to a “variety of political or ideological frameworks” at the risk of their employment status.

Opponents have said it will make it harder for Indiana schools to compete with other states for talent.

In its complaint, the ACLU alleges the new law violates the professors’ First and Fourteenth Amendment rights.

“The law could mean that public college or university professors must give debunked theories equal time in their classrooms alongside rigorously studied academic analysis,” the ACLU said in a statement.

The Purdue faculty members challenging the law are Steven A. Carr, a professor of communication and the director of the Institute for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, and David G. Schuster, an associate professor in the history department, according to the lawsuit.

Ohio AG warns student protesters in masks could face felony charges

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. Photo by Jay LaPrete | Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio’s top lawyer has advised the state’s public universities that a law written to deter Ku Klux Klan demonstrations could be used to impose felony charges on students who wear face coverings while protesting the war in Gaza.

In a letter sent May 6, after weeks of pro-Palestinian campus protests around the country, Republican Attorney General Dave Yost advised the presidents of Ohio’s 14 public, four-year universities — which his office represents — to forewarn students about the 1953 law.

“In our society, there are few more significant career-wreckers than a felony charge,” the letter said. “I write to you today to inform your student bodies of an Ohio law that, in the context of some behavior during the recent pro-Palestinian protests, could have that effect.”

The law is contained in a single sentence: “No person shall unite with two or more others to commit a misdemeanor while wearing white caps, masks, or other disguise.” Violating this “anti-disguise” law is punishable by a fourth-degree felony charge, up to $5,000 in fines and five years on community control, Yost wrote.

Protesters around the U.S. and the world have increasingly taken steps to remain anonymous by wearing a combination of head and face coverings, in a world where facial-recognition software can easily lead to negative repercussions. Not all do so to hide their identities, however. Some wear

religious hijabs or medical masks used to prevent exposure to COVID-19, or as a political statement on the virus’ ongoing impacts.

Yost, a fourth-term state official who is considering a run for governor in 2026, wrote that students should protest “within the bounds of the law,” not commit crimes, not use the First Amendment as “a sword against fellow students,” and “own their advocacy and avoid wearing masks.”

Among Ohio’s 34 public universities are Kent State, whose name is synonymous with clashes between Vietnam War protesters and National Guard members that left four dead in 1970, and Ohio State — a site of several protests in recent weeks where dozens have been arrested, most for criminal trespass.

Ohio State spokesperson Ben Johnson said the university had received Yost’s letter and was reviewing it. In a March 6 letter, Yost had told President Ted Carter that Ohio law prevents the university from divesting its interests in Israeli assets, one of the calls of protesters.

Kent State and several other universities contacted by The Associated Press had no immediate comment. Nor did the Inter-University Council, which represents universities’ interests, or the American Civil Liberties Union.

Bethany McCorkle, a spokesperson for Yost’s office, said the letter regarding the “disguise law” was not a response to any specific request for legal advice by the universities.

“The letter was proactive guidance to universities that he is counsel for to make sure no one becomes an unintentional felon,” she said in a text message.

As US moves to reclassify marijuana, could more states legalize it?

As the U.S. government moves toward reclassifying marijuana as a less dangerous drug, there may be little immediate impact in the dozen states that have not already legalized cannabis for widespread medical or recreational use by adults.

But advocates for marijuana legalization hope a federal regulatory shift could eventually change the minds — and votes — of some state policymakers who have been reluctant to embrace weed.

“It is very common for a state legislator to tell me, ‘Well, I might be able to support this, but ... I’m not going to vote for something that’s illegal under federal law,’” said Matthew Schweich, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project, which advocates for cannabis legalization.

Although a proposal to reclassify marijuana would not make it legal, “it is a historic and meaningful change at the federal level that I think is going to give many state lawmakers a little less hesitation to support a bill,” Schweich added.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has proposed to shift marijuana from a “Schedule I” drug, which includes heroin and LSD, to a less tightly regulated “Schedule III” drug, which includes ketamine and some anabolic steroids. Federal rules allow for some medical uses of Schedule III drugs. But the proposed change faces a lengthy regulatory process, which may not be complete until after the presidential election.

In the meantime, the proposed federal change could add fresh arguments for supporters of ballot measures seeking to legalize marijuana. Florida voters will decide on a constitutional amendment allowing recreational cannabis this November. Public votes could also be held in several other states, including South Dakota, where supporters plan to submit signatures May 7 for a third attempt at legalizing recreational marijuana.

Following two previous failed attempts, a Nebraska group is gathering signatures to get two measures onto this year’s ballot: one to legalize medical marijuana and another to allow private companies to grow and sell it.

In North Dakota, criminal defense attorney Mark Friese is a former police officer who is backing a marijuana legalization ballot initiative. He said the proposed federal reclassification could immensely help this year's initiative campaign. North Dakota voters rejected legalization measures in 2018 and 2022 but approved medical marijuana in 2016.

“The bottom line is the move is going to allow intelligent, informed discussion about cannabis legislation instead of succumbing to the historical objection that marijuana is a dangerous drug like LSD or black tar heroin,” Friese said.

MAY 17, 2024 9

Savewave Technologies launches smartwatch band for people who are deaf, hard of hearing

By Kenton Hornbeck

ganic” way for Safewave’s brand to grow.

The collaboration has proved successful, as working with Maxey and other influencers allowed Safewave to reach a large audience while keeping marketing costs low.

W

hat if you couldn’t hear a fire alarm?

For the deaf and hard-ofhearing, being unable to hear a fire alarm could be the difference between life and death. Covington-based entrepreneur Trevon Bruch has wrestled with this question since a fire alarm woke him one fateful night in 2018.

“Our reach just continues to go up,” Bruch said. “It’s just up to us on our side to make sure that we’re producing good tech.”

Besides influencer marketing, Safewave is focused on growing through word-ofmouth in the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. From Bruch’s perspective, having satisfied customers recommend the product will not only market the product but also give the company credibility.

“I was asleep and awoken by a fire alarm and basically thought, ‘What if I didn’t hear that and what if something was wrong,’” Bruch told LINK nky.

Safewave Technologies first generation watchband. Photo provided | Safewave Technologies

Bruch’s startup, Safewave Technologies, offers a solution to that question through wearable technology. On May 6, Safewave officially launched the first generation of its smartwatch band tailored for the deaf and hard of hearing.

Approximately 3.6% of the U.S. population, about 11 million individuals, consider themselves to be deaf or have serious difficulty hearing, according to the National Deaf Center for Postsecondary Outcomes.

Bruch’s ambitions for Safewave stretch beyond just positively affecting the deaf and hard of hearing. Eventually, he hopes to take Safewave worldwide, impacting everyone from small children to people with neurodegenerative conditions.

“We’re looking to help people with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, special needs and small children,” Bruch said.

The watchband works by establishing a

Bluetooth connection through Safewave’s phone app with nearby security devices such as smoke detectors, fire alarms and smart doorbells. The watchband alerts the wearer with a strong vibration once an alarm that’s connected to the sensor goes off.

Safewave co-founder Jared Gabbard said the launch was nearly five years in the making. The startup soft-launched a prototype in April 2023. Since then, Safewave has revamped the watchband’s design and added features like a visible power button.

“We’re ready to start selling,” Gabbard said.

“We’re finally going to bring in money instead of just burning it. I feel like it’s very anticipated within that community. We’re definitely looking to be able to help and bring a product to the table that’s specifically for them.”

The Safewave watchband retails for $250 and is available exclusively through the

company’s website. The app is free to download for Apple’s iOS. At launch, Safewave had 1,000 units in stock.

Bruch said he hopes to sell $250,000 worth of watchbands within three to six months.

To support the launch, Safewave has used influencer marketing. The startup collaborated with Matt Maxey, an Atlanta-based content creator and entrepreneur, to create custom social media commercials.

Maxey is a prominent voice within the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. His Instagram account alone boasts nearly 100,000 followers.

His organization, DEAFinitely Dope, uses American Sign Language to interpret music for deaf and hard-of-hearing fans during live music events. Maxey has worked with large touring artists such as Waka Flocka Flame and Chance the Rapper.

“I think the product’s really going to grow when we grow within the community and they start talking about it,” he said. “Word of mouth is going to be the biggest spread of what we’re building.”

Looking forward, Bruch said Safewave plans to unveil four versions of its watchband. The startup has already secured a lease on an office overlooking the intersection of Madison Avenue and West Pike Street in Covington. A neon sign with the company’s Safewave wordmark can be seen from the street level in the window of their second-story office.

Right now, Bruch and Gabbard are Safewave’s only full-time employees. Bruch said he hopes the team will grow through the remainder of the year.

“This is just the start,” he said.

Bruch called influencer marketing an “or-

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kenton county briefs Fourth Street Bridge weight limit lowered, traffic lanes reduced

Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky buses from using the bridge.

Vehicles exceeding the weight limit are advised to use the Ky. 1120 11th Street Bridge or find a different route.

The cabinet is assessing repair options, and the announcement did not share a timeline for restoring the previous weight limit.

Independence OKs open burn regulations for commercial fires The new weight limit and lane assignments for the Ky. 8 bridge into Newport. Photo provided | The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 6

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 6 has reduced the weight limit for vehicles traveling across the Ky. 8 Licking River Bridge to 12 tons from 17 tons. In addition, traffic on the bridge connecting Newport and Covington, known as the Fourth Street Bridge, has been reduced to a single lane.

A release from the cabinet states that the changes, which took effect May 6, follow a recent inspection of the bridge, which revealed deteriorated steel in the bridge’s infrastructure. The cabinet’s engineers recommended the changes to prevent further deterioration while repairs were made.

The bridge closures look like this: • The southernmost lane, which carried traffic eastbound from Covington to Newport, is closed.

• Eastbound traffic will now use the middle lane.

• Westbound traffic will be reduced to a single lane and use the northernmost lane, continuing on to Covington’s Fourth Street.

• Sidewalks on both sides of the bridge will remain open, and the bridge remains safe for pedestrian use.

The reduced weight limit will prevent school buses from using the bridge, according to the cabinet. The previous 17-ton limit already prevented fire trucks, loaded garbage trucks, loaded tractor-trailers and

Independence City Council unanimously passed an ordinance May 6 to regulate open burns within the city. The ordinance is aimed primarily at burns started by construction companies and developers rather than residential and recreational fires.

The ordinance establishes the following regulations: • Burns may be performed only during certain times of the year and certain times of day.

• Burning tires, cars, appliances, garbage and other manmade scrap and debris is prohibited.

• Burns may encompass only two contiguous acres at a time.

• Those performing burns must be at least 18 years old.

• Burners must have a device on hand to communicate with the fire department and emergency services.

• Burners must have a large piece of earth-moving equipment laden with dirt to extinguish the fire if necessary.

• Burners must have proper insurance and proof of insurance.

• Burn piles may have a maximum diameter of only 30 feet and a maximum height of only 15 feet.

• Burn piles must have blowers on them.

• Open burns cannot take place within 25 feet of other combustible materials or within 50 feet of neighboring houses.

Violators are subject to up to a $100 fine.

Recreational fires on private property would still be allowed, although they would

be limited to fires with a maximum height and diameter of 5 feet. Other forms of burning are allowed under certain conditions as well.

A similar ordinance came before the council in February but went through a round of revisions before getting a new first reading in April. Discussion among council members and the chief of police at meetings suggested that the ordinance came about because the city lacked a reliable means of enforcing burns that became nuisances for residents.

The ordinance’s measures are modeled after practices suggested by the the National Fire Protection Association, a nonprofit that aims to establish various protection measures for firefighters in the field.

Holmes seniors earn college credits through Young Scholars program Eight seniors at Holmes High School in Covington were honored April 29 at a ceremony at Northern Kentucky University.

The eight earned two years’ worth of college credits through NKU’s Young Scholars program.

The students – Gavin Bell, Kayden Crowell, Ciera Humfleet, Aaron Johnson, Ainsley Lindberg, Brice Null, Misha Salaah and Christopher Wickey – will graduate from Holmes June 7. Crowell, Johnson, Salaah and Wickey earned associate degrees toward their majors.

The November 2023 release of Old Rip and Pappy Van Winkle. Photo provided | Kentucky Symphony Orchestra

The Party Source in Bellevue donated the bourbons. Three drawings are slated. All will be streamed live on the orchestra’s Facebook page. They are: • A six-bottle set (2023 release) of Rip and Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon. Up to 750 tickets at $100 are available; one winner will be drawn.

• A five-bottle set of Antique Buffalo Trace. Up to 1,000 $50 tickets available; one winner will be drawn.

• 20 rare bourbons. Twenty winners will be drawn, each receiving one bottle.

Up to 1,500 tickets at $25 are available.

For details and to buy tickets, visit kyso.org.

Citizen petition seeks safety improvements at Dixie and Highland

“We know they will continue to achieve great things in their future endeavors,” a Covington Schools announcement said.

“Congratulations to these exceptional students on this remarkable achievement!”

Annual bourbon raffle to support symphony’s school, park concerts The Kentucky Symphony Orchestra holds its annual rare bourbon raffle May 18. The fundraiser helps support the orchestra’s free summer concerts in Devou and Tower Parks as well as free education concerts for local students.

The intersection of Dixie Highway and Highland Avenue. Photo by Steve Dora | Image provided

Fort Mitchell citizens are signing a petition to demand changes at the intersection of Dixie Highway and Highland Avenue. The petition, which has been active for just a couple of weeks, has over 500 signatures and aims to get the attention of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

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“This intersection has become increasingly hazardous for both pedestrians and vehicle traffic,” Steve Dora, creator of this campaign, said on the petition’s webpage.

“The lack of adequate safety measures puts everyone at risk – especially our children who must navigate this dangerous crossing daily.”

“I live behind the firehouse,” Dora told LINK nky. “Three or four weeks ago, my wife saw a car blow through a red light, and she almost got hit. That’s when I realized it was dangerous. A lot of kids walk that intersection to get to Beechwood. That was the trigger.”

review the Dixie Highway and Highland Avenue intersection to identify potential safety enhancements.”

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet said it has already made some modifications in hopes of improving safety. “We recently updated the red light clearance times at this intersection,” read the statement. That refers to the time between a traffic light’s turning red for one direction of traffic and green for the crossing flow of traffic.

The transportation cabinet also said it has made itself available to “assist the city of Fort Mitchell if they wish to add overhead street lighting in that area.”

When Dora spoke about his family’s experiences on Facebook, people showed support. His post got 30-40 comments from neighbors saying they would sign a petition.

Dora told LINK nky that he wants the state to increase awareness of the problem, study the traffic patterns and find an engineering solution to address the root of the issue.

The Fort Mitchell city government has expressed support from early on. Dora says that, when council member Kim Nachazel shared the Facebook post, 100 people signed within 48 hours. Because the intersection involves Dixie Highway, a state road, Fort Mitchell cannot take unilateral action at the crossing. The state must make any changes.

“My hope is that they can look at the intersection from a preventative mindset,” Dora said. “If we do get something done and notice a reduction [in near-misses and crashes], it gives you back some of that confidence in your safety and wellbeing in the neighborhood.”

“Ensuring the safety of all highway users is a priority of this administration,” said the transportation cabinet. “While preliminary data does not indicate an increase in crashes in recent years, our engineers will

Fort Mitchell hears about zoning details on medical cannabis

Fort Mitchell has sent a letter to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet asking for attention and focus on this intersection for the good of its citizens. Because some houses in that neighborhood are in Fort Wright, that city has passed a resolution to send a letter with Fort Mitchell showing its support.

on that legislation when local governments have to take action,” Reddy said. “[Planning & Development Services of Kenton County is] not taking a position on medical cannabis in general. We are advising, not promoting.”

Dr. Keshar M. Ghimire, a marijuana law expert at the University of Cincinnati, told LINK nky, “Kentucky has passed a pretty comprehensive medical cannabis law. They have a long list of qualifying conditions.”

A photo of medical cannabis from a dispensary.

Photo provided | Budding via Unsplash

Cities in Kenton County must decide whether medical cannabis businesses can operate in their jurisdiction.

At April’s Fort Mitchell city council meeting, Sharmili Reddy, executive director at Kenton County Planning & Development Services, presented the options from a zoning perspective.

In 2023, the Kentucky state legislature passed a bill legalizing medical cannabis.

This bill will go into effect in 2025. Local municipalities have until then to pass zoning restrictions on cannabis cultivation, processing, production and dispensaries before it goes into the hands of the state.

Planning & Development Services is helping the county’s cities make those decisions by providing the necessary information as an authority on zoning. “Our role is to make sure our communities are informed about the legislation and the upcoming deadlines

That means it will not be too easy for a person to acquire medical cannabis or for a cannabis business to operate.

“Just about every step of the way, there is oversight,” Reddy said. “On the side of those dispensing and those receiving.”

There are conditions for any medical cannabis user, any cannabis business and the municipalities those citizens and businesses reside in. Reddy explained the zoning regulations and state-mandated restrictions that affect how and where cannabis businesses could operate within the city. For example, current zoning in Fort Mitchell entirely disallows some cannabis operations.

“Fort Mitchell does not have any industrial zones,” Reddy said. “That leaves them with dispensaries. But when you overlay the 1,000-foot buffer requirement, that limits it even further.”

Kentucky now allows for Public Notices to be published digitally on LINK nky’s website.

You can find public notices for the following organizations on our site at https://linkreader.column.us/search

PUBLIC NOTICE The City of Erlanger, in conjunction with the Kentucky Association of Counties, will be accepting bids via a Reverse Online Auction on June 12, 2024 at 2:30 PM EDT for the purchase of road salt. For bid participation/registration contact Orbis Online at 502-208-1007 ext. 701. Bids will only be accepted through participation in the reverse auction at orbisonline.com. The bid notice may be viewed in full on our website at erlangerky.gov or at 505 Commonwealth Avenue, Erlanger, KY 41018, 859-727-2525.

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12 MAY 17, 2024

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calendar

May

Friday

Saturday 17

Comedy @ Commonwealth: Brian Bahe, 7-9 p.m., Commonwealth Sanctuary, 522 Fifth Ave., Dayton. Indigenous, gay comedian and writer from Phoenix, Arizona, now based in Los Angeles by way of New York City. Bahe was a writer for the Fox TV show “The Great North.” Admission $15.

Information: commonwealthsanctuary.com.

Sunday 18

Monday 19

Serve & Socialize Fair, 10 a.m.-noon, Boone County Public Library, 1786 Burlington Pike, Burlington. Connect with local volunteer opportunities and social clubs. Fun activities, live music and refreshments will be available.

Information: boone.libnet.info/event/10106620 or 859-342-2665.

Tuesday 20

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

Edgewood City Council meeting, 6-7 p.m., Edgewood City Building, 385 Dudley Road, Edgewood.

Information: edgewoodky.gov/administration/agendas.

Bellevue Blossoms Spring Fest, 11 a.m.4 p.m., Washington and Fairfield avenues, Bellevue. Vendors, artists and crafters will set up, and there will be many specials. Local art students display their spring masterpieces in Fairfield Avenue’s business windows. The Bellevue Entertainment District will also be open for sipping and shopping. Free. Information: melissa.morandi@ bellevueky.org or 859431-8888.

Fort Thomas City Council meeting, 7-8 p.m., Fort Thomas City Building, 130 N. Fort Thomas Ave., Fort Thomas.

Information: ftthomas.org/mayorcouncil/ meetings-information.

Wednesday 21

Thursday 22

23

Eggs ‘N Issues, 7:30-9 a.m., Boone County Fiscal Courtroom, 2950 Washington St., Burlington. Bill Butler, chairman of Corporex, speaks about his vision to build a better Northern Kentucky. Information: business.nkychamber.com/events or 859-578-8800.

Workplace Safety & Tour: Atlas Air, 8:30-10 a.m., Atlas Air Worldwide, 580 Atlas Air Way, Erlanger.

Meet and learn from the safety professionals at the flight operations center of Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings. Information: business.nkychamber. com/events or 859-5788800.

Boone County Fiscal Court meeting, 8:3010:30 a.m., Fiscal Courtroom, 2950 Washington St., Burlington.

2024 Outstanding Women of Northern Kentucky Awards, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Turfway Park Racing & Gaming, 7500 Turfway Road, Florence. 40th anniversary OWNK Awards, which honor achievement, outstanding service in professions or to the NKY community, and the qualities of personal integrity, perseverance and leadership.

Information: business. nkychamber.com/events or 859-578-8800.

Nonprofit happy hour, 4-6 p.m., Greater Cincinnati Foundation, 720 E. Pete Rose Way, Cincinnati. Networking event for nonprofits and nonprofit supporters in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.

Information: members. cbcky.com/cbceventcalendar or kenzweiler@ deandorton.com.

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

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Rustic log cabin on 11 wooded acres Address: 3992 Conley Road, Morning View Price: $418,500 Bedrooms: Three Bathrooms: Two School district: Kenton County Square footage: 1,729 County: Kenton Special features: This rustic log cabin offers a peaceful setting not too far from city life. It features three bedrooms, two full baths, a main living space with a wood-burning fireplace, a kitchen with stainless appliances, a screened-in porch and front deck, a full basement, wood stove heating, a shed for storage and outdoor patio areas with firepits. The property’s 11 acres are heavily wooded with trails for hiking and riding RVs, plus turkey and deer feeders. This home is equipped with highspeed internet.

This log cabin in Morning View sits on 11 acres of land. Photo provided | Cindy Cahill with Cahill Real Estate Services

A view of this rustic home’s main living space and kitchen. Photo provided | Cindy Cahill with Cahill Real Estate Services

This home’s property is heavily wooded with trails for hiking and riding RVs, plus turkey and deer feeders. Photo provided | Cindy Cahill with Cahill Real Estate Services

Top Sales of the Week Address

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Deron G. Schell Senior Sales Executive

HUFF REALTY 859.640.5149 dschell@huff.com

14 MAY 17, 2024

City

Recent NKY Home Sale Data

Price

Sale Date

443 Glengarry Way Fort Wright $660,000 10625 Mountain Laurel Way Union $618,500 2487 Lillywood Way Crescent Springs $594,906 526 Philadelphia Street 28 Covington $465,000 526 Philadelphia Street 28 Covington $465,000 66 Hawthorne Avenue Fort Thomas $415,000 138 Thompson Avenue Fort Mitchell $400,000 20 W Henry Clay Avenue Covington $380,000 4 Burdsall Avenue Fort Mitchell $375,000 10 Neltner Drive Cold Spring $365,000 2329 Slaney Lane Union $335,000 2515 Crosshill Drive Crescent Springs $319,000 3042 Brookwood Circle Edgewood $316,000 1227 Goldsborough Lane Independence $305,000 1702 Jeffrey Lane Hebron $300,000 75 Beech Drive Edgewood $285,000 10413 Sharpsburg Drive Independence $275,000 825 Cox Road Independence $269,900 4214 Mckee Street Covington $200,000 319 E 42nd Street Latonia $140,000

5/1/24 5/6/24 5/2/24 5/6/24 5/6/24 5/6/24 5/3/24 5/2/24 5/2/24 5/7/24 5/1/24 5/6/24 5/2/24 5/3/24 5/2/24 5/2/24 5/6/24 5/2/24 5/3/24 5/3/24

Address

City

249 Pershing Avenue Covington 126 W Pike Street 1 Covington 315 Western Avenue Covington 1413 Maryland Avenue 17 Covington 1518 Greenup Street Covington 1253 W Pike Street Covington 912 Banklick Street Covington 936 York Street Covington 320 W 6th Street Covington 1530 Woodburn Avenue Covington 20 W Henry Clay Avenue Covington 526 Philadelphia Street 28 Covington 526 Philadelphia Street 28 Covington 1326 Holman Street Covington 1040 N Fort Thomas Avenue Fort Thomas 415 Rossford Avenue Fort Thomas 40 Covert Place Fort Thomas 72 Eagle View Lane Fort Thomas 76 Stacy Lane Fort Thomas 66 Hawthorne Avenue Fort Thomas

Price

Sale Date

$250,000 $190,000 $245,000 $236,000 $247,000 $355,000 $450,000 $170,000 $565,000 $140,000 $380,000 $465,000 $465,000 $200,000 $450,000 $380,000 $755,000 $178,000 $275,000 $415,000

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features

Buttermilk Pike offers Streetscapes a world of tastes

By Maria Hehman

T

his week, Streetscapes checks out some businesses along Buttermilk Pike. We’ll start with a longstanding and locally famous establishment Oriental Wok, then head to a regional burger chain and the newest restaurant for some Mexican and Venezuelan street food.

side. They come with three house-made dips, including ketchup, a semisweet and peppery combination that will put all generic ketchups to shame.

La Torta Loca

As its name says, Bru Burger Bar is best known for gourmet chef burgers. They come in over a dozen options, including choices for vegetarians and vegans. Each specialty burger base can be substituted with a chicken breast, turkey burger, bison patty, lamb or turkey burger.

The newest addition to Crescent Springs comes from a familiar Florence favorite.

La Torta Loca quickly grew a fan following there, and its success has allowed it to relocate the original restaurant and expand with their second location in Crescent Springs – all in around five years.

Standout options include the bourbon burger with bacon, peppercorn bourbon glaze and horseradish havarti, or the Viking Farms Lamb, a lamb patty with whipped goat cheese, spinach, marinated red onion jam and curry mayo on an oat bun. Less adventuresome folks can stick with classics: The Beginning and the Bru Burger are your basic American burgers.

La Torta Loca serves authentic Mexican and Venezuelan street food. Many options will be familiar: street tacos, empanadas and quesadillas. The quesadillas also can be ordered deep fried, the crispy shell and melty cheese balanced out by the fresh veggies inside.

La Torta Loca also has many menu items guests may have never seen. Their tortas are massive sandwiches filled with classic ingredients one expects from a Mexican restaurant. The namesake Torta Loca has chicken milanese, steak, carnitas, bacon, melted cheese, grilled onion and jalapeno.

It feels wrong to come to a place like this and not indulge in an appetizer and fancy drink. La Torta Loca’s sweet plantains are a great way to switch up from ordering chips and queso (which are phenomenal, by the way). The sweet plantains are topped with cream and cheese. Or try tostones and guacamole, plantain chips with house made guacamole, a refreshing start to dinner.

Bru fries and BBQ nachos from Bru Burger. Photo

by Maria Hehman | LINK nky contributor

Bru Burger Bar Location: 279 Buttermilk Pike, Fort Mitchell Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Website: bruburgerbar.com/locations/ Bru-Fort-Mitchell Phone: 859-331- 3888

Bru has a full bar and a daily happy hour on weekdays, and the large dining space is doubled in warm months by a spacious side patio.

Bru Burger Bar

Salads, sandwiches and sides round out their menu and are great additions to pair with burgers. Since Bru’s burgers are ordered solo, Bru fries are an ideal sharing

What to Know If You Go

For drinks there are both American and Mexican soda and beer options. The stars of the drinks menu are the cocktails. These massive drinks are dressed to impress with garnishes and glasses that make them picture-worthy. A margarita is a must order here.

La Torta Loca

Fried quesadilla from La Torta Loca. Photo by Maria Hehman | LINK nky contributor

The space is vibrant and colorful, with plenty of seating, and a small outdoor patio for warm weather days.

Oriental Wok Oriental Wok has been a staple of Northern Kentuckians’ diet since it opened. This upscale Chinese establishment has set the bar high for restaurants in the area, regardless of what cuisine they serve. The food has always been impeccable, in both taste and proportions.

Location: 564 Buttermilk Pike, Crescent Springs Hours: Monday, closed; Tuesday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday, noon-8 p.m.

Website: latortalocaflorence.com Phone: 859-360- 2423

Oriental Wok Location: 317 Buttermilk Pike, Lakeside Park Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Saturday, 4 p.m.9:30 p.m.

Website: orientalwok.com Phone: 859-331-3000

Egg rolls, crab rangoon and pot stickers are all large, delicious appetizers to pregame the main event. Entrees include chicken, beef, pork and seafood options. Orange chicken and sesame chicken are among the most popular, drenched in delectable sauces. General Wong’s chicken isn’t for the faint of heart, a great option for fans of spice. The noodle menu is as ample as its classics, but the Pad Thai is arguably the best in NKY (my personal favorite dish from any area restaurant).

Oriental Wok’s drinks menu marries Asian culture with American, offering wine, beer and cocktails to pair with any dish. Wokstar beer (the restaurant’s collab with Rhinegeist) or Mandarin Mule are refreshing options to enjoy on the patio. Whether you’re wanting an intimate, cozy date night spot, a large gathering for a milestone event or a place for dinner and drink outside, Oriental Wok has it all.

La Torta Loca’s vibrant and inviting bar. Photo by Maria Hehman | LINK nky contributor

MAY 17, 2024 15

16 MAY 17, 2024

New-style Beechwood seeks fifth straight 9th Region crown

By Marc Hardin

I

t’s a rare off day for the Beechwood High School baseball team. With dark clouds above, coach Kevin Gray is deciding if he wants to hold practice outside or inside.

“I prefer outside. But it looks like it’s going to rain, and I think guys are already hitting in the barn,” Gray said. “We’ll figure it out.”

It wasn’t the biggest decision the coach has made. When the Tigers’ inexperience showed, and a lineup with limited pop contributed to a power deficit, Gray made a call.

“We talked about it,” Gray said. “As the season went on, I felt like we had to work on being better at smallball.”

Smallball? At power-hitting Beechwood?

“It works in a lot of situations,” senior Shawn Sowder said. “Just put the ball in play and force the other team to make a play.”

It’s a case of adapting the Tigers’ playing style to fit the team’s makeup.

“We have a lot of good hitters (seven regulars batting .300 or better). We have a few with some power,” Gray said. “But we don’t have a lot of big power guys like we’ve had

with Cameron Boyd and Mitchell Berger.

This team has to manufacture runs. Part of that is being ready to do a lot of the little things.”

The Tigers went to work on smallball tactics with one big goal in mind. They want to win a fifth consecutive 9th Region championship. Beechwood perfected its new approach during the regular season. The playoff push begins May 18 with the 35th District semifinals at Covington Catholic.

“With more game experience, we’re playing better with it,” senior Michael Detzel said of the smallball style. “We’re going through the process.”

Coach Gray believes the process is moving Beechwood in the right direction. Detzel, who was leading the regulars with a .359 batting average, is keeping the line moving.

As are Keagan Hutton (.354), Carson Welch (.349), Tyler Fryman (.345) and Sowder (.325).

Three players had a team-high two home runs through games of May 7. They were Hutton, Fryman and Sowder. Detzel led with 14 doubles. Five players had two triples. Fryman led with 17 stolen bases.

Beechwood had 59 steals in its first 66 attempts.

The starting pitching has been solid, led by junior ace Chase Flaherty and freshman

Beechwood won its third straight All “A” Classic 9th Region title in April. The Tigers are seeking a fifth straight KHSAA regional tournament crown this month. Photo provided | Charles Bolton

Chase Flaherty headlines the Tigers pitching staff with a 5-0 record and 2.83 ERA. Photo provided | Charles Bolton

sensation Caleb Arrasmith. Key relievers include Graham Holt, Branton Styles, Drew Tingle and Roland King After a slow start, the Tigers won eight straight games. Later, they won seven of eight. Along the way were 11 games scoring at least 10 runs. Included in that stretch was an 11-2 shellacking of Simon Kenton for their 19th win of the season. They received a solo home run from Hutton in the contest. Detzel ripped a double and drove in four runs.

“If you play for four runs in an inning, you get one,” Gray said. “If you play for one run, you get four. We want to string baserunners together. But big hits are still good.”

That’s what they got from Sowder in a 7-6 win over Louisville St. Xavier. Sowder smashed a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to win it. Even so, Beechwood totaled just eight home runs with 50 doubles after the first 27 games. The Tigers had 17 homers and 74 doubles last season. They had 36 homers and 92 doubles in 2022. With extra-base hits in shorter supply this year, preparedness is the key.

“We work on getting on base and getting the runner into scoring position,” the coach said. “We’re stealing. We’re bunting the runner over and hit-and-running. Nobody plays smallball better than Covington Cath-

olic. We know what it looks like.”

CovCath is Beechwood’s archrival. Though Beechwood has won four straight regions, CovCath beat the Tigers in the 35th District final the past two years. Both times, the Colonels earned the No. 1 seed. That put No. 2 Beechwood on a potentially tougher path at the region tournament.

It didn’t matter. Beechwood won the region again, continuing a stranglehold that began in 2019. The pandemic wiped out the 2020 season, but the Tigers won the region title in 2021-23, setting up this season’s historic attempt.

Just two baseball teams won four straight 9th Region titles since the KHSAA introduced the 16-region format in 1976. They are Beechwood and Highlands from 201518.

A fifth straight Beechwood crown would be historic in the 16-region era. But it wouldn’t be the greatest championship streak by a Northern Kentucky baseball team. That belongs to Newport Central Catholic. The Thoroughbreds won seven region titles in a row from 1948-54.

“In the beginning of the season, we didn’t trust ourselves. Now, we’re expecting to win,” Sowder said. “If we get that fifth straight region, it’d be amazing.”

The four-time defending 9th Region champion Tigers are looking for another reason to dogpile at this year’s tournament. Photo provided | Jenna Richey

Smallball has been the name of the game for the Tigers this season. Photo provided | Charles Bolton

Coach Kevin Gray has made sure no baseball team other than Beechwood has won the 9th Region title since 2018. Photo provided | Charles Bolton

MAY 17, 2024 17

sports Former Bulldog player, coach named to head Beechwood girls

NKY Sports Hall inducts six members at Park Hills ceremony

The Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame added six new members on May 15 at the Gardens of Park Hills.

Celeste Hill Brockett is the new Beechwood girls basketball coach. Photo provided | Beechwood athletics

Celeste Hill Brockett is the new Beechwood girls basketball coach. The former Holmes standout was hired May 2. Brockett previously coached at Holmes, where she starred for the Bulldogs as a player before embarking on a college career at Old Dominion. She was an assistant coach at Old Dominion in two separate stints.

Brockett was Colonial Athletic Association player of the year three times at Old Dominion from 1990-94. She averaged 20.4 points per game as a senior. Brockett was the first women’s player in school history to lead the team in scoring and rebounding all four years. Brockett finished her career as the program’s all-time leading scorer with 2,112 points. The record stood for 13 years.

Brockett is a 2002 Old Dominion Athletic Hall of Fame inductee.

Following her second stint playing professionally overseas, Brockett returned to Holmes as a varsity assistant and head junior varsity basketball coach for four seasons. Holmes won the 9th Region girls championship and finished state runner-up during that time.

Holmes promoted Brockett to girls head coach in 2004. She held the position for four years and put together a 55-50 career record. She is a 2006 Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame inductee.

The six members inducted were Benny Deaton (South Dearborn, IN), Denny Hurley (Covington Catholic), Bob Heimbrock (St. Xavier, OH), Jim Finn (Covington Catholic), Dustin Menetry (Beechwood) and Greg Menetry (Campbell County).

Here’s a brief profile on each of the new inductees: • Benny Deaton, South Dearborn Indiana, 1982 (coaching): Deaton began coaching track in 1992 at Ryle High School. Since that first assignment, he has coached both track and cross country at Ryle, Conner, Cooper, St. Henry and Newport Central Catholic. He is currently the jumping coach at Mount St. Joseph University. Deaton has had numerous successes as a coach, coaching 33 athletes to regional championships, 16 to regional runner-up and five state champions and seven state runner-up competitors.

• Denny Hurley, Covington Catholic, 1970 (golf): Hurley won the Cincinnati Men’s Met Tournament at age 15, the youngest ever, in 1968. In high school he won the 9th Region tournament for five straight years, the only player ever to accomplish this feat. He was named All-Region several times and AllState several times. Hurley was the state runner-up in 1970 and received a full ride to Louisiana State University, where he played for four years.

• Bob Heimbrock, St. Xavier, Ohio (swimming): Heimbrock started his swimming career at Brookwood Swim Club as an 8-year-old. He won the 25-meter breaststroke that year. He rejoined the team as a 17-year-old and won the 100-meter breaststroke in league-record time.

Heimbrock then attended University of Kentucky and was the top breast-stroker all four years. The UK Alumni Club of NKY awarded him Athlete of the Year. In his junior year at UK, he broke the school record in the 100 and 200. During his senior year, he lowered both of those records, marks that stood for eight years.

Heimbrock recently started masters swimming. He owns the record in the 60-64 age group in Kentucky for the 50-yard and the record for the 65-69 age group in the 50yard and 100 yards. He entered the National Senior Games in Pittsburgh and won the gold medal in the 50 and the silver medal in 100.

• Jim Finn, Covington Catholic, 1970 (swimming, diving): Finn was the Northern Kentucky league diving champion in both 1968 and ’69. He also was the 3-meter Cincinnati Jr. Olympic champion in ’68. He also was a member of the AAU Cincinnati Coke Diving team from 1965-70, winning several meets along the way.

Finn then attended Covington Catholic, where he won several meets including the Regionals and qualified for state. He was the state runner-up four years in a row from 1967-70. His accomplishments earned him a full ride to Western Kentucky University, where he won several meets and set the school record in the 3-meter diving. He held these records from 1971-81.

• Dustin Menetry, Beechwood, 2005 (football, baseball, golf): Menetry made the high school golf team as an eighth grader, hit over .300 as a freshman in baseball and lettered in varsity basketball and made the All-Freshman regional team.

He started varsity football at cornerback and had four interceptions his sophomore year. His junior year, he was a two-way starter at running back and cornerback. He was 1st team All-NKY in football, averaging 11.6 yards per carry rushing and 24.5 yards on punt returns. His senior year he earned the MVP award in the KHSAA Class A state championship game.

Menetry then went on to Georgetown College, where he was a three-year starter and the second leading tackler his sophomore and junior seasons and 1st team All-Conference during his senior year as a running back after switching to offense.

• Greg Menetry Jr., Campbell County, 1995 (football, baseball, wrestling): Menetry racked up 4,700 total yards on the football field in his Camels career. His senior year, he led the Camels to one of their best seasons ever, losing only to Boone County.

Greg earned many accolades during his career, including team captain, NKY Top 24, “That’s My Boy” finalist, First Team AllState, and KY/TN All-Star Game MVP. He earned a scholarship to Georgetown College, where he graduated with a business marketing degree. He was a running back and four-year starter from 1995-98.

Menetry and his teammates helped launch a new winning tradition at Georgetown, winning the Mid-South Conference in 1998.

Menetry remains in the top 10 in rushing attempts, rushing yards and all-purpose yards at Campbell County. He has been elected to the Campbell County High School Athletics HOF and the Georgetown College HOF.

Baseball great first Bluebird to have number retired

Eric Glaser, left, is the first in Highlands baseball program history to have his number retired. Photo provided

Former Highlands baseball standout Eric Glaser is the first in program history to have his number retired. Glaser was an honoree during a pregame jersey retirement ceremony on May 4. Glaser, a Highlands High School Athletics Hall of Famer from the induction class of 2018, wore No. 27.

Glaser was a two-time first-team all-state selection for Highlands as a junior in 1996 and a senior in 1997. He was Kentucky Mr. Baseball runner-up as a senior. He was a second-round draft pick by the Boston Red Sox in 1997.

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Johnson Elementary wins Green Ribbon Schools award

By Rebecca Hanchett

A

Northern Kentucky school has become the first in the region to win a federal Green Ribbon Schools award for sustainability

efforts.

Robert D. Johnson Elementary in Fort Thomas in April became the only education institution in NKY and one of only 24 ever to receive the U.S. Department of Education recognition. Arlington Elementary in Fayette County was the only other Kentucky institution recognized as a Green Ribbon School this year. Awards were announced on April 26.

Johnson Elementary principal Ashley Dikeos told LINK nky she credits the school’s Eco Club – established in 2021 – for keeping students and staff focused on the Green Ribbon School’s three sustainability “pillars”: reducing environmental impact and cost, improving student and staff health and wellness, and environmental education. Institutions must show progress in all three areas to compete successfully for the award.

Schoolwide programs like Lights-out Friday (to conserve electricity), a schoolbased outdoor classroom, a recycling program and other initiatives contributed to the NKY school’s earning federal Green Ribbon Schools status, said Dikeos.

Lights-out Friday saved 3,000 kilowatts of electricity in February alone, she said.

In the outdoor classroom, students are responsible for caring for planting beds and more. A way station provides a habitat for migrating monarch butterflies, which have declined precipitously in numbers in recent decades. There is also composting, which the school started this year, and instruction in water conservation.

“We have markings for our sewer drains which is part of the fifth grade curriculum this year,” Dikeos told LINK. “Students have been looking at how a water droplet travels, where it goes. There are a lot of different pieces we’ve put together that the kids are excited about.”

Dikeos said the school’s commitment to health and wellness goes beyond the classroom.

“We also look at what we’re serving in our lunch line. We have a phenomenal cafeteria staff who help us with the composting – what can be composted, what can’t. And then we look at better items for us to have on our food line as well,” she told LINK. Alyssa Brown is a fifth-grade science teacher and co-Eco Club sponsor at the school. She said watching students dedicate themselves to conservation initiatives like composting, water conservation and recycling is among the most rewarding aspects of reaching Green Ribbon School status.

“They actively engage in this environmental stewardship and seek out new ways to encourage and increase our program,” Brown told LINK. “What truly stands out is the ripple effect beyond the school grounds. Students have not only educated their families but also inspired significant changes at home, significantly reducing the carbon footprint of our entire town.”

Fourth-grade science teacher Jillian Booth is the school’s Eco Club sponsor. She says the Green Ribbon Schools award “is just the beginning.”

“One of our upcoming projects involves improving a trail behind our school. This trail will not only showcase many native species of plants but also help to limit soil erosion in the area. Additionally, it will provide a safe and unique learning space for our students to explore and enjoy,” Booth told LINK. Rain barrels and herb and vegetable gardens are also on the club’s to-do list, she said.

“We aim to create shared environmental experiences and promote hands-on learning opportunities that will leave a lasting impact on our students,” said Booth. “Our journey toward a greener future has just begun, and we can’t wait to see what lies ahead for our JES community!”

Kentucky education institutions – not just schools, by definition – are nominated for the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools award by the state Kentucky Environmental Education Council.

The program is open to early learning centers, schools, districts, and colleges and universities focused on the Green Ribbon Schools’ three pillars.

Nationally, only 41 schools, 10 school districts, three postsecondary schools and one day care center were named Green Ribbon Schools for 2024. Approximately 760 institutions have been named Green Ribbon Schools since 2012.

Kentucky Interim Education Commissioner Robin Fields Kinney congratulated Johnson Elementary and Arlington for winning Green Ribbon Schools awards in an April 26 release.

“Moving to more sustainable practices and improving the overall health and wellness of the people within our buildings is always a priority,” said Kinney. “The work that both Arlington Elementary and Robert D. Johnson Elementary have done to become Green Ribbon Schools is truly remarkable.”

Johnson Elementary is also a two-time winner of the U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon Schools award for academic achievement. The school earned that recognition in 1997 and 2014.

Students at a Johnson Elementary event. Photo provided | Johnson Elementary Twitter

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This year’s award is different: an institution can only receive the Green Ribbon Schools award once.

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