LINK Kenton Reader - Volume 1, Issue 45 - October 6, 2023

PRESIDENT & CEO Lacy Starling

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Mark Collier

MANAGING EDITOR Meghan Goth

SPORTS EDITOR Evan Dennison

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Local markets key ingredient in NKY food landscape?

BY KENTON HORNBECK | LINK nky BUSINESS REPORTER

No part of this publication may be used without permission of the publisher. Every effort is made to avoid errors, misspellings, and omissions. If, however, an error comes to your attention, please let us know and accept our sincere apologies in advance.

on the cover

Shelly DeFelice-Nelson, who owns Dee Felice Market with her husband, Patrick Nelson. Photo by Joe Simon | LINK nky contributor

“Life-changing” is how some Dee Felice Market shoppers describe the grocery’s smoked chicken salad. The dish is one of the market’s top sellers, consistently snatched up like hotcakes.

“We go through about 50 pounds of chicken a week,” proprietor Shelly DeFelice-Nelson told LINK nky.

Located at 527 Main St. in Covington’s historic Mainstrasse Village, Dee Felice Market is a small, independent neighborhood grocer that is the brainchild of DeFelice-Nelson and her husband, Patrick Nelson –both former restaurateurs who previously owned a New Orleans-style restaurant of the same name next door.

In the 20th century, Covington was home

to many small neighborhood markets similar to Dee Felice. People who lived around the block could walk to those stores to pick up meat, bread, produce and other specialty grocery items. But the prevalence of big-box supermarkets forced many of these markets to close. These superstores consolidated customer bases and put services like the bakery and deli all under one roof. Their convenience, supply and pricing made it increasingly difficult for smaller stores to compete.

Additionally, these supermarkets often move to suburban or even rural communities due to the availability and cost of land, zoning laws and access to roadways.

In urban areas specifically, the closure of these neighborhood markets has left

a vacuum. In urban Northern Kentucky neighborhoods, dollar stores such as Family Dollar and Dollar General are one of the primary options. Neither offers high-quality produce or protein options. The lack of nutritious food can have adverse effects on the community and its residents in the form of poor diets and diet-related conditions such as obesity or diabetes, a U.S. Department of Agriculture study found.

There is a gap between the type of service a neighborhood grocery store like Dee Felice can offer and that of a superstore like Walmart. These conditions in urban, and rural, communities can lead to food deserts – areas where residents’ access to affordable, healthy food options is restricted or nonexistent due to the absence of gro-

Continues on page 4

Enzweiler Grocery in Newport in the early 1900s.

Photo provided | Northern Kentucky Views

Continued from page 3

cery stores within convenient traveling distance. Poverty is a driving factor behind food deserts, according to Feed America, a charity working to end hunger in the United States.

Still, small markets like Dee Felice play an important role in neighborhoods’ food economy. These stores are merely endangered, not yet extinct – at least in Covington.

Dee Felice Market lines its shelves with locally grown produce, Kentucky Proud products and homemade, freshly baked bread, in addition to a small number of name-brand items. Its primary customer base is neighborhood residents looking to

scoop up small items before walking back home.

“We feel a little niche for people that just need maybe three or four items, or they’re baking and they don’t have any chocolate chips, or they ran out of sugar or something like that, or they need coffee for the morning, or there are people that are celebrating something like a wedding and are here for a weekend,” she said.

When they first considered opening their store, DeFelice-Nelson said she and her husband consulted with the owners of Madison’s in Cincinnati’s Findlay Market.

“We were really interested as to how they were doing since the Kroger opened up

not too far from them Downtown,” DeFelice-Nelson said. “I figured if that doesn’t hurt their business, then we can do this.”

Their biggest competition? Kroger, DeFelice-Nelson said.

Headquartered across the Ohio River in downtown Cincinnati, Kroger is one of the top five largest food retailers in the world. It’s a Fortune 500 company with annual revenues exceeding $100 billion. Kroger stands in stark contrast to Dee Felice Market: the wholesalers they buy from, the size of their staff and where they are located.

In total, there are 12 Kroger locations in Northern Kentucky, including two in Covington alone. Kroger owns the Northern

Kentucky grocery market, but it isn’t the only option. Other supermarket brands such as Meijer, Walmart, Target, Trader Joe’s, Remke Markets and potentially Publix are all vying for a slice of the Northern Kentucky grocery market.

The majority of these supermarkets are located along the main thoroughfares in Northern Kentucky: US 27 in Campbell County and Interstates 71/75 in Boone and Kenton counties. For shoppers living in suburban areas near or along the Interstate 275 corridor, access to these supermarkets and, therefore, food, is generally only a short drive away.

But what if a person doesn’t live in one of these suburban areas? What if they live far

This chart shows the percentage of the Northern Kentucky population that lived in food deserts from 2015 to 2019. Chart provided | BE NKY Northern Kentucky Atlas

This chart shows the percentage of residents by ethnicity who experience food insecurity in the Northern Kentucky region vs. Kentucky as a whole. Chart provided | BE NKY Northern Kentucky Atlas

out in the country, like in southern Kenton or Campbell counties? What about in the urban core of Covington or Newport? People in those areas may still have access to these stores, but they may not have the financial resources or available transportation to regularly travel to those stores.

“I would venture to say it’s food insecurity,” said Kennedy Ruebusch, agency relations manager at Master Provisions in Florence – a nonprofit that collaborates with other nonprofit agencies and ministries to distribute resources such as food to people in need.

The U.S. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion defines food insecurity as a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food.

Like many places, Northern Kentucky has residents who experience food insecurity on a daily basis. A Feeding America database listed the food insecurity rate of Boone County at 7.1%, Kenton County at 10.1% and Campbell County at 9.8%.

Additionally, research shows people of color are more likely to experience food insecurity. A 2021 USDA study found that nearly 20% of Black individuals lived in a household that was food insecure.

“The areas that we see that are commonly getting asked for help are the Northern Kentucky river cities – more urban areas of Northern Kentucky,” Master Provisions Development Manager Travis Nipper said. “Then there are the more rural areas, so the counties, as well. It’s almost like there’s kind of like this geographical band in between the two.”

Some of the primary causes of food insecurity include poverty, low income, unemployment, and lack of access to healthcare and affordable housing, according to Feeding America.

Nipper said various economic pressures often lead to food insecurity in Northern Kentucky.

“Just issues of unemployment and underemployment combined with inflation, I think what that has done is just put a lot of families in the margin for error, so to speak, which is so much smaller for families right now,” Nipper said.

Food prices rose by 4.9% from July 2022 to July 2023, according to a consumer price index report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The report highlights a combination of factors that have led to the steady rise of food prices, such as inflation and pandemic-related supply chain disruptions. At the same time, food production costs have increased an estimated 4.1% in 2023, according to the USDA.

Besides rising costs, Northern Kentucky residents experiencing food insecurity sometimes don’t have access to reliable transportation, which can affect how often they are able to travel to the grocery store. The Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky, or TANK, is the only public transit system in the region, leaving options limited for alternative modes of transportation.

Diving deeper into the numbers, residents within ZIP codes that include Northern Kentucky river cities have some of the highest percentages of occupied households with no vehicles available, according to the BE NKY Atlas.

Continues on page 6

Owners Shelly DeFelice-Nelson and Patrick Nelson at Dee Felice Market. Photo by Joe Simon | LINK nky contributor

Dee Felice Market offers plenty of fresh produce. Photo by Joe Simon | LINK nky contributor

More than 16 percent of people in the 41016 ZIP code, which includes Ludlow, don’t have a vehicle available to them, according to the Atlas.

In the 41011 ZIP code, which includes Covington and parts of Fort Wright and Fort Mitchell, that number is over 17%. And across the Licking River in Campbell, in the 41071 ZIP code that includes Newport and Southgate, just under 14% of people don’t have access to a personal vehicle.

“I think at the end of the day, it’s having to make a choice over, ‘Do I have a car, or do I have proper food on the table?’” Nipper said. “Some parents think about skipping a meal or skipping a couple of meals a day so that the kids can eat. So, they’re just making those tough choices.”

Master Provisions partners with local soup kitchens, shelters, food pantries, churches and school programs to distribute a mix of fruits, vegetables, bakery items, snack items, frozen items and canned goods rescued from grocery stores and other retailers. At the moment, Master Provisions is working with over 262 nonprofit organizations, nearly half of which are in Northern Kentucky, Ruebusch said.

“It’s funny because all the food that comes in, those corporations have deemed not worthy, and then we see it, and it’s still good,” Ruebusch said.

Additionally, Master Provisions is part of the Northern Kentucky Safety Net Alliance food committee, a collective of over 150 nonprofit organizations, government

agencies and faith-based organizations in the region to help provide an additional safety net for people.

Master Provisions works alongside large supermarket chains like Kroger and Costco, as well as distributors like Tyson, to rescue food that is either mislabeled, expired or that is cleared when the supermarkets wipe inventory. Those food items are considered spoilage, or the waste or loss of food material that occurs during the manufacturing process. Ruebusch estimates that approximately 10% of food items they receive each month are considered unsalvageable.

Master Provisions owns its own fleet of trucks that venture to food distribution warehouses to pick up food. They then re-

turn it to their own warehouse, organize and label their supply, and display it for food banks to pick up and put in their own inventory.

“We have these upstream relationships with Kroger, food manufacturers like Flowers Bakery for bread, Costco, we maintain those relationships, and then the downstream relationships are with the 262 smaller nonprofits that are essentially on the front lines,” Nipper said. “Where we see a lot of those partnerships grow are in those geographical areas that we mentioned.”

On the other hand, neighborhood grocery stores like Dee Felice Market fill in the gaps where large supermarket chains cannot. West Covington may not meet the standard

Photo by Joe Simon | LINK nky contributor Dee Felice

Photo by Joe Simon | LINK nky contributor

definition of a “food desert,” but it does for a “food swamp.” Healthline.com defines a food swamp as a neighborhood or geographic area with a greater concentration of outlets that sell less nutritious foods, such as fast food.

Dee Felice Market is within a half-mile of multiple fast food restaurants such as Burger King, McDonald’s, Gold Star and White Castle. The closest supermarket is the Madison Avenue Kroger, which is 1.3 miles away, or about a 29-minute walk. For many of the residents in West Covington’s MainStrasse and Mutter Gottes neighborhoods, Dee Felice Market provides a convenient, walkable option for grocery shopping.

Neighborhood grocery stores also offer competitive prices compared to large supermarket chains. While supermarket giants can cut deals with wholesalers, neighborhood grocery stores have found other ways to remain competitive. Notably, maintaining good relationships with wholesalers and local suppliers can help independent stores craft affordable deals for bulk food orders. There is less corporate tape to jump through, oftentimes allowing store managers to speak directly with suppliers, cutting out the middleman.

“A lot of people think that when you go into a smaller market like ours, it’s going to be expensive because that’s how you make it. But we don’t do that,” DeFelice-Nelson said. “Our prices are very close to Kroger’s pricing, if not the same. We’re not overpriced at all because we want to stay competitive. We want to be the right fit for our customers.”

LINK nky visited a Dollar General located at 1722 Madison Ave. and a Kroger at 1525 Madison Ave. to compare prices for a

half-gallon of milk, carton of eggs, loaf of bread and bushel of bananas with the prices at Dee Felice’s.

When comparing Dee Felice’s prices of those products to Dollar General and Kroger, LINK nky found that they are slightly more expensive than the in-house brands for the two store chains. Some items at Dee Felice are comparable to Dollar General and Kroger, while others vary.

Items such as a loaf of bread are more expensive because Dee Felice only sells two brands of bagged, loafed bread. Instead, it chooses to focus on freshly baked, homemade breads, which are some of the most popular items in the store, DeFelice-Nelson said. A loaf of Sara Lee Artesano bakery bread at Dee Felice costs $4.79, but DeFelice-Nelson said most customers aren’t shopping there to buy a loaf of white, sandwich bread. In comparison, Dollar General sells a loaf of its generic-brand bread for $1.50. A loaf of Kroger’s generic-brand white bread costs $1.99.

At Dollar General, a carton of a dozen eggs costs $1.65, while at Kroger it costs $1.59. In comparison, Dee Felice sells a carton of free-range Fischer Family Farms eggs for $4.89. A half-gallon of 2% milk at Dollar General costs $2.30. At Kroger? $1.89. Dee Felice’s half-gallon of Prarie Farms 2% milk costs $2.49.

The Madison Avenue Dollar General does not offer produce like bananas, while Kroger and Dee Felice do. Kroger sells bananas for 49 cents a pound, while Dee Felice sells them for 99 cents a pound. This demonstrates the lack of healthy options many shoppers in this district face if they rely on Dollar General for groceries.

All of these items could be purchased at neighborhood grocery stores when DeFelice-Nelson was growing up, she said. Those were far more common, ingrained into the fabric of the city. In fact, they were a quintessential aspect of urban life across the United States. DeFelice-Nelson recalled visiting such stores during her childhood. Specifically, she recalled that there were “over 200 local grocery stores in Covington alone.”

“My grandmother lived in North Fairmount (Cincinnati), and there was a local grocery store and butcher shop on the first floor,” DeFelice-Nelson said. “We went down there every day and shopped.”

The advent of large supermarket chains such as Kroger, Walmart and others squeezed out the need for many smaller grocery stores. Instead of going to a local butcher shop or deli in their neighborhood to purchase meat, shoppers could now just go to Kroger and get competitively priced goods, along with everything else they need in one place. Economies of scale helped squeeze out many small grocery stores.

In relation to food insecurity, urban residents had to travel far less to get access to fresh produce, protein and other dietary staples. When the industry consolidated, so, too, did the choices many people had for food.

Dee Felice Market isn’t the only community grocery store helping combat food swamps and food deserts. The prevalence of food delivery services such as Kroger Delivery has helped customers in rural areas gain access to inventory from larger supermarkets, assuming they can afford the delivery fee. Local farmers markets like the Coving-

ton Farmers Market also offer people living within urban and rural food swamps access to fresh produce.

In the fight against food insecurity – and preventing food swamps and deserts –nonprofits, neighborhood grocery stores, and large supermarket chains oftentimes must work hand-in-hand. While there is an economic incentive for small and large markets to compete, there is an even greater need to provide quality and nutritious food to all members of the community.

Dee Felice Market in Covington. Photo by Joe Simon | LINK nky contributor

New NKU president: ‘She brings the whole package with her’

BY HALEY PARNELL | LINK nky REPORTER

“I see her as a consummate communicator, that she is both assertive and empathic. She’s both bold and compassionate. She’s both confident and caring. She can do the tough stuff and call people on the carpet, and she can also be a warm listening ear and a shoulder to cry on. She brings the whole package with her.”

Russ Proctor, professor emeritus of communication, first worked with Northern Kentucky University’s new president, Cady Short-Thompson, when she was an adjunct professor at NKU in the late 1990s. Chairing the search committee, he was involved with hiring Short-Thompson in a tenure-track role. Proctor said Thompson’s students love her, and people want to follow her leadership, so he encouraged her to apply for the position of president when it became available.

Short-Thompson is the university’s seventh president and the first woman to serve in the permanent role.

“They can trust that this is somebody who really looks out for their best interests,” Proctor said.

Short-Thompson said that when she found out about the opening, she started talking about possibly returning to where she started. Out of Short-Thompson’s 25 years in higher education, 14 were spent at NKU as a faculty member and a leader. She said the through line has always been about education and preparing students to realize their educational and career goals.

“I love the mission of NKU,” Short-Thompson said. “I love the people of NKU. I’ve known them for so long. They’ve been a part of my life, whether I’ve worked here or not. And it just seemed like the perfect culmination of everything I’ve known and done and a chance to return home, which is not a typical treat that people get to experience, and it just seemed right, and it worked out.”

As Short-Thompson returns to NKU, she comes with experience from her roles as a professor at Hope College and dean of the University of Cincinnati Blue Ash College. She said her role as dean was essentially the same thing as president.

Short-Thompson said those seven years at Blue Ash were formative for her growth as a leader of higher education institutions. Her responsibilities included academics, finances, fundraising, facilities and community engagement.

“So, a lot of the same skill sets, a lot of the same experiences, but then I think you wrap around it a real affinity for the place and the people and the mission and put my heart in it, not just my head in it,” Short-Thompson said.

After Proctor had served as Short-Thompson’s supervisor, she became his supervisor. Proctor laughed as he recalled she was younger than he was, and he was a full professor, and she was an associate professor.

“So, when I came in for my annual review, I walked in the door, and we just burst out laughing like this was very funny that she was now going to be the person reviewing my work,” Proctor said.

After they got past the laughs, Proctor recalled Short-Thompson telling him he wasn’t being professionally challenged enough and wanted him to try his hand at a graduate and online course. He said that the following year, he did just that. He taught a graduate course in a hybrid format.

“I’ve used that as an illustration when people call me to be a reference for her of the fact that even though we were close friends, and even though I had once been her boss, she had no difficulty saying, ‘Russ, you need to grow, you need to stretch, you need to challenge yourself, you can do more and do better’ and that that speaks to who she is as a leader. She’s always trying to get the very best out of the people she leads.”

Short-Thompson is stepping into a role that must find the path forward for the university amid a budget deficit. In June, NKU approved its operating budget for the upcoming school year, reducing its deficit from over $24 million to $9.6 million.

There are a lot of different steps that will need to be taken, Short-Thompson said, but the primary one is to drill down into enrollment management.

At both of her previous institutions, she said she worked to create a strategic enrollment management plan that spelled out the university’s future of enrollment, admissions and retention. Short-Thompson said this affects the budget more than anything as it relates to tuition, fees and success metrics of students.

“I’d like to really bring some of what I’ve learned elsewhere to NKU to think through with people — faculty, staff, cabinet, about

how to best define the most strategic way to grow and to strengthen the institution,” Short-Thompson said.

She also said there is a lot of untapped potential to help strengthen NKU’s financial future as it relates to connecting the university to the region’s corporations and organizations for support. Short-Thompson said there is room to grow how the university connects with those who employ its students and donate to the school.

“NKU is young. We’re 55, we’re growing up, and I think that strengthening our base of financial support will be critical to growth,” she said. “You can’t underestimate the amount of work that all of us are engaged in as we grow the different pipelines of people, gifts, donations and grants to strengthen our financial future.”

Short-Thompson said that because of her experience working with different groups, she recognizes the importance that different roles play.

Relationships between the NKU Faculty Senate and the NKU Board of Regents have been fractious amid the budget deficit and a closed presidential search process. Short-Thompson said there’s too much work to be done to be waylaid by negativity and wringing hands over the past.

“I’ve learned just from listening and in interviews and other meetings that each of these constituents cares deeply about the institution,” Short-Thompson said. “I think there’s just been a challenging time that everyone, in their own way, has been working through, and challenging times bring emotions. I think we have to commit ourselves to working well with each other and recognizing that it takes all of us for the institution to thrive.”

Proctor told LINK nky that NKU was lucky that Short-Thompson was on the market because she brings a knowledge of the university that no one else could have brought to the table.

“She knows the place inside out,” Proctor said. “She understands the culture. She understands the region. She understands the unique mission of NKU. I kept telling her during the process, ‘No one is more qualified for this than you are.’”

Cady Short-Thompson is NKU's seventh president. Photo provided | Cady Short-Thompson

Covington residents rally against distribution of antisemitic, Nazi flyers left around town

BY NATHAN GRANGER | LINK nky REPORTER

Covington's Mainstrasse neighborhood joined other communities in the Greater Cincinnati region in witnessing distributions of stickers and flyers displaying Nazi, racist and antisemitic literature in August and September.

“In 2019, a community member reached out to me with pictures of stickers that had been popping up,” said Mainstrasse resident and local activist Missy Spears. “And they were like, ‘Do you know what this means?’”

According to Spears, literature distributions of this kind happen at regular intervals throughout the neighborhood. Since 2019, she’s taken it upon herself to document and broadcast the stickers when they crop up to inform the community and maybe even catch the people who are doing it.

Spears posted the most recent round of stickering on her Facebook page in August. LINK nky has chosen not to display the images, but the stickers offer a grim combination of imagery – swastikas with racist and antisemitic epithets juxtaposed with images of the Japanese cartoon character Hello Kitty.

It’s unclear from the stickers themselves if they’re from a particular group or organization, but Spears said that identifiable white supremacist groups have posted recruiting material in the past. The first such organization she noticed was Patriot Front, a group involved with the Unite the Right rally that took place in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, which eventually led to the death of counterprotester Heather Heyer.

The distributors try to put their paraphernalia in places where they’re easily noticed. “It would be stickers on businesses or on (street) corners,” Spears said. “They get business cards printed, and they slip them in the books (at shops). … They had little posters that they would put up on the neighborhood corkboards around town. So we started organizing in the neighborhood group, just putting up pictures of what the stuff looked like and what streets and what areas we would find it in.”

Mainstrasse isn’t the only area in the region that’s had to deal with this. As reported by

WCPO, at least five Cincinnati neighborhoods have also recently seen the distribution of hateful or antisemitic flyers and literature – downtown Cincinnati, Walnut Hills, East Walnut Hills, Loveland and Anderson Township.

“In the simplest of terms, this is a constant issue,” said Ari Jun, the director of the Jewish Community Relations Council.

Jun is a rabbi and frequently speaks with the media about antisemitic incidents in the Greater Cincinnati region. He said that the problem is, in fact, much more widespread than many people realize.

“While they may only see reporting on a flyering incident such as this every few months … we deal with them dramatically more often than that,” Jun said.

The Jewish Community Relations Council tracks antisemitic incidents throughout the Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati region. Jun also referenced data collected by the Anti-Defamation League, which collects data on antisemitic incidents nationwide and displays it on its website.

When LINK nky spoke with Jun earlier this month, he said the council had tracked about 61 incidents of antisemitism over the past 12 months. These included literature distributions like those seen in Mainstrasse, as well as more dangerous inci-

dents.

“That means that we’re dealing with an incident of antisemitism in the Cincinnati area about once a week,” said Jun.

One of the most notable incidents of antisemitism occurred in West Chester at an event put on by the West Chester Tea Party on Sept. 5. The group hosted a presentation at the St. Gertrude the Great Church from Harald Zieger, a Miami Township resident, whose talk trafficked heavily in antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories. Antisemitic language also featured prominently in the group’s messaging after the event.

“This instance of antisemitism is probably the worst thing in our region in terms of normalized, hateful, antisemitic rhetoric that I’ve seen in a long, long time,” Jun said in WCPO’s coverage of the event. “This is not normal.”

Jun is knowledgeable about many of the antisemitic organizations in the country, but the stickers in Mainstrasse threw him for a loop.

“The one in Northern Kentucky, I do not recognize it,” Jun said. Moreover, unlike some of the flyers distributed in Cincinnati, no one seemed to be willing to claim the stickers.

“It’s bizarre, and I will say it’s disconcerting,” Jun said.

Covington residents are rallying to deal with the distribution of antisemitic and Nazi flyers in Mainstrasse.

Photo by James Robertson | LINK nky contributor

kenton county news briefs

Concepts reveal upcoming out-of-this-world art installation at Covington parking garage

ing, Clive’s head will be 7 feet tall, and his magnifying glass will stick out 9 feet from the parking garage wall. In total, Clive will weigh around 600 pounds.

“So, we’ve spent, over about the last six months, about 800 hours working on the fiberglass and Clive and refining the idea,” said Mark Phelps, owner of with AlloyFX.

the best

The installation, which is slated to be in place within a few weeks, is part of a city-funded quality-of-place grant program that works to “creatively enhance the physical appearance of the city’s business districts” through public art and other creative elements, according to a news release from the city.

gets residents excited about where they live,” said meetNKY’s Julie Kirkpatrick.

Clive’s announcement follows soon after the annual symposium of the Mutual UFO Network, known as MUFON, which was held in August at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center. MUFON is a Cincinnati-based nonprofit UFO investigation and research organization.

14-year-old arrested, being charged in connection with 4 Roebling Bridge bomb threats

Covington will soon be home to a new otherworldly presence named “Clive.”

A collaboration among meetNKY, AlloyFX and the city of Covington has led to the creation of Clive, a massive alien statue soon to be installed at the Midtown parking garage at Fifth and Scott streets in Covington.

The design, created by AlloyFX, features an alien (Clive) looking down with a magnifying glass at the street. Based on a render-

“And this project here today that we are unveiling, Clive, gives us our very own space alien,” Covington Mayor Joe Meyer said, while donning alien-eye-shaped glasses at a press conference on Sept. 22.

“Thank you to the entire economic development team that really understands that building a place (where) people find something unexpected around every quarter and every corner gets visitors here (and)

A 14-year-old has been arrested in connection with several recent John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge bomb threats.

The juvenile was taken into custody in Michigan on an unrelated matter on Sept. 22, according to Covington police. The teen is being charged in Kenton County with four counts of terroristic threatening in the first degree concerning the Roebling incidents.

On Sept. 13, investigators said they received a 911 call around 5 a.m. The person

on the line threatened to shoot police and put pipe bombs on the bridge, according to Covington Police Capt. Josh Bornhorn. At one point, Bornhorn said, the caller demanded $400,000.

Then, on Sept. 17, the bridge was closed for several hours following another threat. On Sept. 19, a threat was called in around midnight, and the bridge was closed for about two hours. The bridge was then closed from 1 a.m. to 1:50 a.m. Sept. 20 due to another threat.

Just after 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 18, the bridge was shut down due to a package left unattended; however, investigators have not indicated that this incident is connected with the threats.

Housing Authority of Covington to buy Russell Street property for new maintenance facility

The Housing Authority of Covington Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to allow staff to purchase a building on Russell Street, which the authority plans to use as its maintenance facility in the future.

A model version of what the Clive art installation is expected to look like once installed. Photo by Meghan Goth | LINK nky

“The square footage and the dimensions of the building … are very close to everything we need,” said Executive Director Steve Arlinghaus.

The authority’s current maintenance facility is located at the City Heights apartment complex, which the authority is in the process of dispossessing.

According to the organization’s most recent report, 45 of the 366 apartments at City Heights are still occupied. The authority is partnering with Brighton Center in Newport to aid the remaining occupants in finding new housing. It hopes to find new housing for all occupants within the next

The housing authority employs 16 maintenance workers. Once City Heights closes, it will need a new location for maintenance operations.

It had previously identified a property on Donaldson Avenue, which authority staff estimated would cost about $5 million. This new property is estimated to cost about $2 million, with facility retrofitting included.

“So at the end of the day, it’s a $3 million savings in our capital funds that we can apply there for other purposes,” Arlinghaus said.

Specifically, Arlinghaus said the $3 million in savings likely would go to facility improvements at the Latonia Terrace and Golden Tower complexes, both of which the authority manages. Some of the money also could go to potentially buying additional properties throughout the city for authority tenants, Arlinghaus added.

Moreover, the building on Russell Street is right next to the city Public Works building, which will make coordinating its maintenance and service efforts with the city easier.

“We do a lot of interactions with Covington Public Works,” Arlinghaus said. “They also make all the repairs on all our vehicles and such, as well. We get our salt from the Public Works Department from their salt dome.”

Next steps include building inspections and other compliance measures to ensure the maintenance facility will be up to standard with both local and federal regulations.

“This property is offering us a really, really good fit for what our needs are,” Arlinghaus said.

The next meeting of the Housing Authority of Covington’s Board of Commissioners will take place at 4:30 p.m. Oct. 18 at the authority’s central office, 2300 Madison Ave.

Edgewood man get life sentence for more than 80 charges of child molestation, child porn, abuse

A Northern Kentucky man was sentenced Sept. 19 to life in prison for more than 80 offenses including child molestation, child pornography, child abuse and torturing a

cat, Kenton County Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Sanders said in a press release. In March, 39-year-old Christopher Michael Whittaker admitted to physically and sexually abusing his girlfriend’s children, prosecutors said.

Edgewood police began investigating Whittaker after someone living in his home found images and videos of child sexual abuse on Whittaker’s computer, prosecutors said. According to investigators, a search of that computer revealed hundreds of images and videos depicting physical and sexual abuse of multiple children. Prosecutors said the children were known to Whittaker and that he appeared in many of the videos. Prosecutors also said a pet cat was tortured in at least one of the videos.

“We told everyone we’d bury Christopher Whittaker under the prison since the case began, and this is as deep as Kentucky law allows us to dig,” said Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Emily Arnzen. “I’m limited in what I can say about this defendant because he still has similar charges pending in Grant County, Kentucky, but no matter what happens there, the world is a better place with Christopher Whittaker behind bars.”

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The Housing Authority of Covington will spend about $2 million to purchase and retrofit this property on Russell Street to house its maintenance facility. Photo by Nathan Granger | LINK nky

news from other places

Ruling: Trump defrauded banks, insurers for years while building his empire

monitor oversee Trump Organization operations.

Trump’s lawyer, Christopher Kise, said they intend to appeal the decision, calling it a “miscarriage of justice” and “completely disconnected from the facts and governing law.”

Engoron’s decision, days before the start of a non-jury trial in James’ lawsuit, is the strongest repudiation yet of Trump’s image as a wealthy and shrewd real estate mogul turned political powerhouse.

Ohio high school football coach resigns after team uses racist, antisemitic terms to call plays

Brooklyn Schools Superintendent Ted Caleris said in a statement that McFarland “expresses his deepest regret” and that he and the school apologize for “hurtful and harmful speech” that will “not be tolerated.”

Caleris said Brooklyn High School has been contacted by the Anti-Defamation League of Ohio and hopes to use it as a resource going forward.

Police fatally shoot man in Ind. after pursuit during effort to get guns off streets

NEW YORK (AP) — A judge ruled on Sept. 26 that Donald Trump committed fraud for years while building the real estate empire that catapulted him to fame and the White House.

Judge Arthur Engoron, ruling in a civil lawsuit brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, found that the former president and his company deceived banks, insurers and others by massively overvaluing his assets and exaggerating his net worth on paperwork used in making deals and securing loans.

Engoron ordered that some of Trump’s business licenses be rescinded as punishment, making it difficult or impossible for him to do business in New York, and said he would continue to have an independent

BROOKLYN, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio high school football coach resigned on Sept. 25 after his team used racist and antisemitic language to call out plays during a game.

Brooklyn High School coach Tim McFarland and his players repeatedly used the word “Nazi” as a play call in a game against Beachwood High School. Beachwood, a Cleveland suburb, is roughly 90% Jewish, according to the Jewish Federation of Cleveland.

The Brooklyn team stopped using the term in the second half of the game after Beachwood threatened to pull their players from the field, according to a statement from Beachwood Schools Superintendent Robert Hardis. However, several Brooklyn players continued to direct racial slurs at Beachwood players during the game, the statement read.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Police fatally shot an armed man on Sept. 26 during a confrontation in Indianapolis. They had been pursuing him as part of an operation of the Indiana Crime Guns Task Force, a joint effort among central Indiana law enforcement agencies to remove weapons from the streets.

State Police and Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers stopped the man and opened fire on him when he stepped out of a vehicle with a gun, state police Sgt. John Perrine said. Two Indianapolis police officers and one state trooper fired their weapons. None of them was injured. They will be placed on administrative duties while the shooting is investigated.

The Marion County Coroner’s Office identified the man as Ricktez Williams, 27, and said he died of multiple gunshot wounds. He was wanted on a violent felony warrant, Perrine said. Police recovered a handgun at the scene. It was not clear whether Williams fired a weapon.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Last year’s spike in inflation, to the highest level in four decades, was painful enough for American households. Yet the cure — much higher interest rates, to cool spending and hiring — was expected to bring even more pain.

Grim forecasts from economists had predicted that as the Federal Reserve jacked up its benchmark rate ever higher, consumers and businesses would curb spending, companies would slash jobs and unemployment would spike as high as 7%.

Yet so far, to widespread relief, the reality has been anything but: Inflation has tumbled from its peak of 9.1% in June 2022 to 3.7% on the back of the Fed’s rate hikes. Yet the unemployment rate, at a still-low 3.8%, has scarcely budged.

If such trends continue, the central bank may achieve a rare and difficult “soft landing” — the taming of inflation without triggering a deep recession.

U.S. job market has so far defied rising interest rates, high unemployment fears

In a civil lawsuit brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, a judge ruled that Donald Trump committed fraud for years by massively overvaluing his assets on paperwork used in making deals and securing loans. File photo by Artie Walker Jr. | Associated Press

The U.S. job market has displayed surprising resilience and remains at a low 3.8%. File photo by Nam Y. Huh | Associated Press

October

Covington Business Council Fall Golf Social, noon-5 p.m., Devou Golf and Event Center, 1201 Park Drive, Covington Twosomes available for nine holes of golf and networking after-party, $150. Contact acarleski@ cbcky.com or visit cbcky. com

Fall Fest & Taste of Bellevue, 5-10 p.m., Washington and Fairfield avenues. Vendors, music and fun. Free.

Pups & Pumpkins Fall Fundraiser, noon-1:30 p.m., Pendery Park, 4113 Williams Lane, Melbourne, Campbell County. Fundraiser for Caped Canines. Dog costume contest, pack walk, pumpkin painting for kids. Free. See social media for advance raffle tickets or capedcanines.org.

Boone County Farmers Market, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., 1961 Patrick Drive, Burlington

Fort Mitchell City Council meeting, 6:30-7:30 p.m., City Building, 2355 Dixie Highway, Fort Mitchell

Lakeside Park City Council meeting, 7- 8 p.m., City Building, 9 Buttermilk Pike, Lakeside Park

Cold Spring City Council meeting, 7:30-8:30 p.m., City Building, 5694 E. Alexandria Pike, Cold Spring

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

Boone County Fiscal Court meeting, 5:30-6:30 p.m., 2950 Washington St., Burlington

Kenton County Fiscal Court meeting, 5:306:30 p.m., Independence Courthouse, 5272 Madison Pike, Independence

Florence City Council business meeting, 6-7 p.m., City Building, 8100 Ewing Blvd., Florence

Covington Commission legislative meeting, 6-7 p.m., City Hall, 20 W. Pike St., Covington

Elsmere City Council meeting, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Community Center, 179 Dell St., Elsmere

Hike the Trails, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Boone County Environmental and Nature Center, 9101 Camp Ernst Road, Union. Self-guided hikes on three marked trails. Dogs not permitted. Sign-in required at large shelter house. 859586-6101.

Bromley City Council meeting, 6-7 p.m., City Building 226 Boone St., Bromley

Covington Business Council monthly luncheon, 11:30-1 p.m., Embassy Suites RiverCenter 10 E. RiverCenter Blvd., Covington. Featuring Kentucky Reps. Stephanie Dietz, Kim Banta, Kimberly Poore Moser and State Sens. Damon Thayer and Chris McDaniel. $30 members, $40 future members, $45 others. Contact acarleski@cbcky.com.

Crestview Hills City Council meeting, 7-8 p.m., City Building, 50 Town Center Blvd., Crestview Hills

Ludlow City Countil meeting, 7-8 p.m., Municipal Center, 808 Elm St., Ludlow

Park Hills home features pool, nearly acre of land

Address: 1137 Cleveland Ave, Park Hills

Price: $849,900

Bedrooms: Five

Bathrooms: Three (plus one half-bath)

Square feet: 3,500

School district: Kenton County

County: Kenton

Special features: This Park Hills Tudor home is perfect for those who love to spend time outside. It has plenty of outdoor space with nearly an acre of land and a pool, plus it’s within walking distance of Devou Park. With 3,500 square feet, four bedrooms and four bathrooms, this home offers plenty of space for the entire family. Interior features include granite countertops, stainless-steel appliances and a wood-burning fireplace.

WHO YOU’RE WITH MATTERS

The exterior of the home at 1137 Cleveland Ave. in Park Hills. Photo provided | Huff Realty

The living/family room inside the Park Hills property. Photo provided | Huff Realty

The home has an outdoor pool and plenty of outdoor living space. home. Photo provided | Huff Realty

Streetscapes’ Anderson Road trek in Crescent Springs runs gamut from dive bars to nutrition joint

PHOTOS AND STORY BY MARIA HEHMAN | LINK nky CONTRIBUTOR

For this Streetscapes, we visit a healthy hangout and a dive bar, then finish off with some sand volleyball. Anderson Road in Crescent Springs is home to some of the area’s oldest small businesses and just welcomed one more in the past year.

Elevate Nutrition

ergy drinks cause. The majority of flavors are fruity and refreshing, everything one needs in an energy tea. Guests can also add popping boba to any tea or refresher.

Other than protein shakes and herbal teas, Elevate also serves protein bowls and bars, as well as protein coffees. Its drinks and shakes can all be customized to fit each guest’s individual dietary needs and goals.

The space is a cute, uplifting oasis that is family-friendly. Drinks can be made to go, or guests can sit and sip just like they would at a coffee shop.

Irene’s Little Bar

Shakespeare once said, “Though she be but little, she is fierce.” Although the words were written about Hermia from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” they could be applied to Irene, as well. Irene’s Little Bar has been in business nearly 40 years; any small business that lasts that long must be fierce.

Irene’s is a typical neighborhood dive bar, featuring beer buckets, pool tables and cheap eats. The place is exactly as it claims – little – but the atmosphere is always lively

and enjoyable. The interior is adorned with beer signs and sports posters, as any local bar should be. An outside patio, also small, is covered and enclosed, creating a relaxing and reclusive atmosphere. One can easily forget that there are train tracks only a few feet away, until a train passes by.

Irene’s hosts live music on the patio, and every Sunday it has the Bengals on TV, so whether guests want to visit to relax or join other passionate fans, Irene’s Little Bar has something for everyone.

Pee Wee’s Place

Pee Wee’s Place is a hub for NKY natives for food, drink and games. Pee Wee’s does it all: For hungry patrons, it’s open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. For those needing a post-work drink, it’s a full-service bar with plenty of TVs. And for those looking to burn off some energy, it has sand volleyball.

What to Know If You Go:

Elevate Nutrition is in its primary year of business. Even still, it has created a following among fitness fanatic locals.

Elevate serves healthy shakes and energy teas. The shakes are primarily protein shakes, one for pre- and post-workout, as well as meal replacements. It uses protein powder to create shakes that both taste good and are good for you. There are a variety of flavors, from thin mint to peanut butter fudge to birthday cake. These taste just like the real thing, without all the added sugar.

For a midday pick-me-up that isn’t as filling, its energy teas will give the extra push needed to make it through the afternoon. The teas are caffeinated to give a good energy boost without the crash that many en-

Pee Wee’s is best known for its causal atmosphere and reasonable prices. The wings go great with the beer buckets. For football Sundays, starters including fried pickles, nachos and potato skins will keep fans full and focused on the game. The large patio is perfect for watching volleyball matches or enjoying the last days of fall.

Pee Wee’s can be rented for private parties, as well as used for catering. It also hosts a variety of events and just reinstated live music every Saturday. Its social media has the most up-to-date information on events.

Have a street, city or business you want to see covered next? Email Maria Hehman at mchehman@gmail.com and it could be featured on the next installment of LINK Streetscapes.

Elevate Nutrition

Location: 2511 Anderson Road, Crescent Springs

Hours: Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m.; Saturday, 9:30-11:30 a.m.; Sunday, closed Phone: 859-630-6035

Instagram: @elevate_nky

Irene’s Little Bar

Location: 2515 Anderson Road, Crescent Springs

Hours: Sunday-Saturday, 1 p.m.-2:30 a.m.

Phone: 859-341-0549

Facebook: Irene’s Little Bar

Pee Wee’s Place

Location: 2325 Anderson Road, Crescent Springs

Hours: Sunday, 8 a.m.-7 p.m.; Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-11 p.m.

Phone: 859-341-4977

Website: peeweesplace.net

The exterior of Elevate Nutrition.

Irene’s Little Bar’s iconic exterior along Anderson Road.

Elevate Nutrition’s ample menu is written on the wall so guests can easily order.

New head coach, new offense, no problem. Beechwood’s Hayden stands and delivers

BY MARC HARDIN | LINK nky CONTRIBUTOR

Clay Hayden takes a quick snap from center at Beechwood High School’s Edgar McNabb Field. The junior quarterback drops back and stands in the pocket. He fires a short pass into the waiting hands of a receiver. He then rifles a midrange rocket right at a moving target. Later, he lofts a long laser to a deep route runner, hitting him in stride.

Jay Volker is watching Hayden do his thing during practice. He has seen him throw nearly 200 game passes in his first season as Beechwood head coach. Volker likes what he sees.

“He is a true pocket passer. He is a really good athlete and can run when he needs to, but his arm is special,” Volker said. “There are not many quarterbacks that can make every throw, especially in high school. But

Clay is one of those guys. He has a cannon for an arm and knows how to put touch on it when needed.”

The 6-foot-1 Hayden isn’t just strongarming his way downfield with finesse for the three-time defending Class 2A state champion.

“One of the biggest attributes is his ability to read a defense both pre- and post-snap,” Volker said. “We throw the ball a ton, but the way we have attacked defenses with Clay’s accuracy has felt like an extension of the run game. He works hard on knowing defenses and prides himself in that part of his game. This is the part that people don’t see on Friday nights.”

What people are seeing on Fridays is a winning quarterback who has won over Beechwood fans. Why do they love the talent-laden Hayden so much? Let’s count the ways.

Hayden is already a seasoned veteran. He began playing quarterback for Beechwood when he was a freshman. He has appeared in 20 career games for the Tigers.

Hayden has already helped Beechwood win important games. In his first action last year, the Tigers beat Dixie Heights to right the ship after a tough loss to Covington Catholic and didn’t lose another game. -

wood defeated Mayfield, 14-13, in last year’s -

ed seven passes for 116 yards and a touchdown in that contest..

He’s also proved his mettle. Hayden missed last season’s first five games with a knee injury. He returned and played in 10 games while wearing a protective brace on his left knee. He passed for 1,822 yards with 21 touchdowns and just two interceptions.

“It’s great to finally be out here injury-free,” Hayden said.

Hayden has a bit of mystique surrounding him. The Tigers won 14 straight games after he returned from injury. They won last season’s final 10 and stretched the streak into this season’s fourth game.

“He is cool and confident,” Volker said. “Nothing really seems to faze him. That’s what you need at that position. Off the field, he is the same way.”

Hayden put up some big numbers in September. He passed for 433 yards and five touchdowns with the Tigers needing everything he had in a 58-54 home win over Simon Kenton. He exploded for 479 passing yards and seven touchdowns when Beechwood needed all he could muster in a 49-48 overtime win at Dixie Heights.

Hayden ranked among state leaders in virtually every major passing category at the end of September. He amassed 1,909 yards, 22 touchdowns and two interceptions with a 72.3% completion rate, pushing his career totals to 3,900 passing yards, 45 touchdowns and four interceptions.

Beechwood’s offense switched to more of a passing-oriented spread attack under Volker. But most offensive plays and terminology remain basically the same under the direction of returning offensive coaches Greg Hergott and Brandon Berger. That provided continuity for Hayden, allowing him to up his game. The quarterback averaged 182 passing yards per contest last season. This year, he’s averaging 318.

“With his work ethic, he will only get better,” Volker said.

Eastern Kentucky and Middle Tennessee State are among colleges that have shown Hayden interest. His stock should rise as the season progresses, because he has all the protection and weaponry needed to keep the air raid going.

A strong offensive line features tackles Xavier Campbell, Brody Waddell and Mattox Kelly, guards Nick Alexander and Jack Meier, and center Chance Baugh. The top five receivers — Tyler Fryman, Luke Erdman, James Cusick, Talon Linder and leading rusher Chase Flaherty — are solid.

“I’ve got the best supporting cast in Northern Kentucky,” Hayden said.

He also has some heartfelt thanks from his coach.

“I appreciate him and the rest of the upperclassmen for welcoming me into the Beechwood football family,” coach Volker said. “They never questioned any adjustments or changes. They bought in and went to work from the very start. Clay was right there leading the way the entire time. I can’t thank them enough.”

Quarterback Clay Hayden of Beechwood has completed 69% of his career passes. LINK nky file photo

Hayden averaged 182 passing yards per game last season for Beechwood. This year, he’s averaging 318 passing yards per game. Photo provided | Clay Hayden

Ryle boys, Cooper girls make state golf tournament

NKY. Eaglin was flirting with a round in the red, finishing with a two-over-par 74 and in a tie for sixth. The Thoroughbreds senior started his day rough with a double bogey on No. 10, but battled back with three birdies to get to even par after the turn. Eaglin, who broke both of his wrists in December during basketball season, got to one-under-par and atop the leaderboard after 12 holes of play, but three bogeys down the stretch put him over par.

Cooper’s girls finished runner-up at the substate round on Sept. 25, three strokes behind Sacred Heart. Eva Maley finished in a tie for first with Sacred Heart’s Keira Yun, both finishing with three-over 75s. Maley’s round consisted of 13 pars, four bogeys and a birdie.

Sydney Koenig carding a 107.

Cooper now heads to Bowling Green with seven tournament wins under their belt this season, including a fourth straight regional title and a runner-up finish at substate.

The girls state tournament at Bowling Green Country Club is a 36-hole tournament that was set to run Oct. 3-4.

Individuals that qualified from NKY were Bishop Brossart’s Emma Laker (82), Ryle’s Anika Okuda (84), Notre Dame’s Didi Jiradamkerng (90) and Campbell County’s Allison Collins (91).

Notre Dame volleyball moves up in poll; 6 NKY teams ranked

The Ryle boys and Cooper girls golf team made it out of the substate round of the state golf tournament to advance to Bowling Green and play in the state tournament.

The Raiders finished third in the substate round on Sept. 26, grabbing the final team qualifying spot out of the eight teams that participated. They shot a 319, finishing behind South Oldham (303) and St. Xavier (306).

Leading the way was Palmer McKelvey with a 76, McKelvey finishing tied for 11th individually. Palmer’s brother Paxton McKelvey followed suit with a 78, Andrew Roach finishing with an 81, Jake Roscoe an 84 and Tanner Lorms an 86. The Raiders were set to make their way down to Bowling Green for a practice round on Oct. 5, with the 36hole tournament set to begin on Oct. 6 and run through Oct. 7. Their goal in mind is a top three finish.

Newport Central Catholic’s Caleb Eaglin was the lone individual to qualify from

Maley forms a trio with Reagan Ramage, who finished third on Monday with a 76, and Kendall Brissey, finishing ninth with an 82 to bring a dangerous team to Bowling Green. Ramage shook off an early double bogey and bogey on the fourth and fifth hole to eagle the sixth hole and went threeover the rest of the way.

The Jaguars were rounded out by Eva Finke with a 90, Finke finishing tied for 20th, and

Walton-Verona girls soccer makes run to All ‘A’ title game

Walton-Verona’s girls soccer team won its fifth All “A” sectional game in the last six years with a 1-0 victory over Brown on Sept. 13. It followed that up with wins over Sayre (4-3) in the quarterfinals and St. Henry (10) in the semifinals on Sept. 23 before the championship game loss to Bethlehem (30) on Sept. 24.

The championship game appearance was the first in program history.

In the win over Sayre, Cam Christy scored twice for the Bearcats and added an assist. Trinity Bauwens and Kassie Evans added goals, with Emma Landrum and Ava Fuller adding assists. Willis made four saves.

Christy scored the lone goal in the victory against the Crusaders, assisted by Olivia Sams. Willis made six saves. In the 3-0 loss to Bethlehem, Willis had nine saves. Christy, Evans, Bauwens and Macey Sawyer made the all-tournament team for the Bearcats.

As the volleyball regular season hits the home stretch in its final week, six Northern Kentucky teams found themselves in the latest Kentucky Volleyball Coaches Association statewide poll.

Notre Dame was the highest-ranked team among the six, coming in at No. 2 with three first-place votes behind No. 1 Assumption. St. Henry moved up one spot to No. 6, Ryle moved up two spots to No. 11, Simon Kenton up three spots to No. 17, Conner up one spot to No. 20 and Holy Cross coming in at No. 24 after not being ranked in the previous poll.

Volleyball district tournaments are set to begin the week of Oct. 16, with region tournaments following the week of Oct. 23. The first round of the state tournament begins on Oct. 30.

Northern Kentucky owns the last three volleyball state championships, Notre Dame winning in 2020 and 2022, St. Henry taking home the crown in 2021.

Presented by:

As a reminder, our honor is available to any athletics team from any sport at any level – from high school and collegiate to youth to recreational and beyond. Readers can scan the QR code to head to linknky.com to vote for the next Team of the Week.

Photo provided | Walton-Verona Girls Soccer

Notre Dame’s Riley McCloskey (13) and Audrey Dyas (12) go up for a block on St. Henry hitter Alivia Skidmore (left). Notre Dame is ranked No. 2, St. Henry No. 6 in the latest KVCA volleyball poll. Photo provided | Rob Lux

Cooper’s girls golf team finished runner-up at the substate round at The Willows at Kenton County Golf Courses on Sept. 25. The Jaguars now head to Bowling Green for the state tournament. Evan Dennison | LINK nky

Newport Central Catholic’s Caleb Eaglin finished in a tie for sixth with a two-over-par 74 during the substate round on Sept. 26 at The Willows at Kenton County Golf Courses. Photo provided | Ted Jackson

Ludlow Pharmacy closing effective immediately

BY KENTON HORNBECK | LINK nky BUSINESS REPORTER

Another independently owned pharmacy in Northern Kentucky is closing its doors.

Two months after the Fort Thomas Drug Center suddenly shuttered, Ludlow Pharmacy has now permanently shut down, owner Katie Litmer confirmed to LINK nky.

“Please know that this decision was the most difficult decision I’ve ever made,” she said. “Under my family, Ludlow Pharmacy has been a trusted source of healthcare in the community for over 42 years.”

All prescription files from the Ludlow Pharmacy will be transferred to the Walgreens located at 1825 Dixie Highway in Fort Wright.

One of the causes to which Litmer attributed the closure was direct and indirect remuneration fees, or DIRs, implemented by Pharmacy Benefit Managers — third-party companies that are intermediaries between insurance providers and pharmaceutical companies. DIR fees apply to Medicare Part D prescriptions.

DIRs are defined as compensation thatMedicare Part D sponsors or Pharmacy Benefit Managers collect after the pointof-sale. In the note, Litmer outlines how the fee, coupled with the general overhead of running the business, negatively affected profits on a per-sale basis.

When Fort Thomas Drug Center closed in July, proprietor Craig Seether also cited DIRs as one reason for his business’ closure.

“I wish it would have been possible to make this notification earlier and to say our goodbyes in person, but please know that it has been an honor to be a part of the community for the past 30 years. I will forever cherish the time I have spent in this pharmacy sharing stories, jokes and laughs with so many of you, while working alongside some incredible clerks, technicians and pharmacists,” Litmer wrote.

James “Jim” Hagan, 91, of Crittenden passed away on Friday, Sept. 22, 2023, at the St. Elizabeth Hospice Cenaaater in Edgewood.

He was born in Louisville to the late Edward Hagan and Loraine Scott Hagan, lived for many years in New Albany, Indiana, and was a Navy veteran of the Korean War, having served on the USS Eldorado. Hagan was a member of the American Legion Post No. 0219 in Alexandria and the Elks Lodge No. 314 in Florence.

He worked as a concrete finisher, was the superintendent at the Commonwealth Race Course and the old Latonia Race Course and was a groundskeeper for the Kenton County Golf Course.

Hagan was preceded in death by his siblings, Mildred Kendall, Robert Hagan, Mary Louise Barmore, Lillian Hartz and Shirley Hill.

He is survived by his loving wife of 49 years, Linda Moser Hagan; children, Terrie Selph (Billy), James Hagan (Bea), Robert Hagan (Jan), Tamra Hagan, Mark Hagan (Sue) and Michael Hagan (Jessica); brother, Edward Hagan; grandchildren, Sasha, Rachel, Jamie, Amber, Joanie,

Jackie, Jennifer, Jason, Stephani, Dillon, Asher, Tony and Tammy; 23 great-grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews and other loving family members and friends.

Memorial gifts may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital or to the Shriners Children’s Hospital.

James Hagan. Photo provided | Ratterman & Sons Funeral Home

James

Ludlow Pharmacy. Photo by Kenton Hornbeck | LINK nky

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