LINK Kenton Reader - Volume 4, Edition 12 - February 13, 2026
BE NKY focused on the future at annual forum
By Kenton Hornbeck
Two weeks after CBS Evening News highlighted BE NKY Growth Partnership’s contributions to the regional economy, the organization was back to its regularly scheduled programming with its fourth annual ‘BE NKY Forum’ on Jan. 30.
Over the past year, Northern Kentucky’s primary economic organization has been involved in numerous successful initiatives, including the opening of the OneNKY Center in downtown Covington and the conversion of the recently renovated Sims Furniture building on Madison Avenue into an entrepreneurial hub SparkHaus.
Despite choppy economic waters last year in the form of tariffs and interest rates, the organization’s leadership remains focused on 2026 and beyond.
Lee Crume, BE NKY’s CEO, told an audience of more than 250 regional stakeholders on
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Union agrees to sell city hall property to Christ Hospital for $900K
By Kenton Hornbeck
Following the announcement that The Christ Hospital will be coming to Union, the city revealed it was also involved in another real estate deal — this time with a property of its own.
The Christ Hospital, one of the largest hospital systems in Greater Cincinnati, announced it will open a $16 million ambulatory center at the corner of U.S. Highway 42 and Mount Zion Road, slated to open in 2027. With that, The Christ Hospital is looking to purchase additional land in the area surrounding its newest development.
On Feb. 2, the Union City Commission passed multiple municipal orders authorizing the sale of its city building property
at 1843 Bristow Road to The Christ Hospital for $900,000.
In effect, the city declared the city hall property surplus and authorized its transfer to The Christ Hospital. The city then approved authorizing the mayor to execute the deed, purchase contract, lease agreement and any other necessary documents to complete the transaction.
“What I’d like to say to you is that over the past several months, we’ve been working on the future of this city building, all while we’re in the process of constructing our new city building,” Mayor Larry Solomon said. “Tonight, I’m here to announce that this commission has agreed to sell our current building to Christ Hospital.”
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A look at the NKY projects to receive $18.5M in federal funding p5 More renovations are coming to Kenton Co. Schools p6 Cooper grad who began book in high school releases debut novel p7
BE NKY Growth Partnership CEO Lee Crume speakingat the annual ‘BE NKY Forum’ on Jan. 30, 2026. Photo by Kenton Hornbeck | LINK nky
The Union city building. Photo provided | City of Union
PRESIDENT & CEO Lacy Starling
EXECUTIVE EDITOR Meghan Goth
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Jan. 30 that the organization is focused on sustained economic growth.
“We are here to continue this work, to work together to help ensure that we achieve our mission, which is opportunity and prosperity for all Northern Kentuckians,” he said.
This year, the forum’s focus was on Aha! President Amy Holloway’s keynote presentation, which delved deeper into BE NKY’s target industry sectors: information technology, advanced manufacturing, life sciences and supply chain management and support services.
BE NKY tapped Holloway to help create a new three- to five-year business development plan for NKY, something she worked on when the organization launched the inaugural Build + Elevate campaign in 2022.
Holloway said that while she believes NKY will continue to grow, regional leaders must be intentional and adopt a targeted approach to maximize the effectiveness of its collective economic development strategy.
“You have to be targeted to make sure that you achieve the vision that you want, and that’s what we’re here to talk about today is what that targeting looks like for you, and specifically which industries we recommend that you focus your economic development efforts on so that you can achieve
the future that you want for this region,” she said.
Holloway suggests that NKY should concentrate on expanding its four key business sectors by effectively marketing its current assets, aiming to establish itself as a desirable hub for each. This approach will help NKY develop a strong reputation as a significant player in these industries. If successful, the region can then utilize this reputation to sustain further growth. Essentially, NKY should focus on being the best version of itself rather than trying to be “everything for everybody.”
“We want to make sure that we are proactive in driving our growth and what our
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future looks like,” she said. “We’re not just going to let this happen to us, and part of that is being very focused in our economic development efforts that we know who our audiences are. We have limited resources. We can’t be everything to everybody. We need to identify industries and then niches within those industries that are truly great for Northern Kentucky.”
Holloway noted that one of the biggest challenges NKY faces in economic growth is the limited availability of development-ready sites. Crume corroborated her point, saying that regional stakeholders must continue investing in infrastructure to support the development of build-ready sites.
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Aha! President Amy Holloway at the annual BE NKY Forum on Jan. 30, 2026. Photo provided | Lee Crume via LinkedIn
The City of Union is set to move into a new city building on the site of its Union Town Square project upon its completion in 2027, rendering its current building obsolete. The city broke ground on Union Town Square in August 2025.
As part of the agreement, The Christ Hospital will allow the city administration to continue operating out of the building rent-free until June 30, 2027. Solomon said The Christ Hospital would allow the city staff to continue operating out of the building if needed.
“We have known for some time that they
wanted to purchase this building and this property,” Solomon said. “The challenge with us selling now is that we would have no place to go, which means that we would have to wait until 2027 to sell this property after moving into our new building.”
Solomon noted that he had initiated discussions with Andy Poole, The Christ Hospital’s executive director of real estate, several months ago regarding the healthcare provider’s potential interest in the property.
Solomon explained the city’s rationale for the sale, citing economic development as a primary reason. Moreover, he noted that
The Christ Hospital has long-term ambitions to develop the property into an asset for its Union campus.
The Christ Hospital, through a Columbus-based limited liability company called Commonwealth Investment Venture LLC, owns neighboring properties located to the south and east of Union’s city hall at 1831 and 1805-1849 Bristow Road.
“Why is Christ Hospital wanting to pay a premium to own this property now and let us live rent-free until 2027? They simply have a long range plans for this property on which this building sits,” he said. “Moreover, they want to own the entire block of
this property for future expansion and economic development. Now, this is a wise decision on their part, and significantly benefits the City of Union.”
City Attorney Greg Voss, along with Solomon, said the site was appraised at approximately $300,000. The site’s assessed value is $350,000, according to the Boone County Property Valuation Administrator website.
“The appraised value of this is just a little bit more than $300,000 — so you only got about a 300% increase on the value,” Voss said.
MARY
A rendering of Christ Hospital’s new Union facility. Rendering provided | Champlin Architecture
NKY to receive $18.5M in federal funding for several projects
Staff report
The office of Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell announced Feb. 3 that approximately $18.5 million in federal funding will go toward supporting transportation, infrastructure, defense and education projects in Northern Kentucky.
The project’s funding was included in the congressionally approved federal appropriations bill, which awaits the president’s signature.
Below is a list of the federal funding granted to NKY:
City of Covington: $4.5 million
The City of Covington will receive funding for the Covington Central Riverfront Podium and Land Bridge Infrastructure project, which includes a parking garage with more than 600 spaces, a riverfront podium and a land bridge at the former IRS site.
“The support of Sen. McConnell and our other congressional leaders for the Covington Central Riverfront development represents a major investment in public infrastructure for Covington and all of Northern Kentucky,” Covington Mayor Ron Washington said in a news release.
Washington elaborated on the land bridge project at the Feb. 3 meeting of the Covington Board of Commissioners.
“The land bridge will function as an elevated public park, a welcoming green space where families and residents can gather and enjoy views of the Cincinnati skyline,” Washington said.
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport: $9.5 million
CVG will receive $7.5 million to reconstruct a portion of Taxiway M critical to cargo flight operations, followed by another $2 million to reconstruct an apron serving all 21 gates at Concourse A.
Covington’s Life Learning Center: $2.7 million
The funds will support life skills training, career readiness programs, job placement and recovery services for individuals impacted by substance abuse and the opioid epidemic.
Burlington’s Kentucky National Guard facility: $1.875 million
The funds will be used to furnish the Kentucky National Guard’s vehicle maintenance shop in Burlington.
A rendering of the Covington land bridge. Rendering provided | The City Covington
Construction at the Central Riverfront Site in Covington. Photo by Kenton Hornbeck | LINK nky
CVG Airport has adopted technologies that makes traveling easier. Photo provided | CVG Airport
More renovations are coming to Kenton County Schools
By Nathan Granger
More renovations were recently approved for Kenton County Schools.
Specifically, the Kenton County Board of Education approved new design plans for renovations at Kenton Elementary and Taylor Mill Elementary. The board also awarded a bid to Ashley Builders Group for site expansion work at River Ridge Elementary.
Kenton County has been making gradual steps toward numerous renovations throughout the district since the enactment of its 2023-27 District Facility Plan. Several schools were flagged for renovations in the plan, and the Feb. 2 approvals were the next steps for three of those schools.
Kenton Elementary
“This project is very similar to the other elementary projects that we’ve been working on, which have focused primarily on the HVAC systems,” said Kenton County Schools Chief Operations Officer Matt Rigg.
Aside from the HVAC upgrades, the work will focus on replacing the roof and various other improvements to the interior and exterior of the building, some of which date back as far as 1950. Initial schematic designs for the work were approved in May 2025. District documents indicate the expected costs of the work to be just over $17 million.
Superintendent Henry Webb also brought up of the issue of the school gym’s concrete
bleachers — Taylor Mill Elementary also has concrete bleachers, which were discussed at the board meeting last month. The work, Rigg confirmed, would include the replacement of the current concrete bleachers with roll-out bleachers.
“It’s really going to modernize those gymnasiums and make them much safer,” Webb said.
The bidding for this project is expected to begin later this month with an award scheduled for March. Construction is slated to begin April and is tentatively scheduled to continue until August 2027, according to district documents.
Mill, although similar to the work at Kenton, is still early compared to the other two projects discussed Feb. 2.
Schematic designs for the school were approved just last month, and these new design documents will flesh out the work approved in January.
“Once we get through approval, we’ll go back and make sure everything is the way we want it to be, just like we did with Kenton Elementary,” Rigg said. “We’ll come back for approval for those construction documents, so that we can get this project out to bid, which will be a little bit later in the spring.”
HVAC work will be the brunt of the construction, but other proposed improvements include improvements to the bathrooms, classrooms and other parts of the building’s interior, as well as some tuck-pointing improvements. The proposal also calls for a roof replacement, but no changes to parking or traffic circulation.
Early estimates for the Taylor Mill Project put costs of construction at $15 million, not including fees, admin costs and room for contingency funding (i.e. extra money set aside in case some unexpected expense arises). Total cost projections, including all of that ancillary funding, put the project at about $18 million. The district would like to start the project around the end of the school year.
Of the projects approved on Feb. 2, River Ridge is the farthest along. The renovations will focus largely on remedying an issue called stacking, wherein cars line up against each other along Amsterdam Road, from which drivers enter the campus, leading to traffic congestion and safety hazards. Naturally, this is more of a problem at the beginning and end of school days when parents come to pick up their kids.
The board had approved some preliminary plans in September 2025, although initial planning for the renovations dates back to 2023. The 2023 plans stalled due to issues with easements near the school and had to be redone. Final construction documents were approved in December 2025. The plan calls for the construction of a long, looping road around the building, which would then terminate in a new parking lot. The new lot will contain about 90 new spaces, and the loop would be able to accommodate about 150 lined-up cars, Rigg told the board in December.
The work approved Feb. 2 also included some replacement to the lot’s lighting.
Documents submitted to the Board before the Feb. 2 meeting indicate that Ashley Builders Group came in with the lowest bid for the work at roughly $4 million. The district hopes to complete the work by August.
Taylor Mill
The work at Taylor
River Ridge
The exterior of Kenton Elementary in Independence. Photo provided | Kenton Elementary School
The exterior of Taylor Mill Elementary School. Photo provided | Kenton County Schools District
Kenton County Schools new central office in Covington. Photo by Nathan Granger | LINK nky
A site plan showing the planned renovations for River Ridge. Note the loop around the campus, which is designed to address the stacking problem. Design created by Emboss Design. Drawing provided | Kenton County Schools District
Cooper graduate set to release debut novel, started in high school
By Haley Parnell
Afascination with history and family roots pushed Peyton Schroer to start writing a book at 15, a project that is now set to be published as a novel.
Schroer, a Randall K. Cooper High School graduate, started writing his novel, “Legacy Never Dies,” as a sophomore. Now, in his first year at the University of Kentucky, the book is going through the process of being self-published by Schroer.
Events from English history, including the English Civil War, helped inspire themes for the book. Schroer said he has always been interested in his family history, notably his grandmother’s lineage, who was born in Northumberland, England.
“I know that everybody’s not going to be interested in history,” Schroer said. “I know that not everybody is going to be interested in the English Civil War. However, I think that it needed to be written about, because it’s not well known about. At the same time, people need to start reading more and getting off electronics, and I just want to deliver them a story that resonates with people, with good characters. It’s more storytelling than history, but I also want people to learn a little bit of history.”
Schroer finished writing the book at age 17 when he was a senior, then spent the summer editing, and is now in the final stages of publishing. He said that the work was
done with a huge support system. His mom helped edit the entire book, and his former AP European History teacher, Justin Earsing, who is now an assistant principal at Cooper High School, helped him get resources and understand certain historical events.
Earsing said Schroer would stay after class or after school to have historical conversations relevant to his book.
“He’s just a dedicated kid,” Earsing said. “Probably one of the most focused, goal-driven students I’ve probably ever taught in my 10-plus years of teaching.”
Schroer also gave a shout-out to his ninthgrade English teacher, Hayley Dant, who was named the 2025 Kentucky High School Teacher of the Year, for inspiring him to write the book.
“She made characters come to life, and I wanted to do the same thing in my book that she [Dant] brought to us with class every day, and I just had so many people help me out with it,” he said. “It takes a community.”
Schroer said self-publishing his book was a dream he had when he started writing it at 15. To do so, he had to obtain a copyright claim, which took about two to three months. Then he decided to self-publish through Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing, which he said was a fairly easy process.
“Legacy Never Dies” was released on Feb. 1 and is available for order as an eBook on Amazon, with paperback copies planned for release soon.
“Peyton is goal-driven, he’s goal-oriented,” Earsing said. “If Peyton wants to do something, he’s going to do it. That stems from his academic work, his athletic things, and then obviously, the fact that he took fiveplus years to start a book and get it to the point where it’s close to release.”
Schroer said he encourages people to follow their dreams and learn about their families’ origins.
“Those are really my two missions for this book, and to read more,” he said. “Just read more.”
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The photo Schroer took on a trip to England inspired the book’s cover. Photo provided | Peyton Schroer
The cover of “Legacy Never Dies.” Photo provided | Peyton Schroer
kenton county briefs
Erlanger officials push back on state property tax exemption proposal
Erlanger City Administrator Mark Collier said at the Feb. 3 city council meeting that his staff had to “play a little defense” in the face of certain legislation coming from Frankfort.
“We are in the middle of the general assembly, and staff continues to meet with our state legislators to ensure they understand Erlanger’s priorities,” Collier said.
The act in question is House Bill 75, which aims to amend the state’s constitution by adding a new clause to the first section. Brought forward by local Reps. T.J. Roberts, Kim Banta and Marianne Proctor, the amendment will give owners the right to exempt their primary residence and primary vehicle from all property taxation after the year 2028.
Erlanger Mayor Jesscia Fette said she brought up the proposed law at the most recent Kenton County Mayors Group.
“Everybody that I have spoken to is not for this, because they understand that property taxes make up about 25% of our revenues,” Fette said.
Fette said she also composed and sent a memo to Erlanger’s state representatives and to Roberts. She said the response she received was, “Well, Colorado does it, so go talk to your colleagues over there and see how they figure it out.”
How does Colorado figure it out? Well, the Centennial State allows property tax exemptions for primary residences, but only under specific circumstances — such as if the owner is a disabled veteran or a senior citizen. Even then, though, the exemption is only a 50% reduction applied to the first $200,000 of taxes.
Either way, if the proposed bill passes the governor’s desk in Frankfort, Kentuckians will be able to vote on it in the 2028 election.
Covington to form committee on sidewalk snow removal
Covington Mayor Ron Washington informed the public and the Board of Commissioners on Feb. 3 that he’d asked City Manager Sharmili Reddy to form an internal committee of city staff members to consider solutions to the removal of snow on city sidewalks, especially in the face of ongoing snowfall in the region.
“This is not an easy task,” Washington said. “We have elderly residents who lack the physical ability or financial means to clear sideways, along [with] able-bodied property owners who may not be meeting existing expectations.”
Clearing sidewalks in front of private property in Covington officially falls to residents, even though sidewalks are publicly funded. Reddy released an open letter to city residents on Jan. 29, laying out current regulations to snow removal in the city.
“City ordinance places responsibility for sidewalk snow and ice removal on adjacent property owners,” the letter reads. “This approach is common in cities of our size and reflects a practical reality: Covington has thousands of linear miles of sidewalks, and it would take an extraordinary amount of time and resources for City crews to clear sidewalks citywide. During winter events, our Public Works staff must prioritize streets, emergency routes and critical infrastructure.”
Reddy’s letter acknowledges there are difficulties for certain Covington residents, such as those who are older or not physically able, and encourages neighbors “to look out for one another and assist those who may need help” and that the city hoped to emphasize “encouragement, flexibility and common sense, rather than strict enforcement.”
“Our goal is to have meaningful discussions and ultimately bring clear, workable options before this board to better address sidewalk safety and future snow events while being fair, compassionate and realistic about our community needs,” Washington said on Feb. 3.
The board did not discuss the matter further at the meeting.
Covington to vote on $2.3 M fire truck purchase
Covington Fire is asking the city’s Board of Commissioners to approve a roughly $2.3 million purchase of a new fire truck.
Covington Deputy Fire Chief of Operations Patrick Averbeck presented the proposal to the commissioners on Feb. 3. The board placed the purchase on its next consent agenda, meaning it will likely pass.
If approved, the city would purchase the truck from Atlantic Emergency Solutions,
an emergency vehicle dealer with offices in Wilder and Shelbyville. The truck — or apparatus, as it’s called in the business — itself would be produced by Pierce Manufacturing, a producer with facilities in Wisconsin and Florida.
The truck belongs to the category of vehicles called tractor-drawn aerial ladders, which refer to trucks that pull trailers with extendable ladders. Documents submitted to the board prior to the Feb. 3 meeting stated that the truck’s weight is 52,500 pounds (26.25 tons) and its top speed is 60 miles per hour.
“Our current apparatus is a 2004,” Averbeck said. “The industry standard on the life cycle of a fire truck is 10 to 15 years,” before moving the truck into reserve for 10 years. “At 22 years old, it’s still our frontline truck.”
The fire department had formed an internal committee to explore options before presenting the proposal. Averbeck said that once the order is made, it would take a good four years before the department would even be able to use the truck due to its production turnaround.
The Board of Commissioners did not discuss the ask before placing the item on the consent agenda.
Drees
shares progress on townhomes at Covington Central Riverfront
Fort Mitchell-based homebuilder Drees Homes has issued a progress report on its $7 million development at the Covington Central Riverfront site.
Currently, Drees Homes has finished framing on some townhomes facing Fourth Street. Upon completion, the development will feature 16 townhomes, arranged in four clusters of four. Each townhome will face Fourth Street — just east of Russell Street.
The townhomes will include a mix of twoand three-story layouts, each with three bedrooms, with the option to incorporate two larger suites. Each home will feature
a rear-access two-car garage and elevated outdoor living areas.
“We’re thrilled to see the Covington Riverfront Townhomes taking shape. This project represents more than new construction — it’s a shared vision with the City of Covington to create attractive, urban housing opportunities in one of the region’s most vibrant settings,” Drees Homes Townhomes Division President Scott Drees said in a news release. “Together, we’re bringing modern design and convenience to a location that offers unmatched walkability and connectivity. It’s exciting to deliver homes that combine style, comfort and the energy of downtown living for future homeowners.”
Covington townhomes became available for purchase Jan. 31, with prices beginning in the mid-$600,000 range, with flexible financing options.
Drees Homes stated that the project aligns with its expansion plans as the company approaches its 100th anniversary in 2028.
What does the future look like for TANK?
The Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky, or TANK, revealed preliminary plans for changes to its route and service structure at a special virtual meeting on Jan. 28.
The meeting followed roughly six months of public input, and although the changes on display had not been finalized, it provided a window into how TANK services may change in the future.
Although some routes will likely see reductions or even disappear entirely, the presenters wanted to emphasize one point: “Almost all customers will continue to have service.”
Those remarks were delivered by Thomas Wittmann, a transportation planner from Nelson\Nygaard, a transit consulting firm based in Boston that’s working with TANK to develop feasible revisions given TANK’s budgetary constraints.
TANK was forthright with its issues at the meeting. Essentially, the cost of running services exceeds the amount of money it’s bringing in. Help from the federal government is declining, and over the past 10 years, it has been working to ensure it remains financially sustainable while providing as much service to the region as possible.
Current projections indicate that as much as a 10% service reduction might be required if the agency is unable to find a way to bolster its revenue. In July 2025, it launched a project to assess its current service structure and gather public input about what the community needed.
The public input included public information-gathering sessions, both in person and virtually; an online survey, which, according to the presenters, received over 1,000 responses; and the distribution of literature at key transit sites throughout the region.
Snow piled onto sidewalks in the Mutter Gottes neighborhood. Photo by Nathan Granger | LINK nky
Covington firefighters respond to a fire on Wallace Avenue in 2022. Photo provided | Katie Woodring Photography
Progress at Drees Homes’ Covington Central Riverfront development. Photo provided | Drees Homes
A sunset in Erlanger. Photo by Case Fenner | LINK nky contributor
The public input came away with several key insights:
• Regular busing, not TANK’s curb-tocurb services, are still what people most want
• People were concerned about loss of service, especially in Dayton and Bellevue along TANK Route 12
• The community strongly supports continued services of the Southbank Shuttle
• People didn’t want more service cuts
So what may or may not change?
TANK did not request any changes to operating times, and many routes would remain unchanged. However, one key change that would likely occur is the reduction in the number of routes that would travel across the river directly to Cincinnati, namely routes 5, 7 and 8.
Those routes would not be eliminated altogether, but they would no longer go across the river. Instead, commuters would need to connect to routes 1, 25 or 3 at the Covington Transit Center if they wanted to travel to Cincinnati.
Routes 16, 39X and 40X would be consolidated into other routes. In a worst-case scenario, routes 25X, 30X, and the Southbank Shuttle would have to be eliminated entirely, but the presenters emphasized that none of these changes had been finalized yet. The earliest any of them would occur would be 2027, and even then there would be new rounds of public outreach
and input before any changes took effect.
TANK staff will present its preliminary plan to its Board of Directors this month.
The presenters opened up the meeting to questions after their presentation. Many of the questions concerned specific routes, but some people asked about ways to bolster TANK’s finances.
One attendee, for instance, asked if TANK could ask for a sales tax levy like those that have been approved by voters in Hamilton County across the river.
Nope, said TANK General Manager Gina Douthat. Compared to Ohio, Kentucky communities are constrained in raising sales taxes.
“We legally cannot go out and ask for a sales tax in Northern Kentucky, [or] the entire state,” Douthat said. “The counties would have to do that on our behalf,… which is not a very popular thing right now.”
The three counties contribute roughly $20.5 million altogether to TANK’s budget. Cities and counties are not allowed to levy sales taxes at all, and the likelihood of raising property taxes at the county level is dependent upon the political will of county elected representatives and their constituents.
It’s worth noting that increased transportation options are a desired community priority that frequently arises in county comprehensive planning processes.
Another attendee asked if TANK staff was attempting to rally support for itself among local leadership. Douthat said that currently, TANK is mostly in a planning phase and is spending most of its time gathering information from the public. However, she did encourage the attendees to advocate on behalf of TANK if they felt its services were essential.
“What you can do is make sure that the people in your community that are in leadership positions understand how important TANK is to you,” Douthat said, “and that TANK is your link to a job or your link to getting to school for education purposes or to getting to the doctor or however you use TANK. Ensuring that other people understand that it’s important to you is really helpful to us when we’re talking to those elected officials.”
Strong’s Pizza, Gold Star team up for chili-topped pizza collaboration
‘Tis the season for comfort foods, and this winter, Strong’s Pizza and Gold Star are partnering to bring Greater Cincinnati a combination of foods: Cincinnati chili and brick oven pizza.
Strong’s will feature an official “Gold Star Chili Pie” limited-time pizza menu, featuring three specialty pies. The pies are available available through March 8.
Gold Star OG Pie: Strong’s famous dough, Gold Star Chili base, mustard, onions and
COMMISSIONER’S SALE
CAMPBELL
COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT
cheddar cheese.
Gold Star Dip Deluxe Pie: Strong’s famous dough, ricotta and cream cheese blend base, Gold Star Chili, shredded cheddar cheese, tomatoes, onions and sour cream.
Gold Star Pie-rito: Strong’s famous dough, Gold Star Chili base, shredded cheddar cheese, Fritos corn chips and chipotle ranch.
Crackers, hot sauce and onions are optional add-ons.
All Strong’s locations across the Tri-state will be offering the specialty pizzas:
• Lawrenceburg, Indiana
• Reading, Ohio
• Union, Kentucy
• Bridgetown Road, Cincinnati
(The Newport location is closed for renovations)
CASE NUMBER 25-CI-01015 DIVISION 2
FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION VS.
JOSEPH M. HUTCHINS, ET AL.
BY VIRTUE OF A JUDGMENT RENDERED 1/13/2026 BY THE CAMPBELL CIRCUIT COURT, IN THE ABOVE CAUSE I SHALL PROCEED TO OFFER FOR SALE AT THE CAMPBELL CIRCUIT COURTHOUSE, 330 YORK STREET, NEWPORT, KENTUCKY 41071, OUTSIDE THE FRONT DOOR.
To the highest or best bidder at public auction on 2/17/2026 at 3:00pm, the following property, to-wit: 148 Ridgewood Drive, Alexandria, Kentucky 41001
Group No: 70266/H2
PIDN: 999-99-25-275.92
CASE NUMBER 25-CI-00488
DIVISION 2
HEARTLAND BANK, SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO VICTORY COMMUNITY BANK VS. OHIO VALLEY SOLID SURFACE LLC, ET AL.
BY VIRTUE OF A JUDGMENT RENDERED 9/15/2025 BY THE CAMPBELL CIRCUIT COURT, IN THE ABOVE CAUSE I SHALL PROCEED TO OFFER FOR SALE AT THE CAMPBELL CIRCUIT COURTHOUSE, 330 YORK STREET, NEWPORT, KENTUCKY 41071, OUTSIDE THE FRONT DOOR.
To the highest or best bidder at public auction on 2/17/2026 at 3:00pm, the following property, to-wit: 103 Center Street, Wilder, Kentucky 41071
Group No: 30950/A8 & A9
PIDN: 999-99-17-607.00
BIDDERS MUST BE PREPARED TO COMPLY WITH THESE TERMS. THE COSTS OF THE SALE SHALL BE PAID WITHIN FOURTEEN (14) DAYS OF THE
JOSEPH F. GRIMME, MASTER COMMISSIONER
859-291-9075
Strong’s Brick Oven Gold Star Chili Pizza. Photo provided | Scooter Media Company
Career program helps employees use Amazon as ‘launch point’
By Kenton Hornbeck
Before Amazon IT support associate Djemil Ndama Traore left the podium, he told his fellow graduates, “This is not your finish line, this is your launch point.”
Traore said he wore many hats at Amazon before landing a career in IT, a change made possible by the company’s Amazon Career Choice program, an internal employee education and upskilling program that helps eligible workers pay for training, credentials and degrees.
“My background was really mixed,” he told LINK nky. “I went to aviation, different sales, finance and then HR, just before moving to IT. I focused in cyber security, because that’s something I love: Helping people and then solving problems.”
Traore was among nearly 110 students at Amazon’s campus at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, or CVG, who were recognized by the company upon completing the program. According to Amazon, there were over 1,340 Career Choice participants at CVG, representing around 30% of its campus workforce. Nationally, over 300,000 Amazon employees have participated in the program since its launch in 2012.
Through the program, participants can pursue a variety of fields of study, including skilled trades, aircraft mechanics, technology and IT, healthcare, business management and transportation and logistics.
Additionally, several local universities and trade schools partner with Amazon to offer a range of educational programs, including associate and bachelor’s degrees, industry certifications, GEDs, high school
completion, language courses and career coaching. These partners include Northern Kentucky University, Thomas More University, Cincinnati State, Southern New Hampshire University, 160 Driving Academy and goFLUENT.
As global competition for employees intensifies and the U.S. job market becomes increasingly integrated with artificial intelligence, companies are investing in upskilling programs to enhance employees’ skill sets and, in turn, their value to the company. Upskilling is the process of learning new skills or improving existing ones.
A 2025 analysis by the Society for Human Resource Management found that nearly 90% of organizations are concerned about employee retention. To address this issue, many companies are focusing on upskilling. According to LinkedIn’s 2025 Workplace Learning Report, offering employees
learning opportunities is the most widely used retention strategy.
Amazon is no exception to this trend. As one of the world’s largest employers, Amazon has invested heavily in internal upskilling. In 2019, the company introduced its ‘Upskilling 2025’ pledge to train more than 100,000 workers. Since then, Amazon has invested over $1.2 billion in this initiative.
In 2026, employees such as Traore are the beneficiaries of Amazon’s internal push. Jonathan Akers, assistant general manager at Amazon’s CVG campus, praised the graduates’ accomplishments, telling his co-workers the credentials were well earned.
“To close out the ceremony, an incredible moment today here for everybody, and one that they’ve truly earned,” Akers said.
An Amazon employee receiving a certificate. Photo by Kenton Hornbeck | LINK nky
By Kenton Hornbeck
IBoone County judge/executive candidates
outline vision for county at Tea Party forum
t was a packed house at the Boone County Library in Burlington for the Northern Kentucky Tea Party’s candidate forum on Feb. 4, with candidates from across the region taking center stage to stump for the captive audience.
Although candidates from all three NKY counties participated, the Boone County judge/executive primary candidates faced arguably the highest stakes, as longtime incumbent Judge/Executive Gary Moore is being challenged by county Commissioner Chet Hand.
In Kentucky, the judge/executive has the highest executive authority in county government, acting as the chief executive. This role involves overseeing daily operations, preparing the budget, managing staff and leading the fiscal court — the county’s primary legislative body composed of three commissioners.
In Boone County, the Republican primary in May will effectively decide who occupies the seat starting in January 2027, as no Democrat is challenging either of the two GOP primary candidates. The race is compelling because of the candidates’ familiarity with one another, having served together on Boone County’s fiscal court for the past three years.
Despite sharing a party affiliation, a public working relationship and similar policy prescriptions such as lower taxes, Moore and Hand contrasted themselves along generational lines, which, in their forum speeches, manifested in differing perspectives on issues such as development, governance and incumbency.
Hand spoke first after winning a coin flip. Each judge/executive candidate was allotted 12 minutes to speak, with an opportunity to answer questions from the public afterward.
Chet Hand
Hand was elected as a county commissioner in 2022 after defeating incumbent Charles Kenner in the GOP primary, then ran unopposed in the general election. In addition, Hand served as the chairman of the Boone County Republican Party from 2021 to 2025.
Professionally, Hand currently works as a corporate risk manager in the private sector. According to his campaign website, Hand also worked as a fire captain in Fairbanks, Alaska, for more than 10 years.
Hand told the audience that his decision to run for judge/executive is motivated by long-term concerns for Boone County’s future. Hand said his policy platform centers on conservative fiscal policy, lower taxes, property rights, support for law enforcement and first responders, and long-range planning.
Hand drew on his experience serving on the fiscal court to highlight examples of his legislative and ideological commitment to his policy platform. This included proposals such as changing Boone County’s zoning code to ease regulations on backyard chickens, rabbits and bees, as well as leading opposition to a county-owned electric vehicle charging station.
On taxes, Hand said he favors moving away from property taxes toward sales- or usage-based models, though he acknowledged that such changes would require state action.
Hand also addressed incumbency, criticizing career politicians and arguing that, in his view, long tenure may cause officials to prioritize self-interest over the well-being of future generations.
“I don’t agree with career politicians,” Hand said. “I think it goes against what our country originally intended when it comes to citizen-statesmen who step up, serve their community for a little bit and then get out. It’s not my intention to be a career politician. I have no desire to continue beyond this. I think I’m going to get in, do a couple terms as judge and then get out. I think we can make the course corrections we need in that time.”
Regarding development, Hand said he prefers stricter adherence to the county’s comprehensive plan, rather than frequently approving exceptions, which he argues undermines long-term planning. Hand proposed implementing stricter rules and quantifiable metrics to track growth and development.
To conclude, Hand urged more individuals to participate in local politics, emphasizing that it influences daily life significantly more than federal politics.
“If you look at the political landscape, both locally and nationally, it’s pretty easy to look at and have a dire outlook on the way things are going,” Hand said. “But I think it’s really important the average citizen step up to be involved in local politics, whether that’s contributing to a candidate when
they haven’t done that before, whether that is serving on a board or commission, whether that’s running for office, it’s our vote and our actions have more of an impact here at a local level than they ever do at a national level.”
Gary Moore
Moore is the current judge/executive of Boone County, a position he’s held since 1998. Moore said that he still has more to accomplish as judge/executive, remaining focused on projects he considered unfinished.
Moore leaned into his track record as judge/ executive, arguing that his experience is a valuable asset and that throughout his tenure, he had earned the trust of Boone County voters.
“It’s an honor to serve as your judge/executive, and I do value it, and I enjoy it, and we’re excited to do new things each and every day,” Moore said. “My staff often comments, ‘Here he comes. I wonder what new ideas he’s got today.’ I’m always loading them up with new projects, and if that ever stops, it probably is time to look at retirement or other things. But that’s not happened yet. We’re not finished yet. There’s more to do.”
Moore cited public safety as a key aspect of his campaign, highlighting the county’s low crime rate and attributing it to ongoing investments in law enforcement throughout his tenure. Moore touted his role in the 2001 merger of the Boone County Police Department and the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, in increasing the number of school resource officers, and in hiring more deputies to keep pace with population growth.
Regarding fiscal policy, Moore said he oversaw a continuous reduction in Boone County’s real property tax rate, which, as of 2025, is at 8.5 cents per $100 of assessed value.
Moore placed particular emphasis on his record in infrastructure and transportation, citing numerous road and interchange projects completed during his tenure. He outlined upcoming projects, including improvements to Turfway Road, Camp Ernst Road and State Route 18, which he said is slated for future safety upgrades.
Another area of focus for Moore was economic development, which he attributed to the growth of occupational tax revenue for Boone County. Moore brought up his role in aiding the transition of the Cincinnati/ Northern Kentucky International Airport, or CVG, into a major cargo hub after Delta Air Lines began winding down its hub operations there.
In closing, Moore stressed the value of experience and continuity in leadership.
“I’ve been elected many times, but what that also says is that the tenure that I’ve had, the work I’ve done, the clean audits, all those things, it creates trust,” he said. “People know me. They trust me. They know where my heart is and that I love this county, and that I’m going to do what’s best for it each and every day. That’s why I keep getting reelected, and when we have more to do, and we’re going to continue to move this county forward, I would be honored to receive your vote and your support and to continue to lead this county forward and continue to keep it great.”
Commissioner Chet Hand (left) and Judge/Executive Gary Moore (right) speaking at the Northern Kentucky Tea Party forum on Wednesday. Photo by Kenton Hornbeck | LINK nky
NewCath, Scott and Conner round out
football coach hirings
Three of the six football head coach openings had already been filled at Campbell County, Bishop Brossart and Holmes with Newport Central Catholic, Scott and Conner finding their next leaders of the program recently.
NewCath hired Terry Brown, Scott going with Dustin Trimnell and Conner hiring assistant Chase Floyd.
Brown was named the Thoroughbreds coach on Jan. 30, replacing Stephen Lickert, who resigned earlier in the month to focus on his administrative duties at Withrow High School.
Brown, a 2000 graduate at NewCath, was on Bob Schneider’s staff when the Thoroughbreds won the 2005 state title. He’s been the defensive coordinator at Covington Catholic since 2015 under another NewCath alum, Eddie Eviston.
Brown was head coach at Pendleton County from 2010-14 and has also coached at Campbell County. After graduating from NewCath, Brown played in college at Campbellsville University.
On top of Brown coming back to lead his former school from its playing days, Campbell County’s Rich Honaker, Bishop Brossart’s Jacob Martin and Holmes’ Emanuel Golsby have all returned to their alma mater to lead their respective programs.
Trimnell was officially hired on Feb. 1 and comes over to Scott from Bellevue where he was the defensive coordinator under Chad Montgomery the past couple of seasons. Prior to that, he was an assistant at Newport Central Catholic under Stephen Lickert and also spent time assisting at Dayton, his alma mater.
Trimnell takes over an Eagles program looking for stability, as he becomes the fifth coach since 2022.
The Eagles will be more defensive minded and Trimell’s track record proves that. He guided a Bellevue defense last season that led Class A in takeaways with 32 in 11 games played.
Trimnell is a teacher at Prince of Peace School, where he teaches social studies.
Being instrumental in player development, game preparation and building a culture rooted in accountability and teamwork made this an easy decision for Conner.
Chase Floyd has demonstrated those qualities for the Conner football team since joining the staff in 2018 and is now the head coach of the program. The school made the hiring official on Feb. 2.
Floyd, who recently served as the Cougars’ defensive coordinator, takes over the position after Noel Rash led the team on an interim basis last season following the death of longtime head coach Dave Trosper last summer.
Floyd brings 15 years of coaching experience with him and also has experience playing Division I football at the University of Louisville. He is a Boone County High School grad.
Holy Cross wins third All “A” title in four years
The Holy Cross girls basketball team can now claim something no one else in the state can.
With its fourth All “A” state championship
THE WEEKLY COMIC by Andrew Buchanan
in a 60-42 victory over Owensboro Catholic on Feb. 1, it became the first girls basketball program in state history with four All “A” state titles.
It marks its third title in the last four seasons, winning the other title in 2015, when it also won the KHSAA Sweet 16 state championship.
This year’s run was impressive. It ran through competition, winning by an average of 23.5 points per game and all four wins in the tournament by double-digits. Holy Cross defeated Kentucky Country Day (60-20), Lyon County (59-47), Lexington Christian Academy (54-30) and Owensboro Catholic (60-42) on its way to the title.
After winning its first two rounds against KCD and Lyon County, the tournament was postponed a week due to Winter Storm Fern. Despite the delay, the Indians handled business on Jan. 25, first in the semifinals in the morning and then in the championship in the afternoon.
Jai Johnson was named tournament MVP while Alyssa Arlinghaus, Riley Eberhard
Newport Central Catholic named Terry Brown its next football coach on Jan. 30. Photo provided | Newport Central Catholic High School
Chase Floyd | Photo provided
Scott High School has named Dustin Trimnell as the head football coach. Photo provided | Scott High School
Holy Cross won the All “A” girls basketball state title on Jan. 25 with a 62-40 victory over Owensboro Catholic. Photo provided | MAC
The LINK nky Team of the Week for January 19-25 presented by Ortho Cincy is the Highlands swim and dive teams. Photo provided
Sponsored by
and Avery Sturgeon were named to the All-Tournament team.
Holy Cross improved to 19-2 on the season with the title, the lone two losses coming in overtime to Notre Dame and Campbell County.
Pandas, Bluebirds, Raiders win Region swim titles
The Region 7 swim meet was held on Jan. 31 at Scott High School.
Notre Dame won the girls team title over Highlands, 495-426. Ryle was third with 265 points, St. Henry was fourth with 190, and Conner placed fifth with 169.
Ryle claimed the boys team championship over Highlands, 485-446. CovCath was third with 397, Simon Kenton was fourth with 188, and Scott was fifth with 144.
Highlands won the Combined crown, in which boys and girls scores are added, over Ryle, 872-750.
Ryle’s Chase Knopf and Notre Dame’s Clare Herfel were named the competitors of the year.
Knopf, who’ll swim at University of Louisville next year, won the 200 freestyle by nearly two seconds over Raider teammate Nash Parsons and the 500 freestyle by just
under six seconds ahead of Beechwood’s Cono Presti. He was also part of the Raiders’ winning the 200 and 400 freestyle relay quartets.
Herfel, the defending state champion in the 500 freestyle, won the 200 and 500 Saturday. She beat Panda teammate Danaka Tucker by a little more than three seconds in the 200 and just over six ticks in the 500.
The LINK nky Educator of the Week: Rory Glynn
The votes are in, and this week’s LINK nky Educator of the Week is Rory Glynn of Notre Dame Academy.
Glynn is a journalism/publications/ technology teacher who was nominated by Bill Thompson because “When he left the Enquirer in 2012, he could have coasted into a public relations job, but instead decided to become a teacher.
“Since then, he has taught journalism and coached the tennis team at Notre Dame Academy in Park Hills. Journalism is not the career it once was, but it remains vitally important. Forget the longs hours and low pay, these are the people who are holding government and business leaders responsible for their actions.”
Congratulations to Glynn and thank you to everyone who participated. Voting for the next Educator of the Week starts on Feb. 9.
Notre Dame won the girls team title over Ryle. Photo provided | Jenny Quinn
Ryle won the boys team title. Photo provided | Jenny Quinn
Address: 1 Roebling Way, Unit 406, Covington
Price: $669,000
Bedrooms: Two
Bathrooms: Two (plus one half-bath)
Square footage: 1,775
School district: Covington Independent
County: Kenton
Special features: Located in Covington’s The Ascent, this two-bedroom, two-anda-half-bath condo offers river views of the Roebling Bridge, downtown Covington and the Cincinnati skyline. The kitchen features Sub-Zero refrigeration, a Wolf range, custom cabinetry and a counter bar. The primary suite includes an en-suite bath, a walk-in closet with enhanced storage and in-suite laundry. The second bedroom also offers an en-suite bath, and a powder room provides added convenience for guests. The home includes two deeded garage parking spaces, an assigned storage unit and a private wine locker. Building amenities include a pool, fitness center, sauna, massage room, theater, library, private dining room, outdoor grilling terrace with firepit, guest suites and 24-hour concierge and security.
Two-bedroom condo at The Ascent
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 WORKS TRUCK BID
The City of Walton is accepting bids for a Public Works Truck, full specs can be found at www.cityofwalton.org. Interested parties should submit their sealed bids to the attention of the City Clerk at city hall located at 40 N Main St, Walton, KY 41094. The sealed envelope containing the bid must be marked Public Works Truck Bid before 2PM on Wednesday, February 18, 2026 at which time the bids will be publicly opened and read aloud.
The City reserves the following rights: to reject any and all bids; to waive any informalities; to negotiate for the modification of any bid; and to accept that bid which is deemed most desirable and advantageous from the standpoint of value and service, even though such bid may not, on its face, appear to be the lowest and best price. More information may be found on the city’s website: www.cityofwalton.org.
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Master Commissioner
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The exterior of The Ascent building. Photos provided | Timothy Roberts and Kathleen Comisar with Comey & Shepherd
The river view from this condo’s patio.
A view of this condo’s kitchen and living room.
Edited by Margie E. Burke
The Weekly Crossword
Each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9; each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9; and each set of 3 by 3 boxes must contain the numbers 1 to 9. 4 9 3 6 7 9
Edited by Margie E. Burke
HOW TO SOLVE:
Each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9; each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9; and each set of 3 by 3 boxes
Answer to Previous Sudoku:
27 Infamous soul
62 Set price seller
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