LINK Kenton Reader - Volume 1, Issue 41 - September 8, 2023

KENTON

VOLUME 1,ISSUE41—

SEPTEMBER8,2023

After freeze-up at local event, McConnell given all-clear by doctor

Streetscapes goes back for thirds on U.S. 42 p15

Couple starts league to serve special-needs children p16

PRESIDENT & CEO Lacy Starling

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Mark Collier

MANAGING EDITOR Meghan Goth

PRINT EDITOR Kaitlin Gebby

SPORTS EDITOR Evan Dennison

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Sin City: A look at Newport’s risqué past

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

Monmouth Street in Newport was once lined with strip clubs and other adult businesses. Photos provided by Kenton County Public Library. Photo illustration

by Erin Sendelbach

“GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS”

“THE PRETTIEST GIRLS ON THE STRIP R HERE”

“CONTINUOUS ADULT ENTERTAINMENT”

In 1976, if you decided to take a lunchtime stroll to buy a few cheese coneys from a Monmouth Street chili parlor, it was a near guarantee you’d read one of those three messages plastered to a marquee in bold lettering on your way. Hiding in plain sight, blended into a streetscape full of banks, sandwich shops and jewelry stores, was an assortment of X-rated businesses.

“There were about 20 of them up and down Monmouth Street,” Newport Commissioner Ken Rechtin said. Today, there are only two strip bars in the entirety of Kenton, Campbell and Boone counties.

While other Northern Kentucky cities like Covington had strip bars, no other city in the region had adult entertainment woven into the fabric of the community quite like Newport.

During its “Sin City” era, Newport’s reputation preceded itself. The economic values of modern Las Vegas manifested in the small river town sitting at the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers.

Newport’s economic association with organized crime, gambling and adult entertainment was the subject of national intrigue and political conflicts. During the city’s gambling era, A-list celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sam Cooke and Marilyn Monroe frequented its bars, clubs and back rooms.

Ultimately, the city’s gambling industry died on the vine after a concerted effort by local political, judicial and religious leaders, law enforcement, community organizers and concerned citizens. Then-U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy turned up the heat on organized crime that he said facilitated illegal gambling in the area.

In 1961, popular Campbell County Sheriff candidate George Ratterman was famous-

ly set up in a blackmail plot where he was drugged, then photographed in bed with an escort named April Flowers. Ratterman’s sex scandal sent shockwaves through the community.

The blackmail attempt backfired. It garnered local sympathy, and police dropped the charges after a blood test proved Ratterman was drugged. The publicity helped propel him into office; it also put the mob squarely in the cross hairs of the governor’s office and the Kentucky State Police.

Casino proprietors and organized crime bosses packed up their cards and dice for the greener – or maybe sandier – pastures of the Nevada desert. Once the casinos along Monmouth Street closed, a vacuum in Newport’s commercial real estate market emerged.

The vacuum was filled, Rechtin said, with what some would call the ‘fleas’ leftover from the gaming industry.

“And, we are told, the Newport economy, once thought to be so dependent on illegal gambling, has had a sharp upturn,” Kennedy said in 1963. “Business, which once avoided the area, is now settling down in an atmosphere of safety.”

Little did Kennedy know that the businesses settling down on Monmouth Street would bring a different genre of problems.

Businesses such as strip bars, adult bookstores and pornographic movie theaters moved into the buildings that formerly housed casinos. As with the casinos, these businesses attracted sizable amounts of customers.

A view of Monmouth Street in Newport on April 1, 1980. LaMadame’s was one of many adult-oriented businesses that thrived on the street during that time period. Photo provided | Kenton County Public Library

Continued from page 3

“The strip bars, adult entertainment after gambling left just made the town sleazy,” Northern Kentucky attorney Michael Williams told LINK nky. “It did get business in here, but I often questioned who actually benefited.”

Williams, who practiced law in Newport in the ’70s and ’80s, wrote an academic thesis chronicling the time period for the University of Louisville. He also worked as an assistant attorney in Campbell County, so he has first-hand knowledge of significant events from inside and outside the courtroom.

Back then, X-rated businesses peppered the Monmouth streetscape. LaMadame’s, Brass Ass, Chic’s, Trixie Delight, Mousetrap, Nite Life Lounge and Cinema X were just a few of the street’s explicit offerings.

“People will tell me that you would go down

on Monmouth Street and you would see people dressed up in tuxes, suits and nice outfits,” Williams said, chuckling. “That wasn’t the adult entertainment crowd.”

Williams described Monmouth Street in the 1970s as “sleazy.”

“If you have family, you didn’t want to bring your kids down there during the day,” Williams said. “You certainly didn’t want to be there at dusk near closing time.”

But during this period, Newport’s tourism economy was booming. Cars lined the streets into the late hours of the night. Patrons packed various clubs for entertainment and pleasure.

“When you drove down Monmouth Street on Friday nights and Saturday nights, there were no parking spots,” Williams said. “Any place you could park was filled. They brought the crowds in, no question about that.”

At the time, adult entertainment was a polarizing issue within the community. Some local politicians and community members supported it and, notably, former Mayor Johnny “TV” Peluso fought hard to keep it in town. As mayor, Peluso headed a commission majority that was pro-adult entertainment.

“If there had been another industry available to make the same revenue, according to Peluso, they might not have been so favorable toward the adult industry,” Williams said.

During that era, businesses in the city’s central business district were routinely busy. The high foot traffic created downstream benefits for other businesses like Dixie Chili, Pepper Pod and Crystal Chili. Night owls and barflies frequented these establishments late at night, or early in the morning, circulating their hard-earned dollars back to the local economy.

When the gambling left, so too did the jobs the industry provided, Williams said.

From 1960 to 1970, Newport lost over 4,000 residents, or about 13.5% of its population. In the next decade, Newport lost another 4,000 people, which by then was a 17% decrease, according to U.S. Census data. Over a 20-year span, Newport shrunk from around 30,000 residents to approximately 21,000. Today, the city has around 14,000 people.

In his thesis, Williams surmised that many residents didn’t know a Newport without some semblance of an economy dependent on vice and corruption.

“Pro-adult entertainment advocates assumed that Newport’s economy depended upon the sexually oriented adult attractions, especially nude dancing,” Williams wrote. “Supporters of live nude dancing had only to point out the crowds that came

Cinema X on Monmouth Street in Newport during the theater’s demolition on March 6, 1983. Photo provided | Kenton County Public Library

A view of Monmouth Street in Newport on April 1, 1980. Cinema X, a popular adult entertainment theater, can be seen toward the end of the street. Photo provided | Kenton County Public Library

to bars featuring strippers. Nudity, they argued, brought the crowds, and the crowds brought money.”

On the other hand, the adult industry hung over the city like a dark cloud. Word about Newport’s reputation as a haven for scantily clad performers and sex work traveled around the region, much to the chagrin of many locals who cared about the city. Illegal practices such as in-bar prostitution were pervasive in many of the clubs, drawing local ire from some commissioners, churches and families in Newport.

Newport had a choice to make: Preserve Newport’s economy as it was, beholden to the adult entertainment industry, or reimagine it as a city welcoming to family-friendly small businesses. Past and present, tourism is an integral part of the Newport economy. The type of tourism, however, was still up for debate.

Changing Newport

Contemporary Monmouth Street is populated by coffee shops, small retailers, community grocers and family restaurants – a far cry from go-go dancers and adult-entertainment venues. Instead of focusing on X-rated cinema, residents are now looking ahead to when Margaritaville will open at Newport on the Levee.

Rechtin remembers Newport’s “Sin City” era well. As a resident, public official and later politician, he described himself as an instrumental player in shifting the city’s priorities away from adult entertainment and toward family-friendly tourism.

Rechtin told LINK nky that while the stories of that era should be told, he didn’t want to glamorize the violence or illegal activity that took place.

“There’s people that didn’t fare well,” Rech-

tin said of Newport’s past. “Were the streets clean? Yeah. But there was a lot of illegal activity going on, too. I don’t want to glamorize it or make it into anything more than what it was.”

In 1976, neighborhood councils from nine Newport neighborhoods joined together to form the Newport Citizens Advisory Council. The council’s representatives had a shared vision of improving the city’s reputation and quality of life. Rechtin shared that vision.

During the 1970s, Rechtin served as Newport’s ombudsman – the position acted as a middleman between the city’s politicians and citizens. Rechtin would often field concerns from citizens.

He was also Newport’s liquor license administrator. His responsibilities included investigating liquor law violations, conducting hearings about those violations and assessing fines and suspensions.

Rechtin said he increased the pressure on regulation-breaking bar owners more than prior administrators had, which, along with the establishment of the Liquor Review Board created to monitor specific bars, heightened the scrutiny on some local bar owners.

This, naturally, ruffled some feathers. Some local bar owners said suspending their liquor licenses could hurt their business, damaging their livelihood. They found a friend in Peluso who, at one point, attempted to oust Rechtin from his role, but ultimately failed.

“It was my challenge to find the pain point,” Rechtin said. “How hard can you push? Probably the worst that I did was a $4,200 fine and maybe three months worth of suspension of the alcohol license. You know, those were pretty onerous. But it wasn’t

such that the license holder was willing to go to Frankfort and fight it. And we did get compliance, so things began to move a little bit.”

While these efforts helped demonstrate to Newport residents that change was on the horizon, then came the local 1979 elections.

A pro-adult entertainment faction returned to power on the City Commission. Headed by Peluso, Tony Warndorf and Owen Deaton, the majority faction publicly supported the city’s adult entertainment industry on economic grounds. In 1980, Peluso fired Rechtin and City Manager Ralph Mussman.

In 1977, the City Commission had passed an adult zoning amendment that restricted future expansion and locations of adult businesses. The amendment prevented more adult book stores, theaters and lounges from opening in the city. When Peluso returned to office, he led a failed attempt to overturn the amendment.

Despite the setbacks, the criminal justice system was beginning to work against the adult entertainment industry in the city. Between April 1980 and February 1982, seven charges were filed in county court against adult movie theater Cinema X. Opened in 1970, the theater was known for showing films such as “Naked Under Leather,” “He And She” and “Deep Throat.”

Police eventually raided Cinema X, and its business license was revoked. The bar’s ownership was transferred to the state of Kentucky. State troopers raided other adult bars including Pink Panther, Body Shoppe, Mousetrap and the Delta Street Lounge, where officials said prostitution took place

In May 1981, a reform commission was elected back into power. The pro-adult en-

George Ratterman, right, in 1964, about three years after he was caught up in a sex scandal that ultimately helped propel him into office as Campbell County Sheriff. He is pictured with Ralph Stevens. Photo provided | Kenton County Public Library

Johnny “TV” Peluso. Photo provided | Kenton County Public Library Continues on page 6

tertainment faction of Peluso, Warndorf and Deaton was ousted, which significantly decreased the industry’s political power within the city. The year 1982 could be considered the symbolic end to the adult entertainment era in Newport.

The reform commission passed an anti-nudity ordinance in 1982, legislation that Williams called “perhaps the most significant city ordinance” in the history of Newport. Starting at midnight on Oct. 1 of that year, police began enforcing the policy, which banned nude dancing.

Other laws and efforts made against the industry later in the decade were effective in beginning to weed adult entertainment out of the city.

Moving forward

Today, the only operational strip bar in Newport is the Brass Ass. Its neon red electric sign featuring a martini glass and cartoon donkey is a remnant of a bygone era – an enduring reminder of Newport’s past. Across the street is its sister bar, the Brass Mule. It, too, has a picture of a cartoon donkey on its signage. Business isn’t quite what it used to be during the ’70s, a bartender told LINK nky.

Inside the club is a raised catwalk where dancers perform for people huddled around the stage. It has a bar, booths and tables – plenty of places to sit and watch a show. In many ways, it still resembles a strip bar of yesteryear, one stuck in the time capsule of Newport’s Sin City era.

Somewhat prophetically, Cinema X is no longer standing. What was once The Strand Theater, a historic gathering spot for residents to enjoy movies, turned into a hub for pornography. The theater was razed in 1983. Today, it’s a parking lot.

Monmouth Street is now a popular destination for residents and tourists alike. In the ’70s, Williams said, he enjoyed frequenting Crystal Chili, which has since been renamed Gourmet Chili, for lunch. Now he ventures into Newport to buy coffee at Reser Bicycle Outfitters, one of his favorite spots in town.

“My favorite coffee place to go in Newport is the bike store on Seventh and Monmouth streets – Reser,” Williams said. “I have a couple bicycles. I try to ride as much as I can.”

Newport has always been friendly toward small businesses. Its main street is still populated by legacy family businesses that operated during the Sin City days: Peluso’s Market, Pepper Pod, Dixie Chili and Schlosser Gunsmithing Co. It’s just that those businesses aren’t being overshadowed by polarizing strip joints.

As someone who spent much of his life as a Newport resident, Rechtin said he welcomed the changes.

“The street now is a very eclectic mix of businesses,” Rechtin said. “I mean, one of the streets has a gun shop, normal greasy spoons, a lot of physical exercise places, which cater to those downtown residents.”

Overlooking Monmouth Street are two of Newport’s signature real estate developments: Newport on the Levee and Ovation, which is under construction. Both represent the city’s focus on reviving the tourism sector.

The focus on designating different neighborhoods as historic districts has aided revitalization efforts. Specifically, Newport’s East Row neighborhood has been significantly improved since the 1980s, returning its once-dilapidated housing stock back to its former glory. This has helped improve home values in the neighborhood and has spurred historic revitalization efforts across the city. Earlier this year, Newport designated its Buena Vista neighborhood as the city’s next historic district.

Newport City Commission is exploring the idea of implementing an Entertainment District Designated Outdoor Refreshment

Area, or DORA, which is a specific area where licensed liquor establishments are allowed to sell alcoholic beverages for outdoor consumption.

In many ways, Rechtin views this effort as a “full-circle moment.”

“As we move forward, how do we envision our city?” Rechtin asked. “Do we envision ourselves to be a MainStrasse, or an Overthe-Rhine or a Fourth Street Live down in Louisville?”

A Kentucky State Police officer watches patrons of Cinema X leave after a raid of the theater on Sept. 29, 1981. Photo provided | Kenton County Public Library

Brass Ass Lounge in Newport on July 7, 1980. Photo provided | Kenton County Public Library

Doctor: McConnell clear for business as usual after freeze-up

BY LINK nky STAFF

Republican U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell froze while speaking at the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce on Aug. 30, the second such incident in about a month.

The first incident was on July 26 at a Washington press conference.

McConnell was in the area to accept the Northern Kentucky Community Award and to discuss state and national issues during the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Government Forum.

The award, according to NKY Chamber President and CEO Brent Cooper, goes out to individuals, businesses, and organiza-

tions throughout the Northern Kentucky region that have made a positive impact on the community. McConnell’s freeze occurred after his prepared remarks, when he was answering questions from reporters.

After the approximate 30-second pause, McConnell appeared to have trouble hearing, and his responses were difficult for reporters to understand. The freeze-up occurred following a question regarding his re-election. Reporters in the room were told he needed a minute. McConnell did not answer the question and moved on to the next.

When asked what Republican gubernational candidate Daniel Cameron needed

to do on the campaign trail to win Kentuckians in November, McConnell said the governor’s race would be tight, but Cameron was the best nominee and he had confidence he would win.

Following that question, McConnell was asked his thoughts on supporting former President Donald Trump as the Republican presidential nominee, to which he said he would not be commenting on the presidential race and then was led out of the room.

During his prepared remarks, McConnell briefly discussed topics such as the Brent Spence Bridge, inflation in Kentucky, and the war in Ukraine during the discussion at the NKY Chamber event, even cracking

multiple jokes.

“I’m wired here like a suicide bomber,” McConnell said as he took the microphone. McConnell’s doctor, Brian Monahan, cleared McConnell to continue business as usual on Aug. 31.

“I have consulted with leader McConnell and conferred with his neurology team. After evaluating yesterday’s incident, I have informed leader McConnell that he is medically clear to continue with his schedule as planned. Occasional lightheadedness is not uncommon in concussion recovery and can also be expected as a result of dehydration,” Monahan said in a note.

An aide speaks to Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) as he appears to freeze at a press conference in Covington on Aug. 30. Photo provided | WCPO

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) has experienced two recent incidents where he appeared to freeze up during public appearances. His doctor has cleared him for business as usual. Photo by J. Scott Applewhite | Associated Press

Covington Schools to provide Narcan throughout district facilities

BY NATHAN GRANGER | LINK nky KENTON COUNTY REPORTER

Covington Independent Schools will begin stocking district facilities with emergency boxes of the opioid antagonist Narcan this year.

Narcan, or naloxone as it’s officially called, is a medication used for reviving people who’ve overdosed on heroin, fentanyl and other opioids. It soon will be available throughout district facilities, said Covington Independent Schools Director of Health Services Jennifer Fowee at a school board meeting on Thursday.

“When we saw that this was probably coming in the board policy, we went ahead and started being proactive about it,” Fowee said. “Our nurses went through training on administration and then training others.”

Fowee said that 95 staff members throughout the district, including the school nurses, are already trained on administering Narcan.

“It’s just a matter of getting it in our buildings at this point,” Fowee said.

The Narcan distribution program is administered by the Northern Kentucky Health Department. The department began rolling out the program over the summer when its medical director signed a standing order to provide Narcan kits to schools if they had approval from their districts’ school boards.

Covington Independent and Campbell County schools are the first districts in the region to get school board approval for the program, and six other districts are currently in the process of getting approval.

“We provide the schools with the boxes, which can be mounted on the wall, and stock them with a naloxone kit, rubber glove and a mask should CPR/mouth-tomouth resuscitation be required,” the health department said in an email.

The department also provides training and refills any boxes once they’re used. The program comes at direct cost to the schools.

“I think it’s a great idea,” said board mem-

Board Member Kareem Simpson agreed.

“I think it’s an awesome idea, especially with training and partnering with some of our community partners,” Simpson said.

Covington will stock Narcan in its school district facilities. Photo by Pharmacy Images on Unsplash ber Glenda Huff.

NKwhy: When are the leaves going to change colors?

BY MAGGY MCDONEL | LINK nky DIGITAL EDITOR

After record-high temperatures at the end of August, it’s fair to say that a lot of Northern Kentuckians are ready for fall.

Seriously: The week of Aug. 20-26 was the hottest week of the year, with temperatures reaching higher than they have in 10 years. While the official start of fall isn’t for a few weeks, temperatures are dropping into the low 50s for the start of September — and that’s probably getting people excited for the changing season.

One of the most scenic and anticipated parts of autumn in the Midwest is the appearance of fall foliage. As the temperatures drop lower and the days become shorter, brilliant oranges, reds and yellows will start to cover deciduous trees all over the region.

With the season changing just around the corner, we wondered: When do the leaves start to change in NKY?

The period from Oct. 5-21 seems to be the best time to peep some autumn leaves in NKY, according to “Farmers’ Almanac.” While this is the predicted time frame, the exact moment the leaves will begin to change is not something that can be predicted exactly, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

If you’re looking for the best, most brilliant leaf viewing, the weather over the next few weeks will affect the season’s colors.

“A succession of warm, sunny days and cool, crisp but not freezing nights seems to bring about the most spectacular color displays,” according to the USDA.

Soil moisture also has a great effect on leaf color. A late spring or a severe summer drought can delay the change, and a warm fall will dull the colors, per the USDA. The department reports that the best fall colors will be brought on by “a warm wet spring, favorable summer weather, and warm sunny fall days with cool nights.”

Where are the best places to view leaves?

The best place to view fall leaves in the Midwest/Great Lake Region, which encompasses the northern portion of Kentucky as well as Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin, is Big South Fork National Recreation Area, according to “Farmers’ Almanac.” This massive 125,000-acre park sits right on the border of Kentucky and Tennessee, with portions of it in each state.

For those who don’t feel like making that 3.5-hour drive, there are plenty of scenic spots closer to home to view leaves.

The Boone County Arboretum has over 3,600 trees and shrubs on its 121 acres. Plenty of those plants and trees will be losing their leaves over the next month or so, making it a perfect place for spotting fall colors.

With a well-known panoramic view of Cincinnati plus miles of walking trails lined with trees, Covington’s Devou Park is another local spot worth venturing to this fall.

When is it finally going to be fall?

Some consider the arrival of the pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks, which showed up on menus last week, the start of the season. However, we still have a few weeks till the true start.

The autumn equinox is Sept. 23, which is the official start of fall, but that doesn’t mean the weather will get the memo.

Looking at the long-range forecast for the region from “Farmers’ Almanac,” temperatures are going to stay “very warm” in the beginning half of September, with things beginning to cool off in the second half, leading up to a chilly but sunny October.

What do you do when the leaves drop?

While fall leaves are truly a beautiful sight, they can be sort of a nuisance when they drop.

Many NKY cities, including Florence, Covington and Fort Thomas, have leaf pick-up days where you can take all the leaves from your yard to the curb and they will be vacuumed up and disposed of.

Check out your town’s website for updates on leaf removal. There will also typically be signs posted around town letting residents know not to park on the street during the removal windows.

If your municipality does not offer this service, Rumpke can come out and remove yard waste for you. Rumpke asks that you do not throw yard waste away and instead contact it for removal.

kenton county news briefs

OneNKY Center groundbreaking

Gov. Andy Beshear joined local and state leaders in Covington on Aug. 30 for the groundbreaking of the OneNKY Center, the future home of Northern Kentucky growth organizations focused on business development, tourism and innovation.

“The Roebling Bridge serves as a gateway to Northern Kentucky and is the ideal location for a signature building to house our region’s growth organizations and the Covington Life Science Lab,” said Karen Finan, president and CEO of OneNKY Alliance.

“This project represents the brand and voice for our NKY community thanks to the many organizations involved.”

“I applaud the dedication of the OneNKY Alliance and Catalytic Fund of Northern Kentucky boards of directors to bring this building to life and thank the governor and General Assembly for funding the Covington Life Science Lab,” Butler said. “Corporex is proud to be the developer of the building.”

biotech firms launching in the lab.

DESERVE the best

“We needed this new facility in Northern Kentucky, and we have acted quickly with this investment,” Beshear said at the groundbreaking. “We can support the many life sciences and biotech companies already in the region, and we can welcome new innovators and startup companies. We can create more high-wage jobs and cutting-edge treatments right here in Kentucky.”

The NKY Chamber of Commerce, meetNKY, OneNKY Alliance, the Catalytic Fund of Northern Kentucky, BE NKY Growth Partnership, Horizon Community Funds of Northern Kentucky and the Northern Kentucky Bar Association will all be tenants of the OneNKY Center, located at the foot of the Roebling Bridge.

The building will be owned by the Northern Kentucky Port Authority, a multijurisdictional economic development organization that facilitates river port projects along the Ohio and Licking Rivers.

“Launching the Northern Kentucky Port Authority as an active player in economic development has been a priority of our board of directors for several years,” said BE NKY Growth Partnership CEO and President Lee Crume. “In 2019, we began the groundwork that led to the role the Northern Kentucky Port Authority is playing in the OneNKY Center, and (we) are proud that it is the building’s owner.”

Hemmer Construction will be the general contractor, said Corporex Chairman Bill Butler.

State, local and charitable funding was raised for the project, which will include a $15 million Covington Life Science Lab. The lab will provide research and development facilities with shared equipment and office space.

“I am thrilled to see the Covington Life Science Lab coming to fruition with this groundbreaking and support from the commonwealth of Kentucky,” said Sen. Chris McDaniel (R-Ryland Heights). “Congratulations to the OneNKY Alliance and Catalytic Fund of Northern Kentucky and the vision their boards of directors have demonstrated and supported to bring the OneNKY Center to Covington and Kenton County.”

Covington Mayor Joe Meyer said he is looking forward to having entrepreneurs and

“The wet lab space was a need identified by our life sciences leaders – CTI, Bexion Pharmaceuticals, Gravity Diagnostics and NKU – with encouragement from advocates associated with North Carolina’s Research Triangle,” Meyer said. “We look forward to more new groundbreaking therapies and discoveries being developed here in Covington.”

OKI releases survey findings about strategic regional issues

In early 2023, the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments designed and distributed a public questionnaire to gain insight from the community on strategic regional issues.

The agency is a council of local governments, business organizations and community groups committed to developing strategies to improve the region’s quality of life and economic vitality, according to the agency’s website.

The questionnaire yielded nearly 2,000

‘We needed this’: Beshear attends

responses, and the results can be found at oki.org.

The Strategic Regional Policy Plan contains a vision for regional vitality, sustainability and competitiveness, with a focus on the land use-transportation connection in the eight-county region that includes Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties in Kentucky, according to the agency’s website.

Kenton OKs fee proposal for Government Center garage

The Kenton County Fiscal Court made headway this week on the development of a prospective parking garage, set to be built on the premises of the Kenton County Government Center in Covington.

The court approved a fee proposal Aug. 29 submitted by Gresham Smith, a Blue Ash-based architecture firm, to design a parking garage for the Covington property at 1840 Simon Kenton Way. The execution of the contract is contingent on approval from the county attorney. The proposal highlights the contract’s cost as $1.4 million.

“This is for the parking structure in the back of the building,” Kenton County Judge/ Executive Kris Knochelmann said during the meeting.

Gresham Smith submitted a conceptual design proposal in March that said the garage would be located adjacent to the existing office building.

That same conceptual design proposal considered making the garage capable of accommodating up to 250 vehicles, as well as constructing a weather-protected connector between the parking garage and the government center.

The proposal outlines three main components of the project: building a new parking structure, reconfiguring the west site access and parking, and redeveloping the site’s north pedestrian/vehicle corridor. As of now, there are no completed architectural designs or renderings.

The Kenton County Government Center site currently includes a parking lot with over 100 spaces. County employees can also park in off-site spaces underneath the Interstate 75 overpass. However, once construction begins on the Brent Spence Corridor Project, county employees who use the spaces underneath I-75 will be displaced. A new garage would allow the county to consolidate on-site parking.

The construction process is expected to begin on Dec. 30 and last through March 2025, according to the timeline included within the proposal.

Gresham Smith would lead the project’s architectural design, interior design, structural engineering, landscape architecture, graphics and wayfinding, and construction inspecting.

Various external contractors are also included within the proposal. Brandstetter Carroll would handle civil engineering services and surveying services. Elevar Design Group would provide mechanical, plumbing and electrical engineering services. Both firms are based in Cincinnati.

Atlanta-based Newcomb & Boyd would handle security design, while environmental engineering firm Geotechnology would be in charge of geotechnical engineering and testing services.

In March, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet gave the county $100,000 to conduct a feasibility study to identify whether the property was a viable location to build a new parking structure. Gresham Smith was also the contractor awarded the bid for the feasibility study.

Highlands, Beechwood rank in state’s Top 5 high schools

Two Northern Kentucky high schools are among the Top 5 public schools in the state, according to annual U.S. News & World Report rankings.

Highlands High School in Fort Thomas is ranked No. 3 in the state, and Beechwood High School in Fort Mitchell is ranked No. 5.

Of 25,000 public schools in the United States, 225 in Kentucky made the rankings.

Here is a list of the state’s Top 5 schools:

No. 1: Dupont Manual High School in Louisville

No. 2: J. Graham Brown School in Louisville

No. 3: Highlands High School in Fort Thomas

No. 4: North Oldham High School in Goshen

No. 5: Beechwood High School in Fort Mitchell

In the Greater Cincinnati region, Highlands came in sixth behind Walnut Hills, Mariemont, Indian Hill, Wyoming and Mason. Beechwood came in ninth behind Turpin and Madeira.

DeSantis faces Black leaders’ anger after racist killings in Fla.

University president: Students likely thwarted racist gunman

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The president of the historically Black institution in Jacksonville, Florida, said a campus security officer tipped off by observant students likely stopped the killer who fatally shot three people at a nearby Dollar General Store from carrying out his racist attack at Edward Waters University.

Students reported seeing a young, white man pull into a campus library parking lot and begin putting on tactical gear, Edward Waters University President Zachary Faison Jr. said Aug. 28.

Grad student charged with murder of UNC faculty member

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Police have charged a University of North Carolina graduate student with first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of a faculty member that caused a campus lockdown during the search for the gunman.

Tailei Qi, 34, was in court Aug. 29 for an initial hearing in the killing of Zijie Yan inside a science building on the Chapel Hill campus.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Ron DeSantis scoffed when the NAACP issued a travel advisory this spring warning Black people to use “extreme care” if traveling to Florida.

Just three months later, the Republican governor is struggling to lead his state through the aftermath of a racist attack that left three African Americans dead and the Black community outraged. African American leaders are arguing that DeSantis created the conditions that led to the weekend shooting.

The tragedy cast a shadow across the Republican presidential campaign as candidates were forced to confront uncomfortable questions about the party’s increasing appeal among right-wing extremists. Virtually every GOP presidential candidate has embraced a message that downplays the existence of racism in America.

After high court curtails federal power, water protection weakened

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration weakened protections for wetlands on Aug. 29. Federal officials were forced to make the change after the Supreme Court’s decision in May that sharply limited the federal government’s power to regulate wetlands.

The justices’ Sackett decision in May boosted property rights over concerns about clean water. The EPA said that because of the Supreme Court’s decision, the federal government no longer has the power to regulate wetlands that don’t have a “continuous surface connection” to larger, regulated bodies of water.

They immediately flagged down a security officer who was on patrol to tell them what they saw. Minutes later, the gunman made his way to a Dollar General Store down the road.

Water main under Times Square gives way, floods streets, subways

In addition to the murder count, he is charged with having a gun on educational property. Yan is listed on the school’s website as an associate professor in the Department of Applied Physical Sciences, while Qi is listed as a graduate student in Yan’s research group.

Maine puffin bird colonies rebound despite climate change

EASTERN EGG ROCK, Maine (AP) — Scientists who monitor seabirds said Atlantic puffins had their second consecutive rebound year for fledgling chicks after suffering a bad 2021.

The news flies in the face of environmental trends, as scientists have said warming waters off New England jeopardize the birds because it reduces the kind of fish they need to feed their chicks. The puffins are clownish seabirds with colorful bills and waddling gaits.

NEW YORK (AP) — A 127-year-old water main under New York’s Times Square gave way on Aug. 29, flooding midtown streets and the busy Times Square subway station.

New York City’s commissioner of environmental protection said the 20-inch water main gave way under 40th Street and Seventh Avenue at 3 a.m. It took crews about an hour to find the source of the leak and shut the water off.

The excavation to find the leak left a hole at 40th Street and Seventh Avenue. Subway service was suspended through much of Manhattan on the 1, 2 and 3 lines.

Scientists say the abundance of one fish, the sand lance, buoyed the puffins through a difficult year. They say it’s evidence that climate change’s impact on ecosystems is complex.

Some Black leaders accused Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis of making the state ripe for the recent race-related shootings. Photo by Artie Walker Jr. | Associated Press

A 127-year-old, 20-inch water main under New York’s Times Square gave way on Aug. 29, flooding midtown streets and the city’s busiest subway station. Photo by Marc A. Hermann | MTA via Associated Press

Scientists say Atlantic puffins continue to thrive.

Photo by Robert F. Bukaty | Associated Press

Campbell County Farmers Market - Newport, 9 a.m.-noon, 709 Monmouth St., Newport

Campbell County Cooperative Extension Open House, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (with a penguin encounter at 11 a.m.!), 3500 Alexandria Pike, Highland Heights

Boone County Sheriff’s Auxiliary presents Cops & Joggers 5K/Fun Run, 8 a.m., Boone County Sheriff’s Office, 3000 Conrad Lane, Burlington

Taste of Hebron, 5-9 p.m., Rivers Pointe Estates, 1330 N. Bend Road, Hebron

Wine Over Water, 5 p.m., Purple People Bridge, come for live music, food, wine, beer and spirits

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

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

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

Northern Kentucky Forum: An Inside Look at County Government, 9-10 a.m., 901 E. Sixth St., Newport

Lunch & Learn Consumer and Senior Fraud Prevention, noon-1:30 p.m., Erlanger Library, 401 Kenton Lands Road, Erlanger

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

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

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

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

Insurance

Elevator takes this Covington home to the next level

Address: 1026 Gateway Drive, Covington

Price: $1.15 million

Bedrooms: Three

Bathrooms: Four

Square feet: Not listed

School district: Covington Independent Schools

County: Kenton

Special features: This updated custom ranch in Park Hills offers a first-floor primary bedroom, two full bathrooms and two half-bathrooms, as well as a finished basement with a wet bar. Outside is a deck with walkout access and a fireplace. The home also has an elevator, making it wheelchair-friendly. The main living space has exposed beams, and the kitchen has a central island with space for a breakfast bar for convenient dining.

This Covington home features lots of extras, including an elevator. Photo provided | Huff Realty – Fort Mitchell

Large glass doors open to a patio with a stone fireplace. Photo provided | Huff Realty – Fort Mitchell

A look inside the kitchen and dining space at the central island. Photo provided | Huff Realty – Fort Mitchell

Streetscapes takes another swing at U.S. 42 Florence

PHOTOS AND STORY BY MARIA HEHMAN | LINK nky CONTRIBUTOR

Sometimes a street has so many options, it must be visited twice, or in this case three times. For this Streetscapes, we revisit the long stretch of U.S. 42 for some sweet treats and street tacos. Join us in Florence for food and fun.

Memorie Makers Café and Cupcakery

Most cafés and bakeries operate out of small spaces with small quantities of product. Although technically a small business, Memorie Makers is anything but small physically. Its ample footprint often serves as an event space. Adorned in pink and black décor, this space is as cute as the cupcakes.

Memorie Makers hosts a variety of events, from cookie decorating to canvas creating, and tickets can be purchased online. The space also can be rented for private parties.

For those who aren’t looking for a special event but just want a special little pickme-up, the business also operates a café serving coffee, bubble tea and loose-leaf tea alongside its delectable desserts. Cupcakes, mini cheesecakes, mini pies, cookies and scones can all be ordered as grab-andgo or in bulk. Memorie Makers also makes custom cakes and special occasion cakes to help properly celebrate any event. It also sells a variety of café essentials, coffee makers, honey and tea to create the perfect at-home café.

Memorie Makers also has an impressive menu of vegan, gluten-free and keto treats. Because regardless of dietary restrictions, everyone deserves a little treat.

Barleycorn’s

Barleycorn’s has been a cornerstone of the NKY area since its foundation in Lakeside Park and has since grown to five locations across three counties. Guests know that they’re getting a fun bar environment with quality food and service at every location.

Florence’s location boasts an ample patio that’s best enjoyed on warm summer nights with a beer bucket and good company. The atmosphere is always lively while still being family-friendly.

Barleycorn’s is best known for its wings –traditional jumbo wings or “doc”-style. The doc style wings are deep-fried, tossed in hot sauce, then deep-fried again, creating a perfect crunch with an explosion of flavor. Barleycorn’s knows that nothing pairs better with wings than a cold beer, and it has over 30 options on draft that rotate seasonally, as well as cans and bottles.

The burgers and sandwiches are also fan favorites, with the black-and-bleu burger being its most popular. The burger is tossed in Cajun spice and topped with housemade bleu cheese dressing, bacon, lettuce and pickles. Guests can get anything from a basic burger to some very unique creations. Either way, guests always leave full.

Litas Tacos

Litas is the David against the Goliath of taco chains and restaurants in Florence. If you aren’t familiar with the story of David and Goliath, spoiler alert: Small David conquers the giant Goliath. Litas’ location is small, and its menu is fairly small, but when everything you serve is close to perfection, there’s no need to be any bigger.

Litas started out with a very small menu and has since grown to include more options, still sticking to the basics of tacos, nachos and quesadillas, and it now also serves bowls.

The family-owned business serves authentic Mexican tacos – smaller tacos served on flour tortillas. These bite-size tacos are easy to inhale; guests normally order three for a full meal, but tacos can be ordered in any amount to best cure guests’ hunger.

Litas is most famous for its mouthwatering cowboy tacos – chicken or steak tacos with pico de gallo, cotija cheese (a Mexican crumbled white cheese) and jalapeno cream sauce. Its cowboy flavors are a fan favorite and can be ordered as tacos or a bowl.

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.

What to Know If You Go:

Memorie Makers Café and Cupcakery

Location: 8470 U.S. 42, Suite G, Florence

Hours: Monday, closed; Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, noon-4 p.m.

Website: memoriemakers.com

Phone: 859-496-1470

Litas Tacos

Location: 8450 U.S. 42 A, Florence

Hours: Sunday and Monday, closed;

Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

Website: litastacos.com

Phone: 859-817-0163

Barleycorn’s

Location: 8544 U.S. 42, Florence

Hours: Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-11:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-midnight; Sunday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Website: barleycorns.com/florence

Phone: 859-371-4100

Seasonal selection of cupcakes at Memorie Makers Café and Cupcakery.

Iced vanilla latte and strawberry shortcake cupcake.

Exterior of Litas Tacos.

Burlington couple starts All Abilities Sports to give special-needs children a chance to join the game

BY RAY SCHAEFER | LINK nky CONTRIBUTOR

Samantha Payne often left the soccer pitch in tears.

The Burlington mom was upset because her 7-year-old son, Blake, wasn’t getting much playing time on his team last fall. “He, basically, was not being given any playing time because he couldn’t keep up with the kids as much,” she said. “He just wasn’t as aggressive at getting out there. It was obvious that he was different from his peers.”

Samantha and her husband, Jon, had a solution – they started All Abilities Sports NKY last May. The goal: Give children with special needs a chance to try different sports and compete against others with similar challenges.

“Jon and I were basically, like, there has got to be something different,” Samantha said. “So we looked into it, and there are things kind of around the country, but there’s not

really anything local that had the ability to give kids with disabilities an all-in-one place to play sports.”

Samantha said the idea began with a post on several Boone County neighborhood groups on Facebook looking for interested families with special-needs children ages 3-16. She wasn’t aware that so many parents faced similar issues.

“We had just shared that we were having a hard time with our own son, who has special needs,” she said. “We got a very large response very quickly from a lot of families who said, ‘Yes, this is a need in our community.’”

And not just in Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties.

“We have had families from Anderson Township in Ohio, some in, like, Lawrenceburg in Indiana that have reached out,” Samantha said.

Within a week, the Paynes had a website (allabilitiesnky.com). People have donated enough money for equipment, including tennis rackets and kid-size tennis rackets and basketballs; Samantha said about $2,500 has been raised so far.

She works part-time at The Point Arc on West Pike Street in Covington, and Jon is a police officer at Northern Kentucky University.

The organization’s first event was a basketball clinic on Aug. 20.

“That filled up quick,” Jon said. “That kind of showed us that there definitely was an interest and a need out there for something like this around the area.”

About 60 people volunteered, including Ryle’s boys basketball team, students from Conner, Cooper and Covington Catholic high schools and Thomas More University.

Ryle senior Evan Smith taught shooting, but that wasn’t the first thing he mentioned when talking about it later.

“I got a lot of hugs,” Smith said. “I had to teach them how to somewhat shoot and got to run around with them and get some smiles on their faces.”

Smith’s teammate, sophomore Anthony Coppola, worked with three players, two of whom had Down syndrome.

“They struggled with hearing and noise and stuff,” Coppola said. “I took them into a hallway, and they enjoyed passing the ball.” One thing the Paynes are not doing: taking away children from Special Olympics of Northern Kentucky programs. Samantha said she’s received messages “that have been less than kind, and one that was honestly heartbreaking and (made) me question whether this is worth it.”

“We are in absolutely ZERO way trying to take Special Olympics ideas and make anything our own.”

In an email sent Thursday, Special Olympics Kentucky President/CEO Trish Mazzoni said her organization welcomes support from any organization.

“After 55 years of working with people with intellectual disabilities, we know that our community and the disabilities community in general is not a one-organization-fits-all group,” Mazzoni said.

Other scheduled events include:

• A soccer league Saturdays from Sept. 16-Oct. 14 at Boone Woods Park, 6000 Veterans Way in Burlington

• A “Try It Day” tennis session from 1-4 p.m. Sept. 17 at Central Park, 9190 Camp Ernst Road in Union

• A baseball league from 6 p.m. to dusk Thursdays from Sept. 21-Oct. 19 at Erpenbeck Elementary School, 9001 Wetherington Blvd. in Florence.

Schedules for indoor soccer and volleyball will be announced later.

The Paynes’ long-term goal is to have their own facility. They plan to add pickleball, lacrosse, cheerleading, dance, gymnastics and track and field.

For now, however, they are sure about one thing: Blake will be playing soccer.

“Blake will tell you that he is very excited,” Samantha said. “He loves being able to make new friends and play with other kids. And he asks us all the time, ‘When do I get to play with my soccer friends?’”

For more information, email the Paynes at Samantha@allabilitiesnky.com or Jon@allabilitiesnky.com.

Ryle’s Evan Smith hugs a participant in All Abilities Sports’ “Try It Day” at Kelly Elementary School in Burlington. Photo provided | Nick Dorning

Highlands alum Drew Rom solid in second start in Majors

batters after issuing a walk to Bryce Harper in the opening frame.

Before leaving the game with one out in the sixth inning, Rom had allowed his second run of the game an inning earlier. Left-fielder Alec Burleson was unable to catch a deep fly ball near the wall off the bat of Johan Rojas, who later scored on a sacrifice fly by Trea Turner.

All “A” tournament titles galore for six NKY programs

It was a busy weekend on the All “A” tournament front for NKY programs on Aug. 26.

in the 2016 season after leading the team with 126 tackles and rushing for 1,567 yards and 22 touchdowns.

He went on to attend Purdue University, where he tallied 225 tackles and 10.5 sacks with the Boilermakers in four seasons. Barnes was selected in the fourth round by the Lions in the 2021 NFL draft.

In his first two seasons, Barnes has collected 114 tackles and three sacks. The Lions spent a first round pick on a middle linebacker in the most recent draft, but Barnes is listed ahead of Jack Campbell on the depth chart.

in the 2022-23 season.

The men open up with Robert Morris on Nov. 29 at Truist Arena, with the women kicking things off with Cleveland State on Dec. 2 at Truist.

The men’s team faces conference rival Wright State on Feb. 4 at Truist Arena and closes conference action with the Raiders on March 2. It faces Cleveland State in conference championship rematch dates on Jan. 7 in Cleveland and Feb. 22 in Highland Heights. Unlike last year when the team played seven of its final eight games on the road, it will have five of its final eight games in the friendly confines of Truist Arena.

After a rough Major League debut against the Pirates on Aug. 21, St. Louis Cardinals left-handed pitcher Drew Rom bounced back on Aug. 27 with a solid outing against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Highlands grad struck out six batters while allowing just two runs off five hits and one walk over 5.1 innings in a 3-0 loss to the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Rom admitted there was some anxiety in his first career start in the bigs, and the first batter against the Phillies had to make him think, “Here we go again” when Kyle Schwarber homered.

But he settled in, retiring nine of his next 11

Six programs were crowned All “A” champs in their respective regions, Walton-Verona the big winner with three 8th Region All “A” titles in volleyball and boys and girls soccer. Newport Central Catholic’s boys soccer team, St. Henry’s girls soccer team and Bishop Brossart’s volleyball team also won regional All “A” titles, NewCath and St. Henry in the 9th, Brossart in the 10th.

Holy Cross grad Barnes enters third season with Lions

Holy Cross alum Derrick Barnes has had such an impressive offseason and preseason that he’s listed as a starter on the Detroit Lions unofficial depth chart as they approach the start of the regular season.

Barnes graduated in 2017 from Holy Cross, where he also played basketball and ran track for the Indians. He was a standout linebacker and running back on the football team, named first team All-State and the Class 2A, 6th District player of the Year

Horizon League releases conference basketball schedules

The Horizon League has modernized its scheduling for the 2023-24 basketball season in an effort to offer competitive equity, minimize class time missed and maximize recovery time.

The conference schedule remains 20 games for each team, playing each team in the conference twice in a home and away tilt. The 11-week schedule starts on Nov. 29, with the regular season finale on March 2. The opening round of the Horizon League conference tournament will start on March 5 and 7. Semifinals and championship games will be played in Indianapolis on March 11 and 12.

The Northern Kentucky University men’s team is coming off its fourth league title in the last seven seasons, while the women’s team is looking for its first conference championship, making it to the semifinals

The women’s team opens conference play on Dec. 2 when it hosts reigning conference champ Cleveland State. Rival Wright State comes to town Jan. 20, with a return trip to Dayton on Feb. 17. The team closes conference play with Cleveland State on March 2.

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.

Villa Madonna volleyball team

Photo provided

Sam Vinson and the Norse will open their conference schedule with Robert Morris on Nov. 29.

Photo provided | NKU Athletics

Highlands grad and starting pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals Drew Rom delivers during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies on Aug. 27 in Philadelphia. Photo by Chris Szagola | Associated Press

Gayle Ann Jimenez

Sept. 22, 1940 - Aug. 24, 2023

Gayle Ann (née Ingolia) Jimenez, 82, died peacefully on Aug. 24.

A Mass was held at St. Ignatius Catholic Church, 3400 SE 43rd Ave., Portland, Oregon, at 2 p.m. on Aug. 31, and a reception followed. An interment and celebration of life will be held in New Orleans in November.

She was born in 1940 in New Orleans, where she later attended Loyola University, met her husband, Tristan, and started a family. After 15 bountiful years in New Orleans, the couple moved to Kentucky. Gayle had a career as a marriage and family educator, moving to Portland in 2016.

Gayle was predeceased by her parents, daughter-in-law and husband. She is survived by five children, seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Details available at River View Cemetery Funeral Home (riverviewcemeteryfuneralhome.com/obituaries).

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Loyola University, New Orleans; Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest; or Northern Kentucky Community Choir (nkychorus.org/support/donor-levels/).

Legendary TV game show host Bob Barker dies at age 99

COURTESY OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The enduring and dapper game show host Bob Barker died at his home in Los Angeles on Aug. 26, 2023.

Barker was 99 and was a household name for more than a half-century as host of “Truth or Consequences” and “The Price Is Right.”

Barker retired in June 2007, thanking his studio audience “for inviting me into your home for more than 50 years.” He started that marathon run in 1956 on “Truth or Consequences,” where he remained for 18 years.

He began hosting a resurrected version of “The Price Is Right” on CBS in 1972. (The original host in the 1950s and ‘60s was Bill Cullen.) It would become TV’s longest-running game show and the last on a broadcast network of what in TV’s early days had numbered dozens.

“I have grown old in your service,” the silver-haired, perennially tanned Barker joked on a prime-time television retrospective in the mid-’90s.

CBS said in a statement that daytime television has lost one of its “most iconic stars.

“We lost a beloved member of the CBS family today with the passing of Bob Barker,” the network said, noting that he had “made countless people’s dreams come true and everyone feel like a winner when they were called to ‘come on down.’”

In all, he taped more than 5,000 shows in his career. He said he was retiring because “I’m just reaching the age where the constant effort to be there and do the show physically is a lot for me. ... Better (to leave) a year too soon than a year too late.”

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