LINK Kenton Reader - Volume 2, Issue 40 - September 6, 2024

KENTON

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 40 — SEPTEMBER 6, 2024

THE VOICE OF NKY

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‘WE’RE VERY PROUD OF OUR CITY’ Community rallies to find missing Independence girl

By Nathan Granger

T

he Independence community came together Aug. 23 to help locate Persephone “Percy” Ross, a local 3-year-old girl who was reported missing in the early evening.

Ross was located safely at 10:50 p.m. that night after a huge search effort involving residents and several emergency service agencies from around the region.

Independence Police Chief Brian Ferayorni told LINK nky the timespan from when police received the call to when Ross was found was between four and five hours.

“In response to reports of a missing 3-yearold, hundreds of citizens came out to help search the woods, clear ponds and go street to street,” according to a joint statement from Ferayorni and Independence Mayor Chris Reinersman posted Aug. 24 on social media.

The search effort also saw the deployment of over 100 emergency personnel from local agencies, including the Kenton County

Police, Independence Fire District and Police Department, Campbell County Police, Newport Police and the county branch of the Emergency Management Agency, among others.

The call came in around 6 p.m., Ferayorni said. Just before her disappearance, Ross had been seen in the front yard of her residence on Wayman Drive wearing a black tank top and teal shorts. Around the same time, Ross’s mother, Tiffani Nichol Carter, posted on Facebook that Ross had gone missing and asked the community for help.

Carter has not returned LINK’s request for comment.

Following that post, community discussion groups on social media lit up with chatter, notably about the possibility of a search party. Meanwhile, the county sent out notifications using the CodeRED service, which delivers automated messages to local residents about emergency situations, instructing them to search around their own properties for signs of Ross. Citizens with police scanners kept others informed of the search progress on social media.

Ross was finally located unharmed, Ferayorni said, and went home with her mother that night. In a social media post the following morning, Carter posted the spot where Ross had been hiding. Evidently, Ross had crawled into a cat house on her neighbor’s property, later moving underneath a nearby patio chair.

“She said she woke up and was getting hot so she ‘sneaked’ out and under this chair across from the cat house, where she was then found by search volunteers,” read Carter’s post.

“She is completely unscathed, just very shaken up, scared and now learning the gravity of her actions and how to prevent anything like this from happening again in the future,” the post continued.

Ferayorni commended local residents for their willingness to assist.

“We’re very proud of our city,” Ferayorni said.

Kenton Hornbeck contributed reporting to this story.

Costs push housing beyond reach here, data shows

By Nathan Granger “We have the information,” said Wilder resident Dina Shields. “Now it’s time to understand what the action items are.”

Kenton County Planning and Development Services Executive Director Sharmili Reddy talks with attendees at the Aug. 22 data walk at the Independence Senior Center. Photo by Nathan Granger | LINK nky

Shields was one of several attendees at an Aug. 22 community listening session on housing at the Independence Senior Center. The event was organized by the Brighton Center, the United Way of Greater Cincinnati and the Northern Kentucky Area Development District in hopes of gathering “input from community members to understand how Northern Kentucky’s current housing landscape has impacted their families, and how they hope policymakers will address housing issues going forward,” according to an announcement preceding the event.

The event was structured as a self-guided data walk, during which attendees could walk through an extended exhibition high-

lighting key data points about housing in the region. As attendees walked, they were invited to answer a questionnaire about their own housing situations and offer written ideas about how the issue of housing could be addressed.

The event drew heavily from a housing study the Northern Kentucky Area Development District released in September 2023. It examined housing trends in Boone, Kenton, Campbell, Gallatin, Carroll, Owen, Grant and Pendleton counties and revealed some troubling trends.

Conducted in partnership with the counties’ fiscal courts, the engineering firm Stantec, as well as local businesses and civic organizations, the study suggested that the counties in the study need “to build 6,650 housing units to support economic development in the next five years, which equates to 1,330 units per year.”

Continues on page 4

3-year-old Percy Ross was reported missing around 6 p.m. Aug. 23. She was found safe before 11 that night thanks to a communitywide search.

Provided | Independence Fire District on Facebook

NKY in photos: Ohio River Swim draws hundreds for sunrise event p6 It’s worth turning off beaten path for tasty treats in Florence p12 Team success runs in family for Notre Dame volleyball p14

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2 SEPTEMBER 6, 2024

NKY fire stations join lithium battery recycling program

By Kathleen Bryant

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T

he Cincinnati Recycling & Reuse Hub is expanding across the river to Northern Kentucky. The threeand-a-half-year-old nonprofit collects, recycles or offers for reuse a large variety of materials not accepted in curbside recycling.

Among its programs, it works with local fire departments to establish drop-off points to recycle lithium-ion batteries. When disposed of incorrectly, lithium-ion batteries can pose a serious fire hazard.

Starting this month, fire stations in Fort Wright, Ludlow and the Campbell County Fire District in Cold Spring are taking part in the program.

Fort Wright Fire Chief Stephen Schewe has been worried about the dangers of lithium-ion batteries for a while now. In September 2023, he shared some of his concerns about electric vehicle fires with Fort Wright City Council. He was worried about whether his department had the equipment to fight such fires.

Lithium-ion batteries differ from “regular,” or alkaline, batteries: They are rechargeable and more “energy dense.” While that’s more convenient for powering devices as diverse as hearing aids, cellphones, laptops and cars, lithium-ion batteries can be devastating when damaged.

Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries can cause dangerous fires when damaged. Proper disposal is critical.

Photo by John Cameron | Unsplash

bring a lithium-ion battery, even damaged ones, to one of these drop-off stations. The battery must be separate from the device itself, but staff may be able to help people separate the battery.

Gray and Cincinnati Recycling & Reuse Hub train the fire departments to receive and package the batteries safely, avoiding damage or compression. The Hub then picks up those packages and delivers them to their recycling outlet partner, Cirba Solutions in Wixom, Michigan.

The NKY fire chiefs Gray approached about this program are grateful to have it come to their cities. Ludlow Fire Chief Michael Steward told LINK that even a small trash can fire can become a big one in Ludlow, where houses are packed close together.

The new drop-off stations are working to remove those hazards from households and trash cans and into safe recycling facilities. Residents with lithium-ion batteries to dispose of can contact the above fire stations or contact Brittany Gray at offsiteevents@cintirrh.org.

When a product with a lithium-ion battery is disposed of improperly, the battery can combust. Lithium fires are extremely hot, long lasting and release dangerous chemicals.

Rumpke knows this well. If a lithium-ion battery is left in a regular trash can, it can be compressed and damaged in the sanitation truck or at the trash-processing facility. Fires increased in their facilities, creating a danger to workers and equipment. In July 2023, Rumpke partnered with the Hub, as it’s commonly known, to help dispose of these batteries properly.

Brittany Gray, the Hub’s off-site collections and neighborhood ambassador coordinator, took on this project, funded by a grant from Rumpke. “We started with drop-off days at the Hub,” she said. “When we expanded to community-based drop-off, we thought, ‘Who better than the fire department to handle this?’”

They started with five fire stations in Hamilton County: St. Bernard, Hyde Park, Colerain Township, Green Township and Lunken Airport. This spring, Rumpke renewed its funding, so Gray was able to expand the program.

“I felt really strongly about taking this program across the river to our Northern Kentucky communities,” Gray said.

The process works like this: Anyone can

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SEPTEMBER 6, 2024 3

Continued from page 1

Few choices for average teacher Broken down by income level, the study showed that the largest need is for what the study called “workforce housing,” which refers to housing for households whose wages ranged from $15 to $25 an hour with monthly housing costs between $500 and $1,500. The region needs about 3,000 more housing units to provide for people in that income range.

available housing stock. A teacher making the median salary for that job of $43,740, for example, could afford only 26% of the region’s available rentals and 16% of forsale housing as of the publication of the study.

As such, the demand for one- to two-bedroom rentals and owned properties consistently exceeds the supply. On the other hand, supply of three and four-bedroom properties consistently exceeds demand.

“About half of the new housing demand … is low-income residents earning up to 60% of the area median household income of $103,600. Current housing in Boone, Kenton and Campbell is positioned for middle to upper-middle professional incomes, but affordability for warehouse, service and low wage health care workers is currently lacking and will be exacerbated by incoming residents,” the study states.

In short, the rate of the region’s economic growth has outpaced the region’s ability to house everyone effectively, especially working people.

The study illustrates the discrepancy with a graph showing median wages for common professions in the region compared to the

Housing values have risen precipitously since the start of the pandemic. The eastsouth central census division of the United

A $300,000 starter home Data from other sources also suggests that macroeconomic trends have curbed people’s ability to purchase property.

States, of which Kentucky is a part, saw a 5.2% increase in housing prices from May 2023 to May 2024, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

Compounding the problem, mortgage rates are higher. Interest rates for 15- and 30-year mortgages have hovered between 5.5% and 7% over the past month, according to Freddie Mac. While these rates are below their peak in October 2023, they’re still significantly above prepandemic rates.

All of this creates a situation in which buying even a small starter home is cost prohibitive for many working families.

“An entry-level house in this area is over $300,000,” said Independence resident Paul Metzger at the event. “That’s too high.”

Metzger actually works in the real estate industry, so he’s witnessed first-hand how the current market makes things difficult, not only for buyers but also for builders.

Building material costs are high, he said, which further deters building smaller

homes because builders are less likely to turn a profit.

“I think the big challenge is trying to get these local jurisdictions to allow smaller lots and still allow good quality housing,” Metzger said.

Renters, on the other hand, face their own challenges.

Yovani Velasquez, a systems connector for the Brighton Center, attested to the impact high rent can have on working families.

“Housing takes up a significant portion of their salary,” she said.

About 23% of households in Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties were housing burdened from 2018 to 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. A household is considered as experiencing a housing burden when 30% or more of its income goes toward paying for housing.

Data for solutions Stephanie Stiene, Brighton Center’s housing development director, said the information collected from the data walks and focus groups will be collected into a new report slated to come out in November, which community leaders, advocates and stakeholders can use to explore possible solutions.

Stiene said that discussions around the issue of housing aren’t new, but the current conditions affect so many people that it’s hard to ignore.

“I mean, I have a son that’s 21, and he’s paying $1,600 a month for a two-bedroom apartment,” Stiene said. “That’s more than my mortgage, so it’s stuff like that that really has made it more of a personal thing.”

Shields, the Wilder resident, called upon local leaders and officials to begin thinking seriously about action. “There should be nothing off the table,” she said, even rent caps.

She hoped that leaders and residents could start getting together to begin furnishing “actionable items,” she said. “I just went to see there start being action.”

Stiene said that the Brighton Center is currently working on ways for people to leave feedback electronically if they can’t attend future sessions.

A chart comparing housing burden in Kenton County with housing burden across Kentucky as a whole. Data from U.S. Census Bureau via the American Com7047065_100_sehada_print_ad_womens_ob_10.375x3.389V1.pdf 1 10/25/23 12:37 PM munity Survey. Provided | BE NKY

4 SEPTEMBER 6, 2024

School district apologizes over gender, sexuality topics letter

By Rebecca Hanchett

K

enton County Schools has apologized after “inadvertently” sending a letter home to 63 students seeking parental consent to talk about sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression with those children.

The letter, dated Aug. 14, asked parents or guardians if they consent or decline to have a school-based mental health provider talk to their child about the topics.

Kenton County Schools superintendent Henry Webb said in an Aug. 26 statement that the letter was “sent inadvertently to these students” and was intended only for families of students who had previously disclosed information regarding gender or sexual orientation with school personnel.

“The letter that was sent was developed specifically for families that have students who have disclosed information to an adult in the school setting regarding gender orientation, identity, and/or expression,” Webb said. “This letter is in compliance with SB 150 of the 2023 legislative session that ensures that a school does not discuss these topics with a child that discloses this information without parental consent.”

SB 150 requires parental consent for schools to discuss human sexuality-related health topics with students and to refer students for health or mental health services, both in and out of the school setting.

The law ignited controversy last year for banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth and prohibiting both the required use of preferred gender pronouns and transgender bathrooms in schools, among other restrictions.

News of the Aug. 14 letter was shared by local attorney and Boone County Republican state legislative candidate T.J. Roberts, who issued a release that claimed some students among those whose families received the letter are in first grade.

Roberts said he is “calling for a full investigation into Kenton County School District to determine how this decision was made, who is responsible, and what can be done

to prevent such disgusting efforts from happening again.”

Roberts had not responded by publication deadline to LINK nky’s request for comment on how he plans to proceed with the investigation.

Jessica Dykes, the district’s public information director, told LINK it is possible that a first grader’s family received the letter “inadvertently,” although she said no law was broken. “Once again, it was an error that the letter went out, but this form did not violate any aspects of Kentucky law,” she said.

Under SB 150, the age of a student is not explicitly a factor in parental consent for school health or mental health services.

SB 150’s guidance The Kentucky Department of Education provided legislative guidance to schools on SB 150 last year. That guidance advised schools and districts to notify students about health or mental health services related to human sexuality, contraception or family planning at the start of the school year, allowing parents or guardians to opt their child out of specific services.

Protesters of Kentucky Senate Bill SB150, known as the Transgender Health Bill, cheered during a rally at the Kentucky Capitol in March 2023. Photo by Timothy D. Easley | AP file

Schools also are required to notify parents about referrals for any health or mental health services, regardless of whether they are related to human sexuality or related topics.

A student’s age was not mentioned as a factor for consent, where required, in the departmental guidance or in SB 150 itself.

Webb said in his statement that the district is updating the consent letter to ensure that its purpose is “clear moving forward.

Additionally, we are communicating with district leadership to reiterate the purpose of the consent form.”

“We apologize for any confusion as the Kenton County School District is in complete compliance with all aspects of SB150 from the 2023 legislative session,” Webb said. “If you have additional questions, please contact our office at 859-344-8888.”

Part of the consent letter sent out by Kenton County Schools Aug. 14.

SEPTEMBER 6, 2024 5

nky in photos More than 200 turned out at sunrise Aug. 25 on the banks of the Ohio River for the 18th annual Bill Keating Jr. Great Ohio River Swim.

Most participants chose the 900 meter circuit from Cincinnati’s Serpentine Wall to Newport and back; hardier souls chose the “double dipper,” a 2½ mile swim. The event raised $15,000 for Adventure Crew, which provides outdoor recreation opportunities to city teens in 27 Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky high schools. Photos by Joe Simon.

More than 200 swimmers in competitive and recreational waves made the 900 meter sunrise crossing from Cincinnati to Newport and back.

An unidentified swimmer celebrates her achievement in completing the Ohio River Swim.

Swimmers jumped into the river from Cincinnati’s Serpentine Wall.

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Swimmers, friends, family members and onlookers gathered at Cincinnati Public Landing, the Ohio River Swim’s finish line.

nky in photos

The sun rises over the Purple People Bridge and the hills of Northern Kentucky on Aug. 25 before the start of the river swim.

Event participants swim by as the Ascent and RiverCenter towers in Covington gleam in the morning sun behind them.

Caroline Keating, chair of the event, gives last-minute tips to participants. The swim is named in honor of her father, who founded it in 2007.

A wave of swimmers clings to the Serpentine Wall awaiting the starting horn for the 900 meter Ohio River Swim to Newport and back.

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kenton county briefs Independence condos win council approval with June revisions

struction timeline at the Aug. 26 meeting, but they estimated the earliest that construction could begin in earnest to be next spring.

Madison Pike Partners is planning to develop 110 condo units spread across 12 buildings on the site. The development would feature 257 parking spaces with 72 driveways, 72 garage spaces and 113 off-street parking spots. It would contain homes built

by Fischer Homes and sport a density of 13.43 units per net acre.

Signs put up by Independence residents in response to a proposed development. Provided | WCPO

A proposed condominium complex along the east side of Madison Pike in Independence cleared another hurdle in late August.

No one spoke against the development at a special Independence City Council meeting on Aug. 26, when the city approved a final development plan for the complex.

The development has undergone several rounds of zoning requests and development proposals before both the council and the county planning commission since early this year. Virtually all met public opposition due to the development’s proposed density and potential effects on traffic.

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Representatives from Madison Pike Partners LLC., the company developing the complex, could not give an exact con-

The development has been controversial.

The developers originally wanted to build 124 units, but several Independence residents opposed it, telling the county planning commission in February it was too dense and would increase traffic. In a split vote, the commission affirmed the residents’ concerns and rejected the developers’ request.

This escalated the request to Independence City Council, but the developers decided to withdraw their request before a vote was held. Still, residents in opposition to the development posted signs around town encouraging people to attend the March council meeting to express their opposition.

Independence Mayor Chris Reinersman, who has a background in real estate appraisal, developers and residents debated the merits of the development at the March meeting.

Reinersman discussed compromises the

That resolution does allow renting, but only under “extreme circumstances” and only for up to a year. What qualifies as extreme circumstances is not spelled out.

Besides the reduction in units, the developers in March also had shaved off a chunk of the land on the west side of the development, reducing the number of entry intersections to just one. They also moved a building in the eastern part of the development farther from the Hartland neighborhood to the south, scratched one of the retaining walls, and agreed to build a walking path from the development northward to the Kenton County Courthouse, where a yet-to-be-built farmer’s market will be.

This wasn’t enough to warrant additional traffic mitigations, according to the study, other than a stop sign at the main access point.

Council did not vote on the development in March, but the developers brought a new zoning change request before the county planning commission in April. The commission approved it, although opposition continued from several residents. The zoning change then returned to city council in June. Council voted 5-1 to approve the final zoning change.

The development plan has changed little since the zoning approval in June.

At the August meeting, council voted 4-1 in favor of the plan. Council Member Greg Steffen was the only member to vote no.

Bircus announces it will sell its home, Ludlow Theater

Following residents’ concerns about traffic, the developers commissioned Mason, Ohio-based engineering firm SHA Engineering to perform a traffic study, which measured the traffic counts for the intersection that would lead into the development as they occurred on Feb. 1 and projected them out by 10 years. The study estimated the total number of cars from the development to be 57 cars during peak morning traffic hours, 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., and 68 cars during peak evening hours, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The owners of the historic Ludlow Theater in Ludlow, home to Bircus Brewing Co. and Circus Mojo, announced Aug. 22 that they will sell the building.

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Besides live circus performances, the theater also hosts live music, pro wrestling matches and other events.

Bircus’ founder, Paul Hallinan Miller, is a former clown with Ringling Bros. circus.

Miller and his wife, Renee, purchased the theater in 2009 as a home for Circus Mojo,

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developers had offered since the planning commission’s vote in February. These included reducing the number of proposed units from 124 to 110 and prohibiting renting in the condo complex’s home association covenant, which would need to be approved by the city before building permits could be issued per the Aug. 26 approval.

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kenton county briefs

Circus Mojo purchased the Ludlow Theater in 2009. Photo provided | Ludlow Theater

which Miller founded. They opened Bircus Brewing in 2018 in the theater.

A social media statement published Aug. 22 described the owners’ plans.

“The circus can set up anywhere, and from an artistic standpoint, the time has come to shed our big top to secure resources to pursue bigger dreams,” the statement reads.

“Bircus Brewing Co. will have its own future, as we relocate operations to 2-14 Highway Ave. in Ludlow, Kentucky. This property will be known as Big Blue.”

The Highway Avenue property is the site of the former Doxol Propane plant, the main building of which is covered in a distinctive, bright blue paint. Bircus purchased the property in 2019, and it achieved National Historic Register Status in 2023.

Bircus hopes to convert the building into a large event venue. Timelines for the sale of the theater and opening of the new building were not given.

Fort Wright holds off on large zoning overhaul for cannabis changes Discussion at the Aug. 7 Fort Wright City Council meeting suggested the city may impose conditions on potential medical cannabis businesses before it votes to institute a model zoning ordinance from the county’s planning administration, dubbed Z21.

Kenton County Planning & Development Services started the Z21 Project in 2016 to update and standardize zoning codes in cities across Kenton County’s many jurisdictions. Cities are free to institute their own zoning codes if they choose – Covington, for instance, has its own neighborhood

code – and cities are free to amend the Z21 template as needed.

as opposed to a strip mall, for example, where businesses share a wall.

Erlanger, Elsmere, Fort Mitchell, Independence, Lakeside Park, Taylor Mill and Villa Hills have adopted zoning ordinances based on the Z21 recommendations.

“That would be just another thing that landlords had to deal with,” Wessels said.

Planning & Development Services representatives Andy Videkovich and Cody Sheets attended the meeting to answer questions and explain some of the changes that Z21 brings. Among them, the plan includes new language to address medical cannabis operations within city limits.

“One of our goals was maintaining each city’s identity and character,” said Videkovich, PDS planning manager, at the meeting.

“Still, you would know where to go to find the same information from one city to the next.”

Fort Wright City Administrator Jill Cain Bailey presented the updated zoning code to council. She and the Planning & Development Services representatives and recommended that council adopt the more than 300-page document in its entirety.

“The planning services of Kenton County decided that they were going to change and rework the zoning code to modernize it,” Bailey said. “It had not been updated since 1983. Fort Wright didn’t just need it, all of Northern Kentucky did. We were tasked with reworking our own zoning code. Andy [Videkovich] and Cody [Sheets] did a great job holding our hands.”

“In my opinion, I think this is a major improvement over what we had,” Mayor Dave Hatter said. “It’s a lot more flexible and better than what we had.”

However, the medical cannabis issue kept council from moving forward with the Z21 plan in its entirety.

Since Planning & Development Services brought NKY cities options for medical cannabis operations, several council members have expressed concern over potential odors associated with cannabis businesses.

Councilmember Bernie Wessels is concerned about the effects cannabis odor will have on neighboring businesses. Wessels is one of several council members advocating that any cannabis operation in Fort Wright should be in standalone buildings,

Wessels brought this concern up at a previous council meeting. In response, Bailey and Fort Wright officials compiled research and discussed the proposed restriction’s benefits and drawbacks.

“Staff recommendation is that you do not go the direction of [requiring] a standalone facility,” Bailey said. “Having said that, we make lots of recommendations that you have not agreed with, and that is fine.”

Fort Wright consulted City Attorney John S. Brooking on whether this restriction would be legally reasonable.

He declared his support for Mueller, who, he said, has the right qualifications for the job. “I further decided that I would prefer to wait until November and let the voters decide,” Smith said.

Council ultimately voted to appoint Mueller to the seat. He previously served on council in the early 2000s and said that being back is where he wants to be. Mueller said what he wants for the city is a “safe, livable community” that is “welcoming to all.”

Mueller, Smith and Longbons are all running for seats on the council in the November election.

Kenton attorney honored for service at state conference

“Can city council impose that restriction?

Yes,” Brooking said. “The bigger question is whether you should, given the standards in place. It needs to be able to stand up in court.”

Ultimately, council voted to state that its final approval of Z21 is contingent upon adding language requiring cannabis businesses to be in standalone buildings. Members will discuss the wording at the next caucus meeting.

After quick resignation, Crescent Springs fills council seat 2nd time Steve Wilcoxson was sworn into a vacant Crescent Springs City Council seat in June after former member Bill Schult resigned.

Two days later, Wilcoxson resigned, leaving a vacant seat. During the council’s Aug. 26 meeting, a former council member was appointed to the seat.

Wilcoxson “had something come up in his personal life,” leading him to resign, Mayor Mike Daugherty said.

Bob Mueller and Jeff Smith, who both ran for the seat previously, were at the meeting as candidates to fill the vacancy. Chad Longbons, who is running for council in November, also came hoping to fill the vacancy.

Smith withdrew from the running after Mueller and Longbons spoke to the council.

Kenton County Attorney Stacy Tapke, left, and Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman. Provided | Kentucky Attorney General’s office

Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman in August honored the service of Stacy Tapke, the Kenton County attorney, at the 2024 Kentucky Prosecutors Conference in Louisville.

“Throughout her impressive career, Stacy has been a leader in Northern Kentucky and across the commonwealth,” Coleman said. “Stacy is tireless in supporting families, and I’m proud to recognize her outstanding leadership.”

The conference saw the gathering of all 120 county attorneys and 57 commonwealth attorneys to share best work practices and tips. The conference also offers attendees a chance for professional development.

“I’m grateful to Attorney General Coleman for this humbling recognition and to the dedicated professionals in the Kenton County Attorney’s Office who make it possible for us to have an outsized impact across Kentucky,” Tapke said.

WE START

WITH YOU.

Florence • Fort Mitchell • Crestview Hills • Union

Member FDIC

SEPTEMBER 6, 2024 9

NOTICE Duke Energy Kentucky, Inc. (“Duke Energy Kentucky” or “Company”) hereby gives notice that, in a tariff revision filing to be filed no sooner than September 13, 2024, Duke Energy Kentucky will be seeking approval by the Kentucky Public Service Commission, Frankfort, Kentucky, of textual changes to its tariff to become effective on and after October 14, 2024.

The proposed text changes and rates are applicable in all territories served by the Company’s service area as follows: DUKE ENERGY KENTUCKY CURRENT AND PROPOSED TEXT CHANGES Section VI – Billing and Payment (Gas Tariff Sheet No. 25) Current Budget Billing Plan Description Annual Plan: -The Annual Plan provides 12 months of equal payments by using 12 months of customer’s usage, dividing the usage by 12, and using the result to calculate the bill.

Month 12 is a settle-up month between the billed amounts and customer bills based on actual usage.

-A bill message is sent after 3, 6, and 9 months with a new bill amount if the budget bill amounts compared to the actual bill amounts exceeds a Company set threshold.

-The budget bill amount is also changed as needed after the 12 month review.

Quarterly Plan: -The Quarterly Plan provides 3 months of equal payments starting by using 12 months of customer’s usage, dividing the usage by 12, and using the result to calculate the bill.

-However, to prevent a settle-up month, reviews occur after 3, 6, 9, and 12 months on the plan and continue every 3 months thereafter.

-The budget bill amount is changed as needed after each review. The change is automatic, and the customer does not need to contact Company.

-A bill message is sent after each review with a new bill amount if the budget bill amounts compared to the actual bill amounts exceeds a Company set threshold.

Proposed Budget Billing Plan Description: Annual Plan: -The Annual Plan provides 11 months of equal payments by using 12 months of customer’s usage, at the customer’s respective current rate schedule, dividing the total by 12, to calculate the bill.

-Month 12 includes the Budget Bill amount and a settle-up between the billed amounts and customer bills based on actual usage -Month 12 includes a review of the Customer account and the budget bill amount is changed as needed after the 12 month review. The change is automatic, and the customer does not need to contact Company. A bill message is sent with the new bill amount.

Quarterly Plan: -The Quarterly Plan provides 3 months of equal payments starting by using 12 months of customer’s usage, at the customer’s respective current rate schedule, dividing the total by 12, to calculate the bill.

-For a customer electing to enroll in the Budget Billing Program without prior usage history at the service location, a calculation will be performed based upon the characteristics of the premise and the customer will be defaulted to the quarterly Budget Billing Program option to help establish accurate payment estimation.

-However, to prevent a settle-up month, reviews occur after 3, 6, 9, and 12 months on the plan and continue every 3 months thereafter. At each of the reviews, the Company will determine the difference between the cost for actual gas service rendered at the premises under this rate schedule and the amounts billed customer for the preceding twelve-month period, and the Company shall add or subtract to the prior billed amount, as appropriate, one-twelfth (1/12) of that difference to each of the next bills to be sent to customer.

-The budget bill amount is changed as needed after each review. The change is automatic, and the customer does not need to contact Company.

-A bill message is sent after each review with a new bill amount.

Section VI – Billing and Payment (Electric Tariff Sheet No. 25) Current Budget Billing Plan Description: Annual Plan: -The Annual Plan provides 11 months of equal payments by using 12 months of customer’s usage, dividing the usage by 11, and using the result to calculate the bill.

-Month 12 is a settle-up month between the billed amounts and customer bills based on actual usage.

-A bill message is sent after 6 months with a suggested new bill amount if the budget bill amounts compared to the actual bill amounts exceeds a Company set threshold; however, Customer must contact Company to change the amount.

-The budget bill amount is changed as needed after the 12 month review.

Quarterly Plan: -The Quarterly Plan provides 3 months of equal payments starting by using 12 months of customer’s usage, dividing the usage by 12, and using the result to calculate the bill.

-However, to prevent a settle-up month, reviews occur after 3, 6, 9, and 12 months on the plan and continue every 3 months thereafter.

-The budget bill amount is changed as needed after each review. The change is automatic and the customer does not need to contact Company.

-A bill message is sent after each review with a new bill amount if the budget bill amounts compared to the actual bill amounts exceeds a Company set threshold.

Proposed Budget Billing Plan Description: Annual Plan: -The Annual Plan provides 11 months of equal payments by using 12 months of customer’s usage, at the customer’s respective current rate schedule, dividing the total by 12, to calculate the bill.

-Month 12 includes the Budget Bill amount and a settle-up between the billed amounts and customer bills based on actual usage -Month 12 includes a review of the Customer account and the budget bill amount is changed as needed after the 12 month review. The change is automatic, and the customer does not need to contact Company. A bill message is sent with the new bill amount.

Quarterly Plan: -The Quarterly Plan provides 3 months of equal payments starting by using 12 months of customer’s usage, at the customer’s respective current rate schedule, dividing the total by 12, to calculate the bill.

-For a customer electing to enroll in the Budget Billing Program without prior usage history at the service location, a calculation will be performed based upon the characteristics of the premise and the customer will be defaulted to the quarterly Budget Billing Program option to help establish accurate payment estimation.

-However, to prevent a settle-up month, reviews occur after 3, 6, 9, and 12 months on the plan and continue every 3 months thereafter. At each of the reviews, the Company will determine the difference between the cost for actual electric service rendered at the premises under this rate schedule and the amounts billed customer for the preceding twelve-month period, and the Company shall add or subtract to the prior billed amount, as appropriate, one-twelfth (1/12) of that difference to each of the next bills to be sent to customer.

-The budget bill amount is changed as needed after each review. The change is automatic, and the customer does not need to contact Company.

-A bill message is sent after each review with a new bill amount.

The text contained in this notice is the text proposed by Duke Energy Kentucky; however, the Kentucky Public Service Commission may order revisions that differ from the proposed revisions contained in this notice. Such action may result in rates for consumers other than the rates in this notice.

Any corporation, association, body politic or person with a substantial interest in the matter may, by written request within thirty (30) days after publication of this notice of the proposed changes, request leave to intervene; intervention may be granted beyond the 30-day period for good cause shown. Such motion shall be submitted to the Kentucky Public Service Commission, P.O. Box 615, 211 Sower Boulevard, Frankfort, Kentucky 40602-0615, and shall set forth the grounds for the request including the status and interest of the party. If the Commission does not receive a written request for intervention within thirty (30) days of the initial publication the Commission may take final action on the tariff filing.

Intervenors may obtain copies of this tariff filing and other filings made by the Company by requesting same through email at DEKInquiries@duke-energy.com or by telephone at (513) 287-4366. A copy of the tariff filing and other filings made by the Company is available for public inspection through the Commission’s website at http://psc.ky.gov, at the Commission’s office at 211 Sower Boulevard, Frankfort, Kentucky, Monday through Friday, 8:00 am. to 4:30 p.m., and at the following Company offices: 1262 Cox Road, Erlanger, Kentucky 41018. Comments regarding the filing may be submitted to the Public Service Commission through its website, or by mail at the following Commission address.

For further information contact: PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY P.O. BOX 615 211 SOWER BOULEVARD FRANKFORT, KENTUCKY 40602-0615 (502) 564-3940

10 SEPTEMBER 6, 2024

DUKE ENERGY KENTUCKY 1262 COX RD ERLANGER, KENTUCKY 41018 (513) 287-4366

calendar

September Friday

Saturday

06 Verona Community Yardsale and Open Air Market, 3-7 p.m., Schoolyard Winery, 14923 Walton-Verona Road, Verona. Join the fun and help support your community as friends and neighbors declutter their lives with a yard sale and market.

The winery’s bar and bourbon lounge will be open 3-9 p.m. Information: 859-242-2087 or email schoolyardwinerysfarmersmarket@ duck.com.

Sunday 07

Monday 08

Tuesday 09

Verona Community Yardsale and Open Air Market, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Schoolyard Winery, 14923 Walton-Verona Road, Verona. Friday’s event continues. Information: 859-242-2087 or email schoolyardwinerysfarmersmarket@ duck.com.

Wednesday 10

Chip Polston and “Kentucky Life,” 6:30-8:30 p.m., Boone County Public Library, 1786 Burlington Pike, Burlington. View a screening of KET’s “Kentucky Life,” celebrating the people, places and ideas of our state, followed by a meet-and-greet with host Chip Polston.

Registration through website required.

Information: 859-3422665 or ket.org/event/ chip-polston-andkentucky-life.

Taste of Hebron, 2-8 p.m., Rivers Pointe Estates, 1330 North Bend Road, Hebron. Enjoy food, games, music, a petting zoo, magician, kids’ games. Tour our beautiful model homes and meet luxury custom home builders. Information: 859-512-2426 or riverspointeestates. com/2024/06/taste-ofhebron-2024.

Thursday 11

Employment law update, 8-10 a.m., Mazak National Technology Center, 7975 Foundation Drive, Elsmere.

Gain valuable insight on recent and pending state and federal employment law changes.

Part of NKY Chamber’s HR 100 Legal Series.

Program approved for SHRM continuing education credit. Information: 859-578-8800 or business.nkychamber. com/events.

12 NKY Chamber Annual Dinner 2024, 5-10:30 p.m., Northern Kentucky Convention Center, 1 W. RiverCenter Blvd., Covington. The chamber is “55 and Thriving” and looks at past accomplishments, current growth and future projects. Includes celebration of award winners. Information: 859-578-8800 or business.nkychamber.com/ events.

Forest Hills Bluegrass Band, 7-8 p.m., Hebron branch, Boone County Public Library, 1863 North Bend Road, Hebron. The Concert at the Library Series continues with live, outdoor performance by the Forest Hills Bluegrass Band. Free, but bring your own chair. Information: 859-342-2665 or boone.libnet.info/ event/9626899.

FreshART Party and Auction, 6-9:30 p.m., Behringer-Crawford Museum, 1600 Montague Road, Covington.

Behringer-Crawford Museum celebrates the region’s artistic talent with its 32nd annual freshART party and art auction. Fundraiser benefits youth education programs. Admission: $60. Information: 859491-4003, freshART@ bcmuseum.org or bcmuseum.org/activities/ freshart.

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

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streetscapes

Take turn off beaten path to Oakbrook Road

By Maria Hehman

T

his Streetscapes takes a look at some local businesses on Oakbrook Road in Florence. Just a few minutes away from a slew of chain outlets along Burlington Pike and U.S. 42, these places prove it’s worth taking a turn off the beaten path to a small strip of local businesses.

Bourbon House Pizza

wings and meatballs for carnivores, breaded mushrooms and jalapeno poppers for vegetarians, and every type of fry you can imagine for the table. Pasta, hoagies, salads and calzones ensure that even the pickiest eaters will find something on the menu for them.

There’s a full bar, too, including (of course) bourbon to pair with any pizza.

Oakbrook Bakery What’s really the point of living if one can’t indulge in delicious delights like a doughnut? There are few better places to satisfy that sweet tooth than Oakbrook Bakery, best known for stellar doughnuts. From traditional glazed to creative creations, it’s got it. Some of the fun flavors have included cookies and cream, maple bacon and raspberry filled. Yum! Besides doughnuts, Oakbrook also creates cookies, cakes, croissants and pretzels.

For a nostalgic treat, the cinnamon sugar pretzels will transport you back to middle school days of walking the mall with a warm pretzel in hand. Except Ms. Auntie Ann doesn’t hold a candle to these pretzels.

The Town’s End’s entrance and side patio.

Oakbrook Bakery has become so well loved that it’s known to sell out. The best way to secure these scrumptious treats is visiting early or calling ahead. Or heck, grab a dozen. You can share with co-workers or just have a secret stash at home.

Bourbon House Pizza’s exterior. Photos by Maria Hehman | LINK nky contributor

The Town’s End

Deep dish pizza lovers need not travel to Chicago for a slice of their favorite pie. They can just head to Oakbrook Road in Florence. Bourbon House Pizza has options for all: Customers can order both deep dish and traditional crusts – or one of three additional choices: vegan, cauliflower and gluten free. For a taste of the true Chicago-style dish, the Chi Town Favorite, with sausage, mushrooms and onions, is the perfect choice.

The Town’s End is a perfect example of not judging a book by its cover. From the outside, it may look like a small strip mall storefront, but inside you’ll find a vibrant, friendly hometown bar with some seriously good food. The decor gives a rustic take on a classic Americana bar, with the bar prominently displaying an impressive bourbon and liquor lineup.

Although it’s on the smaller side, Town’s End uses its space well and without feeling crowded. There’s also an outdoor space with picnic tables and bistro seating to soak up the warm weather. For food, choose from a variety of bar classics, salads, sandwiches, burgers and plenty of appetizers to snack on. Check it out during a Bengals game to really get the full hometown bar experience.

Bourbon House Pizza regulars also know about the ranch dressing. It’s so well-liked that the menu has a pizza for ranch lovers that contains “no pizza sauce, just ranch dressing, chicken, onion and bacon.” Those that truly love it can even purchase a Mason jar of the dressing to take home.

Bourbon House’s appetizers make up the largest section on the menu. There are

12 SEPTEMBER 6, 2024

Raspberry jam-filled doughnut from Oakbrook Bakery.

What to Know If You Go Bourbon House Pizza Location: 7500 Oakbrook Road, Florence Hours: Monday, closed; Tuesday-Wednesday, 3-9 p.m.; Thursday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.10 p.m.; Sunday, noon-9 p.m.

Website: bourbonhousepizza.com Phone: 859-282-7999

Oakbrook Bakery Location: 7500 Oakbrook Road, Florence Hours: Monday-Tuesday, closed; Wednesday-Friday, 6 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday, 6 a.m.-1 p.m.; Sunday, 7 a.m.1 p.m.

Website: Facebook.com/Oakbrookbakery Phone: 859-282-0695

The Town’s End Location: 7500 Oakbrook Road, Florence Hours: Monday, closed; Tuesday-Thursday, 3 p.m.-midnight; Friday-Saturday, 3 p.m.-2 a.m.; Sunday, 3 p.m.-midnight Phone: 859-918-1065

SEPTEMBER 6, 2024 13

Volleyball bloodlines help revive Notre Dame championship mystique

By Marc Hardin

W

hile teammates pack up their gym bags and head home after smashing volleyballs in practice, the Notre Dame Academy captains stick around to discuss recent Pandas history.

Julia Grace and Lauren Ott are two of seven seniors playing for the two-time defending 9th Region champions. Grace, last season’s Northern Kentucky Girls Volleyball Coaches Association Division I player of the year, is a savvy setter. Ott, an NKGVCA Division I honorable mention, is a hustling defensive specialist.

They helped the Pandas start the 2024 season 4-0 with victories against Boone County, Cincinnati Mercy McAuley, Beechwood and McNicholas.

who made a verbal commitment to Xavier University almost a year ago. “That’s part of what we work on.”

The larger picture is framed by an even bigger goal: win a state championship. After numbering all the ways they can keep the ball from hitting the hardwood, the Notre Dame captains number the Pandas’ state crowns. There are 10 in all, second only to Louisville Assumption’s state record 22.

Two seasons ago, Grace and Ott were sophomores on the last state championship-winning Pandas squad. They and their 2022 teammates are single-minded in their pursuit of a second crown before they graduate. They also hope the girls who haven’t won a state title get to experience the euphoria that comes with being Kentucky’s top high school volleyball team.

“It’s the best feeling,” Ott said.

“I think the team is looking pretty good,” Ott said. “We work really hard in practice, and the girls are excited about what we can do.”

Ott paced the Pandas in assists after the first week of matches. Grace led in digs.

They are part of a squad of quality players who have a knack for keeping the volleyball in the air.

Having been around the program for nearly four years, Grace and Ott qualify as experts on recent vintage Notre Dame volleyball. They know how the Pandas have fared against Louisville powers Assumption, Mercy and Sacred Heart. They know another state crown would be Notre Dame’s third in five years.

“That’s the whole point. That’s the goal.

Don’t let the ball hit the floor,” said Grace,

When asked what the 2020, 2022 and 2024 Pandas have in common, Grace knew one

obvious answer: There is a Grace sister on all those teams. Her older sister, Emma, was a senior on the 2020 state-winning squad before heading to Xavier on a volleyball scholarship. Julia was a sophomore on the 2022 state-winning team. Which means that, if the Pandas win it all this fall, they will once again do it with a Grace, only this time it’ll be with Julia.

“A lot of girls are contributing,” Litmer said.

“The kinds of conversations we’re having this early in the schedule is exciting because it shows where we are at. We have a long way to go. We want to be honest with the process and make sure we’re doing all the things we need to do to reach our goals.”

“Yeah, me and my sister are totally aware of that fact,” Julia said. “She encourages me with messages. I would love to win state again. It’s rare to have sisters do something like that, and it would be super cool.”

It also would be super cool for Pandas senior Lacey Hostetler, team leader in service aces after the first week of play. She, too, was a sophomore on the 2022 state title-winning squad. Her sister Kayla was a sophomore on the 2020 state-winning Pandas.

“Back in 2020 when we won, it was such a relief after not winning state for a long time. There was more belief,” said Pandas co-coach Leslie Litmer. She shares the position with fellow former Panda Jenna Schreiver. They both were Notre Dame assistant coaches in 2020.

“After we won it that year, it was like, now what?” Litmer continued. “When we became co-head coaches, we just wanted to make sure the girls could live off that past success and maintain the belief while moving forward. In that sense, it’s an important component to still have those girls who helped us win state in 2022.”

The Notre Dame volleyball team put up a cutout of coach Leslie Litmer holding the 2020 state championship trophy. She was unable to attend the state final due to pregnancy. File photo.

Of course, there are plenty of other Pandas whose families don’t have a stake in past crowns, and they dearly want to join Notre Dame’s family of state champions. This includes Ott and three other Pandas heading to NCAA Division I programs. Like Grace, all-NKGVCA first-team standout Ava Tilden has verbally committed to Xavier. Riley McCloskey, an all-NKGVCA second-team pick, is a Memphis commit. Audrey Dyas is heading to Wake Forest.

The Pandas celebrate winning last season’s 9th Region championship over St. Henry. Provided | Rory Glynn

Tilden is among the team’s kill leaders.

Dyas is a blocks leader. Grace Portwood led the Pandas in kills after the first week.

Portwood and Ella Goetz were co-leaders in blocks. Lizzie Larkins is among the assist leaders.

Julia Grace brings a winning family tradition to the 2024 Pandas. Provided | Julia Grace

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sports Schmidt notches 400th career win as volleyball coach

career victories. He’s led the Crusaders to three All “A” state championships and eight 9th Region All “A” titles. In 2003, he guided St. Henry to Rupp Arena after winning the 9th Region title.

On top of being the career leader in wins, Faust has won numerous coach of the year honors at both the state and local levels.

He is a member of the Newport Catholic Hall of Fame, Thomas More Hall of Fame, Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame and Northern Kentucky Athletic Directors Hall of Fame.

Ludlow volleyball coach Josi Schmidt, center, with her team Aug. 21 after Schmidt won her 400th career game. Provided | Ludlow Volleyball Facebook page

Ludlow High School volleyball coach Jodi Schmidt hit a big milestone in the Panthers’ Aug. 21 victory over Gallatin County. It was win No. 400 for Schmidt, who is in her 24th season with the program.

When Schmidt arrived, Ludlow had a varsity and junior varsity team. The program has since expanded: On top of Varsity and JV, there’s a freshman team, multiple middle school teams and a fourth- and fifthgrade team was recently added.

Kaiser is a 1985 St. Henry graduate who also heads into year 34 with her respective program, the Crusaders volleyball team.

Kaiser has over 800 wins as a head coach, top three all-time in KHSAA history. She led the Crusaders to the state championship in 2021 and has seven All “A” state championships. The Crusaders have won nine 9th Region titles.

Kaiser has received many honors as coach of the year on the state and local level and is a member of the Buddy Larosa Hall of Fame, Northern Kentucky Athletic Directors Hall of Fame and the St. Henry Hall of Fame.

Schmidt got her start in coaching as an assistant at Bishop Brossart under Jen Woolf when she was going through college and getting her degree. Then the opportunity at Ludlow opened up.

The growth in the program is what keeps Schmidt motivated to coach. The Panthers currently at 1-4 (as of Aug. 27) recently hosted the Ludlow Classic at St. Henry due to construction of the gym at Ludlow.

The Panthers are a bit inexperienced this season, dealing with the loss of five seniors graduating from last season’s team that went 14-18.

St. Henry names gym floor after pair of legendary coaches

Maureen Kaiser has led the St. Henry volleyball program for 33 years and has over 800 wins. Provided | St. Henry Athletics

Sports Hall of Fame honors 6 with awards at summer reunion The Aug. 21 Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame Summer Reunion was as much a joyful history lesson as chowing down on pizza and Cincinnati-style chili.

Dr. Raymond Hebert (Dr. James Claypool Pioneer Award) and Joe Brennan (Joseph Brennan Leadership Award).

• Hart played basketball and volleyball and ran track at Dixie Heights (she graduated in 1975) and went on to Western Kentucky University and a career in education at Lincoln County in Stanford. It was a time when there weren’t many choices in sports for girls and women.

What was more, Hart was the first woman in Kentucky to receive a full athletic scholarship.

• Bowman remembered working for Cappel in the 1970s at what is now Frank’s On Pike, a clothing store on West Pike Street that’s been around since 1918.

• Rhoden, who died in December, scored 854 points at Bishop Brossart from 2000-04. His brother, Alexandria Police Officer Nick Rhoden, and mother, Martie Rhoden Bessler, accepted the award.

Nick Rhoden said his brother was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder at age 16. He advocates for mental health issues, including the National Alliance on Mental Illness chapter in Newport.

• Goodhew played football at Holmes from 1955-59 and later at Eastern Kentucky University, where he earned Ohio Valley Conference and national All-American honors. He was inducted into the NKYSHOF in 2002 and has organized numerous golf fundraisers.

• Brennan, a Holmes High graduate, served 20 years as NKYSHOF president. He also was a Covington city commissioner in the 1970s.

Laurie Risch, executive director of the Behringer-Crawford Museum in Covington, said it was Brennan’s vote that

allowed the museum to form an independent board of trustees.

• Hebert taught history at Thomas More University for 46 years.

Volleyball coaches put 47 from NKY on preseason watchlist The Kentucky Volleyball Coaches Association recently released its preseason watch list by region across Kentucky, and quite a few in Northern Kentucky were included.

From the 8th Region were Simon Kenton’s Tori Chasteen, Keira Hans and Jenna Kitchens, while Walton-Verona’s Bella O’Brien also made the list.

The 9th Region saw 36 players make the list. They are Beechwood’s Isabel Bakker, Maggie Dawson and Isabel O’Brien; Boone County’s Azaria Sweet and Maddie Yelton; Conner’s Annika Berwanger, Shylyn Koerber, Charlotte Patton and McKenzie Sandeen; Highlands’ Lyla Bottom, Ella Cox and Hayden Gessner; Holy Cross’ Lucy Lenihan; Lloyd Memorial’s Lorelei Tomlinson; Newport Central Catholic’s Caroline Eaglin, Reese McCloskey, Paytin Reckers, Jordyn Reckers and Charlotte Stevie; Notre Dame’s Audrey Dyas, Ella Goetz, Julia Grace, Riley McCloskey and Ava Tilden; Ryle’s Ria Furuta, Karsyn Griffin, Morgan Heater and Lucy Trapp; St. Henry’s Kenadi Sieg, Corrine Blackburn, Lizzie Casey, Madi Demler, Emily Helmers, Madelyn Keipert and Violet Main; and Villa Madonna’s Maya Kondik.

The 10th Region includes Bishop Brossart’s Addyson Doughman, Chloe Hershey, Kate Neltner, Aubrey Rebholz and Callie Ritter, and Scott’s Elise Manhardt and Milyn Minor.

The regular season started Aug. 19, with action running all the way through the second weekend of November for the state championship in Winchester at George Rogers Clark High School.

Six sports legends were honored at the Gardens of Park Hills: former Covington mayor and City Commissioner Denny Bowman (Bill Cappel Volunteerism Award), the late Derrick Rhoden (Thomas Fricke Service Award), Pam Kordenbrock Hart (Pat Scott Lifetime Achievement Award), Kenny Goodhew (James “Tiny” Steffen Award), St. Henry boys basketball coach Dave Faust has been the head coach of the program for 33 years.

Provided | St. Henry Athletics

St. Henry District High School has named its gym floor after longtime coaches Dave Faust and Maureen Kaiser.

Both coaches have been at the Erlanger school for over 30 years as head coaches and faculty members.

Faust has been at post of the boys’ basketball team for 33 years and is the all-time wins leader in the 9th Region, with 475

From left: Kenny Goodhew, Martie Rhoden Bessler, Nick Rhoden (mother and brother of the late Derrick Rhoden), Denny Bowman, Pam Krdenbrock Hart, Joe Brennan, longtime Major League Baseball umpire Randy Marsh, former Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo and Dr. Raymond Hebert.

Ray Schaefer | LINK nky contributor

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