LINK Kenton Reader - Volume 3, Edition 13 - February 21, 2025

KENTON

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 13 — FEBRUARY 21, 2025

THE VOICE OF NKY

linknky.com

A day in the life: Aquarium vet staff never bored

By Haley Parnell

O

pen your mouth and say “Ahh.”

Like humans, animals at Newport Aquarium must undergo annual examinations. LINK nky spent the morning of exam day with stingrays Stevie and Tampa Ray, and coral catsharks Red and Orange as the aquarium’s veterinary staff took measurements, blood samples and X-rays.

Stevie was up first.

Veterinary technician Jolene Hanna measures the anesthesia, which is poured into the water to calm the animals. While Hanna and aquarium veterinarian Hali Jungers examine Stevie in one cooler, her friend Tampa Ray swims in a larger cooler nearby.

They use coolers because they are well-insulated, safe and easy to transport.

The exams take place on a wet table where the vet can do anastatic procedures. The table is plumbed with aquarium water, not city water, because the animals are sensitive to water changes. Hanna and Jungers Continues on page 3

A coral catshark gets a checkup in a wet table at Newport Aquarium. Photo by Haley Parnell | LINK nky

Kenton residents not sold on industrial development plan

By Nathan Granger

K

enton County residents packed multiple rooms at the government center in Covington Feb. 6 to voice opposition to the county’s site readiness initiative. That plan could lead to industrial development in the southern end of the county.

It was the second meeting that week at which residents expressed displeasure at the possibility.

Julia Frey points to a photo of warehouses encroaching on her view from her backyard at the Kenton County Planning Commission’s Feb. 6 meeting. Photo by Nathan Granger | LINK nky

The site readiness initiative is a joint venture of the Kenton County Fiscal Court, Northern Kentucky Port Authority, and Kenton County Planning and Development Services. It aims to catalog available land

in the county suited for industrial development.

The initiative is in a very early phase; it does not necessarily represent a set plan of action. Rather, it establishes guideposts for county officials to assess the amount of land that could be developed for industrial use in south Kenton County.

Still, residents were displeased with what the initiative might portend, and several spoke for well over an hour Feb. 6 about the threat of industrial incursion on historically rural communities.

“Why are we depriving our future generations – because that’s what it’s about, the Continues on page 5

Cities line up to oppose payroll tax proposal p6 Discussion helps focus Covington schools plan p7 New places, old favorites on Monmouth in Newport p10

Want to get NKY news every day?

Subscribe to our email newsletters

SCAN ME!

2025 COMMUNITY

CONVERSATION SERIES: APRIL 17 – Mental health JUNE 12 – Housing AUGUST 14 – Education OCTOBER 9 – Infrastructure DECEMBER 4 – Workforce All events will be held at the Erlanger Branch of the Kenton County Public Library from 6-7:30 p.m.

Events will also be live-streamed on LINK nky’s Facebook page.

Scan the QR code to register

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

We are grateful to all LINK’s Partners - those organizations in the community who believe strongly in what we are doing,

LAW ZIEGLER & SCHNEIDER, P.S.C. zslaw.com / (859) 426-1300

2 FEBRUARY 21, 2025

Continued from page 1

are wearing plastic gloves and are careful not to get their skin oils in the water.

The stingrays have tipped barbs, so they can’t injure anyone. Stevie is growing a new barb, which will eventually kick out the old one.

PRESIDENT & CEO Lacy Starling EXECUTIVE EDITOR Meghan Goth SPORTS EDITOR Evan Dennison LINK nky Kenton Reader is published weekly by LINK Media LLC, 31 Innovation Alley, Covington, KY 41011.

Periodicals Postage Paid at Covington, KY. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to LINK nky Kenton Reader, 31 Innovation Alley, Covington, KY 41011.

ISSN 3064-7460 859-878-1669 | www.LINKnky.com

HAVE A TIP? News@LINKnky.com WANT TO ADVERTISE? Marketing@LINKnky.com

WANT TO SUBSCRIBE? Send a check for $58.30 ($55 non-auto-renewing rate plus 6% Kentucky sales tax) to LINK nky 31 Innovation Alley, Ground Floor Covington, KY 41011 or scan this QR code below

Love what we're doing? Want to support public-interest journalism in Northern Kentucky? Make a tax-deductible donation to support our work. Scan the QR code below, or mail a check payable to the Northern Kentucky Community Journalism Fund to 50 East Rivercenter Blvd. Suite 431, Covington, KY 41011.

The stingrays have been with the aquarium since 2017. They and the sharks are part of the aquarium’s outreach program, which involves animals visiting places like schools and libraries for educational opportunities.

They are not animals one would see in the display tanks on a typical visit.

Jungers said the procedure is not meant to be particularly invasive, but it collects a bit of the animal’s mucus coat to check for parasites or other things that shouldn’t be there. Running two fingers over the ray’s skin, you can feel it’s slightly bumpy like sandpaper.

“Sometimes, depending on where on their body, they will have extra bumps and stuff, and it’s kind of a defense to have little sharp bits,” Hanna said.

Jungers said the animals are sensitive to alcohol, so, before sticking them with a needle to draw blood, she rinses the area with saline.

isn’t enough information about, so taking care of them and knowing what the numbers are is important to evaluating when they’re not well.”

As Jungers examines Stevie, she moves on to an ultrasound. The image of the stingray’s spiral valve or spiral colon appears on an iPad screen next to the cooler.

“This circle right here, as you go back and forth, you can kind of see a little swirl,” Jungers said, pointing at the screen. “It’s from all of the folds that they have in there, and the thought behind that is it helps with nutrient absorption [like human intestines].”

From California to Newport Jungers is the aquarium’s first full-time vet.

She started in 2022 and oversees care for the thousands of animals at the aquarium.

She said they are still trying to figure out what “regular” exams for the animals look like. Some species might need an annual exam, while others may be OK with biennial exams.

Plus, some of them don’t fit through the doorway.

“We get blood for the same reasons you get blood for people, dogs, cats – to see if their organs are functioning the way that they’re supposed to and find out if there’s an infection,” Hanna said.

Prior to Jungers’ arrival at the aquarium, a contract or relief veterinarian worked part-time or as needed. Jungers, originally from California, spent four years getting a biology degree and then went to vet school for four years. After that, she did a yearlong rotating internship, during which she worked with emergency doctors.

“Oftentimes, you take a sample from an animal that you know is in good health, just to have baselines. A lot of these animals there

Then COVID-19 hit. Specialty internships at zoos and aquariums weren’t offered anymore.

While in limbo, she went into general practice and applied to the Aquatic Animal Health fellowship at the University of California, Davis, where she got to work with public aquariums.

Jungers spent roughly 11 years learning before starting as a full-time vet at Newport Aquarium. She said you could ask 10 different vets how they got to their position, and you would get 10 different answers.

Hanna has been with the aquarium for 23 years.

After graduating from college with a marine biology degree, Hanna said she didn’t know what to do with herself. She started working at veterinary practices but needed licensure and education to become a technician. While pursuing that degree at the University of Cincinnati, she was required to do a work-study.

“Everybody and their brother were trying to get into the [Cincinnati] zoo,” Hanna said. “They had an interview process because they only took one person, and the aquarium was brand new. They took me right away, doors wide open, come on in.

And they never let me leave.”

While getting their X-rays, the rays are quickly set on the table while Jungers takes two different angles of imaging. Stingrays are completely cartilage, like human ears.

Looking at the X-ray, you can see the “rays” of cartilage that look like waves within their wings.

Jungers checks the X-ray images for fractures, vertebral displacement and signs of arthritis. She said sometimes an X-ray Continues on page 4

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.

Newport Aquarium veterinary technician Jolene Hanna, left, and veterinarian Hali Jungers measure Stevie. Photo by Haley Parnell | LINK nky

FEBRUARY 21, 2025 3

Continued from page 3

makes it hard to tell if something is wrong, which is why they also do ultrasounds.

When the rays are flipped over, tiny pores called ampullae of Lorenzini can be seen on their skin. They are also visible on the coral catsharks. The pores help the animals navigate.

‘Everybody wants you to succeed’ Due to working with thousands of different aquatic animals, Jungers said the field is very collaborative.

“I reach out to colleagues on a weekly ba-

sis about you name it,” she said. “Different medications, different questions about species. You have to be willing to reach out to people when you don’t know something.

It’s not uncommon for facilities to have only a single veterinarian.”

Hanna and Jungers also get advice from marine biologists who care for the animals daily and use similar animals for comparison. For example, Red, the coral catshark, received a routine exam, but, when Orange was up, the vet noticed little bumps along her skin.

“Sometimes you find things that are new to you that could be totally normal to the

species, but … you’ve never seen it before,” Hanna said.

They used Red as a comparison, who did not have the bumps, and called in Newport Aquarium senior biologist Jen Swope Hazeres for a third opinion.

“The thing that is really amazing about working in this industry is how much everybody wants you to succeed,” Hanna said. “So they share information. Everyone wants to be successful with their animals.

So, if you have questions, they answer immediately, ‘Oh my gosh, I’ve never seen this before,’ and you’ll find, like, one guy.”

Jungers said the field is always evolving, so there’s always something to learn, whether that’s how a species metabolizes a drug or the anatomy and adaptations of an animal.

Some of the more unusual animals the pair works with are the invertebrates, like the giant isopods. Jungers said the initiatives with shark rays, which are critically endangered, are also interesting to see. She said there is a lot of discussion between facilities that house them about how they are fed, how they are housed, health issues, etc.

When Hanna and Jungers aren’t doing annual exams, they could be doing wellness checks, administrative duties, going through the pharmacy, cleaning or processing samples to send to the lab.

“I’ll describe my job in a lot of ways, but bored is never one of them,” Jungers said.

Stevie the stingray undergoes her annual exam at the Newport Aquarium. Photos by Haley Parnell | LINK nky

Coral catsharks Orange and Red wait in a cooler to be examined.

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

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

PUBLIC NOTICE Walton Fire Protection District is currently accepting bids for a new 2024 Dodge Ram 5500 Tradesman 4X4 with a crew cab and 9 ft. flatbed, and or a self contained skid unit with a 500 gallon water tank, 3 gallon foam cell equipped with a Class A foam proportioner, 200’ preconnected cross lay, 100’ electric hose reel, and a pump capable of supplying 300 gallons per minute. All bids submitted must be received prior to 12:00 p.m., February 21, 2025. Bids submitted shall be sealed.

The public bid opening will occur on February 21, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. at Walton Fire Protection District located at 12600 Towne Center Drive, Walton, Kentucky 41094. Any questions or concerns shall be made directly with Chief Joey Vest. The only acceptable method of communication shall be email joey.vest@waltonfireky.com.

SCAN THIS QR CODE TO GO TO OUR DIGITAL PUBLIC NOTICE PAGE

4 FEBRUARY 21, 2025

• AJ’s Towing & Recovery • Boone County Clerk • Campbell County Clerk’s Office • Campbell County Fire District #1 • Campbell County Fiscal Court • Campbell County Planning & Zoning • Campbell County Public Library • Campbell County Sheriffs Office • City of Alexandria • City of Bellevue • City of Cold Spring • City of Covington • City of Cresent Springs • City of Crestview Hills • City of Dayton • City of Edgewood • City of Elsmere • City of Erlanger • City of Florence • City of Fort Mitchell • City of Fort Thomas • City of Fort Wright • City of Highland Heights • City of Independence • City of Lakeside Park • City of Ludlow • City of Newport

• City of Ryland Heights • City of Silver Grove • City of Southgate • City of Union • City of Villa Hills • City Of Walton • City of Wilder • City of Woodlawn • Covington Public Independent Schools • Cresent Springs Board of Adjustment • Family Dollar Store • Fort Mitchell Board of Adjustment • Fort Thomas Independent Schools • Highland Heights Planning & Zoning • Joseph F Grimme, Campbell County Master Commissioner • Keating, Muething & Klekamp PLL • Kenton County Fiscal Court • Kenton County Joint Board of Adjustment • Larry Dillon, Boone County Master Commissioner • Northern Kentucky Port Authority • Northern Kentucky Water District • Planning & Development Services of Kenton County • The Baker Firm PLLC • The Hidden Chapter Bookstore LLC

Continued from page 1

the commission to explain how it was that people’s voices may have gotten lost in the county’s planning process, at least for the 2020 comprehensive plan update.

future – why are we depriving them of the chance to get into agriculture, to get into any kind of land space,” said Celia Glaza, who comes from a long line of farmers in the area. “We need wide open spaces. So, yes, land is running out. Instead of taking away all of our land and putting up boxes of buildings, let’s invest in our future generations instead of industry, so that they can grow and flourish, and we can pass down over 100 years worth of family tradition.”

She gave several reasons. First, although surveys around 2020 were sent to residents on both sides of U.S. 25, the group did not recruit on the western side. The citizens group had to rely on data from earlier surveys for information on the western side. Moreover, she argued the communication methods of the county at the time either did not reach affected residents or, if they did, they did a poor job of grabbing their attention.

The county’s planning around how to track industrial space and potential development land dates back to the 1990s, but the beginnings of what would become the site readiness initiative date to the 2014 update of the county’s comprehensive plan and the formation of the South Kenton County Citizens Group.

Kenton County Judge-Executive Kris Knochelmann, as well as Kenton County Planning and Development Services Community Manager Josh Wice, both argued at the meeting that industrial land would bring better, more highly paid jobs to the county. Additionally, warehousing and distribution were already gobbling up much of the available land, potentially crowding out better jobs, the county argued.

“You could potentially have the southwest area of Kenton County along that [U.S. 25] corridor, you could have it depleted for manufacturing without these conversations and without some of these efforts,” Wice told the commission and audience.

Focus on two areas The citizens group, in partnership with the University of Kentucky, were the first to begin surveying people about their attitudes toward development. More changes were made in the county’s 2020 comprehensive plan, which updated the recommended land use throughout the county.

The initiative’s modern form began to take shape late last year, when planning and development services presented an overview of the initiative to Kenton County Fiscal Court.

Past development trends show that much of the county’s land is either already urbanized or undergoing suburbanization, and the worry is that, if nothing changes,

As a result, many ended up not attending public meetings on the issue. Finally, disruption wrought by the pandemic generally made it harder for people to participate in public life.

Focus Areas 1 and 2 for development in southern Kenton County. The maps were presented Feb. 6 at a community meeting about the plan. Maps provided | Kenton County Planning and Development Services

the county would run out of land suitable for industrial use in the coming decades.

The initiative located two areas of focus, both relatively flat and undeveloped. They also have access to multimodal freight infrastructure due to their proximity to I-71/75, CSX railway and the Cincinnati/ Northern Kentucky International Airport.

Focus Area 1 covers 2,180 acres in the southwest corner of the county with a potential building coverage of approximately 22.38% of the land. It is close to the Boone County border, U.S. 25, Ky. 536 and a CSX railway.

In order to unlock full development potential, Wice said expanding direct road access to I-71/75 and building infrastructure for electric, gas, water and wastewater systems are crucial to future site development. The potential road expansion would become a sticking point among many residents later.

Focus Area 2 is in west-central Kenton County along the Boone and Grant County borders. It has direct access to U.S. 25. The southern portion of the area offers the best area for long-term industrial development.

The county held a public meeting Feb. 4 about the initiative at Piner Elementary.

Knochelmann presented an overview of

the initiative and tried to assuage some of the residents’ worries. He said the county had no plans of acquiring any land through eminent domain, although he admitted that he could not speak for state agencies like the Transportation Cabinet. He also said that rezoning was not part of the initiative and that there were still large chunks of the focus areas that couldn’t be developed for manufacturing and other industries.

Maintaining rural character Residents’ concerns varied in detail, but many were concerned generally about losing the area’s rural character. Others said they had not received county correspondence purportedly informing them of the changes. Some attributed this to having addresses in the unincorporated county or a lack of high-speed internet access.

Some expressed worries about environmental degradation or cast doubt on how fruitful high-tech industrial development would actually be in the face of growing automation. Others pointed out that many of the surveys on development in the past indicated the same thing they were all expressing now: People wanted things to be left alone.

Notably, she said survey results were consistent: “In research and meetings, residents have consistently and overwhelmingly said they wanted to retain and maintain a rural community in character and have a greater voice in planned development around them to do that because, if we don’t, Kenton County will run out of family farms in 10 years.”

She called upon the commission and county to consider this as they moved forward.

“I call on the fiscal court to make it right and take a pause and revisit the 2020 land use update with those affected residents at the table, as well as the [site readiness initiative] vision,” Leist said, “to help retain and protect their rural community through planning and not so much the absentee and investor landowners that we know are in the area because they have no family stake in our rural community.”

No formal action on the initiative was taken at the meeting, but Planning Commission Chair Brian Dunham said that people’s presence, even if they didn’t speak, made a powerful enough statement.

The county held a meeting for residents Feb. 10 at Simon Kenton High School, a larger venue that could accommodate more attendees.

Suzann Parker Leist, a member of the South Kenton County Citizens Group, addressed

Encounter Applications are now open for this new, immersive leadership program that helps new and emerging professionals form deeper connections to our region.

Learn more at NKYChamber.com/EncounterNKY

FEBRUARY 21, 2025 5

Local leaders: Centralized payroll tax collection ‘a vast overreach’ 2 MEDICAL TECHNOLOGISTS for Guardian Healthcare Providers, Inc. dba Epic International Staffing

Guardian Healthcare Providers, Inc. dba Epic International Staffing seeks 2 Medical Technologists in Florence, KY resp. for providing information for diagnosis, treatment, & prevention of disease by conducting medical laboratory tests, procedures, experiments, & analysis. Reqs Bachelors of Science in Medical Technology or related and American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP) or American Medical Technologists (AMT) Certification & 2 years prior Medical Technologist exp.

EMAIL RESUMES: luke.kelly@epicstaffinggroup.com

CUSTOMER APPLICATION ENGINEERING (CAE) MANAGERS FOR BONFIGLIOLI USA, INC. Bonfiglioli USA, Inc. is seeking Customer Application Engineering (CAE) Managers at our Hebron, Kentucky facility to coordinate with Sales, Purchasing, and Production Management with regard to project specifications, procedures, and order completion for heavy industrial gear motor equipment; manage product design and changes to industrial gear motor equipment; develop and upgrade the standards, policies and procedures for the work performed by the Industrial Business Unit for production of industrial gear motors; and create and manage industry application reports for the development and support of the growth of industrial gear motor product lines and related commercial activities. Qualified candidates must have 24 months experience in the following job duties as an industrial engineer or in any related occupational category specifically related to heavy industrial planetary geared motors, gearboxes, and control systems: develop customized solutions for customers; provide special applications engineering support to customers in the area of global bids and job order processing; conduct process analysis and verifications about sizing and development of any special solutions in the customer product development area; provide costing, documentation, and logistic support; provide customer project support and training or required tooling analysis on larger projects; serve as a liaison on target customer projects with application engineering issues; coordinate any and all support with internal departments, including customer service, production, purchasing, and R&D, to ensure a successful product development. Travel within the U.S. 0 to 2 days per month.

SEND RESUMES TO: Jeanie Phillips, Human Resource Manager 3541 Hargrave Dr Hebron, KY 41048 6 FEBRUARY 21, 2025

Cities across Northern Kentucky are opposing a recently introduced bill to centralize occupational business taxes. Provided | Dimitri Karastelev via Unsplash

By Haley Parnell

N

ewport has added its voice to several other Northern Kentucky jurisdictions in opposing a bill that would centralize the collection of local occupational business taxes.

If approved, House Bill 253 would require the Office of the State Treasurer to develop a web-based system for the centralized reporting, collection and distribution of occupational license fees. In addition to Newport, Boone County and cities including Union, Fort Mitchell and Fort Wright have spoken out against the bill.

“This is loss of local control,” said Newport Assistant City Manager Brian Steffen at a Feb. 3 special meeting. “We don’t know exactly what the state’s rules will be on this.

If it will run smoothly – most likely it will not. With our heavy burden on occupational license taxes, it’s very important that we approve this resolution [against the bill] and send a message to the legislature in Frankfort.”

Steffen said the state started floating the idea in 2012 of a centralized occupational license or payroll tax collection system that would collect payroll tax for all cities and communities across the state. It failed to get any traction then.

also known locally as KLC, has put opposing the bill at the top of its priority list. The league’s board voted to oppose a centralized system, and the organization is asking cities to enact resolutions opposing the proposal.

“This bill is added governmental bureaucracy,” said KLC’s CEO and executive director, J.D. Chaney, via the KLC website, klc.org, “and will only complicate the process of collecting occupational taxes, a vital revenue source for cities that funds critical infrastructure as well as emergency services, like police and firefighters.

“Cities are the economic engine of Kentucky, and we will do everything we can to protect that engine from unintended consequences of government overreach and expenses, which this bill would create.”

Facebook that the bill would simplify the tax payment process and reduce administrative burdens for businesses of all sizes.

“The measure leverages technology to create a more efficient government while helping businesses avoid late fees and other issues that come with in-person or mailed payments,” Bauman said in his post.

“In-person and mailed payments can lead to several issues, including: delays and lost payments, manual processing errors, employee time consumption, lack of immediate attention and security risks, such as stolen or lost checks, potentially leading to financial loss.”

Fixing what’s not broken

Newport Commissioner Mike Radwanski said he strongly opposes the bill. “I think a lot of people, when they think of cities, that the vast majority of our funds come in through property taxes,” he said. “Our payroll tax is our bread and butter, folks.

Steffen said Newport’s city budget is derived 40%, at minimum, from occupational license or payroll tax. “This puts a heavy burden on that system and the collection of that tax,” he said.

“This is absolutely critical to us to provide the services that we provide to our constituents, and that also applies to our business owners as well. I think it is a vast overreach that is very unnecessary.”

“The state is looking to create a system in which they are the clearinghouse for the collection of that tax,” he said. “There is a whole range of issues which this creates.”

Newport Commissioner Aaron Sutherland opposes the bill, too. “The schools really take the bulk of our property taxes as far as real property, and the city really is funded in large part by these occupational licensing fees,” he said. “Centralizing it and either adding to the fees or creating extra hoops for business owners is just not a good idea.”

H.B. 253 was introduced Feb. 4 to the Committee on Committees by Rep. Jared Bauman, a Republican from Louisville. The bill would: • Create a working group to be chaired by the state treasurer.

• Require the working group to recommend creating a centralized system for modernizing the reporting, collection and distribution of local business taxes and fees.

Steffen said one of those issues was confusion among the taxpayers and communities this would affect. He’s also concerned about the cost.

The bill has two co-sponsors: Rep. Daniel Fister, a Republican whose district covers several counties in Central Kentucky, and Rep. Rachel Roarx, a Democrat whose district covers part of Jefferson County.

Steffen said the bill is trying to fix something that isn’t broken. Newport and other communities across the commonwealth have been collecting payroll or occupational license taxes for decades.

Steffen said the Kentucky League of Cities,

Bauman, the bill’s main sponsor, said via

“This is also going to increase fees along the way,” Steffen said. “This is certainly not going to be done for free, so the taxpayer and possibly the communities and cities would also be paying fees to the state for the service.”

Steffen said this all comes back to economic development. He said Newport has been strong in its economic development over the years, bringing in jobs and businesses because it pays the bills.

Newport Mayor Tom Guidugli Jr. said there are no efficiencies with the bill.

“This is all within the balance that the state already mandates,” he said. “So, the only thing they want to do is take all the money and then have us beg and ask for money back.”

Discussion helps focus Covington Schools’ future

By Nathan Granger

would require reassigning some students, one kept all of the elementary schools open and all proposed relocating the district’s central administrative operations out of the current central office. Selling excess facilities also featured in each option.

A

new master facilities plan for Covington Independent Public Schools is coming into focus, and district leaders and staff are weighing its pros and cons.

SHP had printed large posters describing each option, including what buildings (if any) would close and the financial burden of each.

Members of the board of education, as well as the district’s professional leadership, explored some options at a special meeting Feb. 8. No formal action was taken, and the district is still a good way away from making any decisions. The meeting served as a means of assessing how far along the process is.

“These plans, this is not something that will occur next year,” said Superintendent Alvin Garrison. “I mean, these plans are plans for the future.”

The new facilities planning process came about following a proposal from district staff in 2023 to consolidate some of the district’s elementary schools – specifically 9th District Elementary – in the face of declining enrollment. This proposal proved to be unpopular among district families, however, and the board eventually tabled

Covington Independent Public Schools Board of Education Member Kareem Simpson posts a suggestion on a facilities plan option. Below left, a closer look at the suggestions. Photos by Nathan Granger | LINK nky

a vote on the proposal to explore alternatives. Thus, the new master facilities plan serves as a means by which the board can assess the district’s facilities and consider if consolidation is truly necessary.

The district contracted with architectural firm SHP to lead the planning process. Starting in early 2024, SHP began gathering information about the district through community forums, focus groups and the establishment of a community advisory team, which met six times between April 2024 and January. SHP architect Jeff Parker told attendees Feb. 8 that the advisory team began with about 35 people but eventually winnowed itself down to about 15 dedicated members.

The process explored the values and aspirations among community families (and students) and also assessed the possible financial implications of various proposed changes. Additionally, SHP assessed each building’s effectiveness as an instructional facility and assigned them numerical scores. Other assessments included projections on enrollment.

Among the insights from that process: Families advocated for a full-day preschool service across the district. Second, while some leaned toward closing 9th District, about half of those who took part in the process did not want any elementaries to close. In addition, district families asked for what was dubbed an innovation hub at Holmes High School. Students at the hub could study in-demand jobs in technology and science that weren’t usually offered in conventional classrooms. As a comparison, SHP showed a video of a similar project in Eminence, Kentucky.

Fifteen options for how the district could reorganize its facilities arose out of the community advisory process, but several options were eliminated as being simply inappropriate for the district or financially untenable. There was also discussion of either renovating or replacing Latonia Elementary, but, again, these discussions were preliminary.

Board President Tom Haggard emphasized that the options on the table were community led. “It’s important for the board to see this really wasn’t prescriptive,” he said.

SHP had identified four options that seemed to be the most popular, based on conversations with the community. All

Attendees then wrote what they viewed as the pros and cons of each option, as well as questions that still needed to be answered, on sticky notes and posted them onto the posters. Discussion followed. Key issues need to be resolved before any concrete decisions can be made. First, there is no public funding mechanism in place to provide full-day preschool, and attendees were unsure if the political will at the state level would change any time soon.

Another question was if the community advisory team was truly representative of the district and its families. Discussion questions also included: • What would be the cost of providing full-day preschool per student?

• Would closing a neighborhood elementary school like 9th District (which three of the four options propose) be worthwhile?

• Would students be lost in the redistricting process?

• What if student enrollment went up, rather than down like current projections?

“We are not trying to cause anxiety for anyone in our community,” Haggard said, “but we do have to think about things differently, and we do have to be bold and try to figure out how we can be providing the best possible opportunities for kids.”

Learn more Read about the master facilities planning process, including information on the community advisory process, at futurecovingtonschools.com.

Start your marketing budget plan around NKY’s most effective marketing tool!

The LINKnky Reader SUPER ISSUE

CONTACT MARKETING@LINKNKY.COM

NORTHERN KENTUCKY’S LARGEST NEWS DISTRIBUTION! Healthcare, Outdoor recreation

3/14/25

Reaches a total household number of 173,000 Directly mailed, not thrown onto the lawn or driveway

CONTACT MARKETING@LINKNKY.COM FEBRUARY 21, 2025 7

kenton county briefs Fort Wright protestors criticize Musk, McConnell, call for curbs to DOGE

McConnell’s Fort Wright office, as protesters wanted the senator to stand up against what is happening in D.C. A request to McConnell’s office asking if he had any response to these citizens’ concerns received no response.

Over 100 people in Fort Wright on Feb. 10 protested what they call an “unchecked power grab by the executive branch of the federal government.” Provided | WCPO

More than 100 people in Fort Wright on Feb. 10 gathered to protest what they call an “unchecked power grab” by the executive branch of the government.

“Please represent all of your constituents and not just the Republicans,” said Ernst.

“And they know, Sen. McConnell knows that what Elon Musk is doing is wrong, and he needs to stand up to that.”

Many at the protest said they were concerned Musk is allowed to “run rampant” and “do whatever he wants.” They said they’re worried about how it’ll affect their community.

“If people think what’s happening in D.C. isn’t gonna affect what’s going on in Kentucky, they’re wrong,” said protester Carol Ernst.

Warhol Foundation gives Carnegie $75,000 grant for exhibition programming

Learn heritage trades in Covington this spring through heritage academy

Future exhibitions at The Carnegie in Covington will benefit from a $75,000 grant. Provided | The Carnegie

Wenzel Whiskey blended bourbon. Provided | Wenzel Whiskey

Wenzel Whiskey, a Covington distiller, has been added to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

The Kentucky Distiller’s Association welcomed 15 new locations to the trail this week. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail, launched in 1999, now features 60 destinations in 27 of Kentucky’s 120 counties.

Wenzel Whiskey joins Newport’s New Riff Distilling and Pensive Distilling, and Ludlow’s Second Sights Spirits on the trail in Northern Kentucky.

The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts has awarded The Carnegie, a theater and arts center in Covington, with a $75,000 grant to support future exhibitions.

“The Carnegie is an important platform for artists in Covington and Greater Cincinnati,” said Rachel Bers, program director for the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts in a release. “We are pleased to support its programs that connect local artists to curators, writers and opportunities for creative growth beyond the region.”

Established in the famous artist’s will, the foundation has supported thousands of organizations worldwide and has awarded nearly $300 million in cash grants.

Musk isn’t their only concern, though. “We have an extremely passive Congress that’s not doing anything about it,” said Dickerson.

“Kentucky is the one, true and authentic home for bourbon,” Kentucky Distillery Association President Eric Gregory said in a release. “While we keep breaking attendance records, there are plenty of people around the world who have never made the pilgrimage to the birthplace of bourbon – and many more who are planning to return.”

The Carnegie’s grant will support exhibitions coming to the organization over the next two years. Those include “Notations on Ritual,” which will feature the work of several artists. The exhibition “broadly explores the theme of ritual – from objects that hold reverence, to superstitions that dictate behavior and systems that maintain or subvert expectations,” according to the same release.

The protest took place in front of Sen. Mitch

Bourbon is a $9 billion economic and tour-

“What is so exciting about this news from

Dickerson said she is worried about Americans relying on Social Security, Medicaid and other federal programs because she believes Musk and his team threaten those resources.

NORTHERN KENTUCKY –THE #1 REGION BUSINESSES CALL HOME.

8 FEBRUARY 21, 2025

the Warhol Foundation is that it feels like both a recognition of what we have done in our recent past and what lies ahead of us,” said Carnegie Executive Director Matt Distel. “This honor only happened because of what Sso-Rha Kang, Carnegie curator, is planning and the partnerships she is forging. I cannot imagine a better way to kick off the Sso-Rha era of programming.”

Kentucky Bourbon Trail toasts Wenzel Whiskey among new members

The protesters in Fort Wright voiced their concerns regarding DOGE, the so-called Department of Government Efficiency created by President Donald Trump and run

by Elon Musk. Many had questions about the department itself.

“What’s their job? Who’s allowed to do what job? What are their limitations?” said Ann Dickerson, co-founder of Indivisible NKY and organizer for the protest.

ism powerhouse for Kentucky, generating more than 23,100 jobs with $2.2 billion in salaries and benefits, according to the release.

The Covington Academy of Heritage Trades is restoring the former Colonial Inn at 1515 Madison Ave. in Covington as part of enrollees’ training.

Provided | Covington Academy of Heritage Trades

Spring registration for the Covington Academy of Heritage Trades is now open.

The academy teaches tradespeople how to work on historic buildings, which often require specialized knowledge of historical building techniques and systems often not readily available with conventional trades education.

Starting in March, the Academy will offer three two-week seminars in three areas: • Historic masonry and plastering: March 17-27.

• Stained glass window repair: April 1424.

• Historic carpentry: May 19-30.

Classes will meet Monday through Thursday from 6-9 p.m. at the Enzweiler Building Institute Covington Campus at 3923 Winston Ave. Each seminar costs $400, with a $100 deposit due at registration. The course fee includes all materials.

“The Covington Academy of Heritage Trades’ spring seminars are an incredible opportunity for anyone looking to develop specialized skills in historic renovation,”

kenton county briefs said Brain Miller of the Building Industry Association of Northern Kentucky in a release.

The academy’s primary site for hands-on learning activities is a historic building – the former Colonial Inn – at 1515 Madison Ave. in Covington. Students work side-byside with skilled craftspeople who have dedicated their careers to mastering their trade.

Speaker praises NKY in preparing for jobs, economy driven by AI

Kyla Scanlon speaks at the BE NKY annual forum.

Photo by Kenton Hornbeck | LINK nky

What will jobs look like in the future?

Northern Kentucky’s economic and political leaders are asking themselves.

Artificial intelligence and automation are rapidly integrating into the local economy, with workers in white- and blue-collar fields increasingly incorporating the technology into their daily work.

In 2023, consulting firm McKinsey & Co. published a report finding that 55% of organizations surveyed have implemented AI in at least one business unit or function.

In 2017, only 20% of surveyed organizations had implemented AI. This rapid pace of AI adoption isn’t lost on the region’s leaders. BE NKY Growth Partnership, Northern Kentucky’s primary economic growth organization, hosted its annual forum Feb. 6, where AI was among the most discussed topics.

“Let us not be afraid or hide from the obligations to adapt, to change, compete and make investments so that my children, your children and our grandchildren can live in a prosperous Northern Kentucky too,” said Christine Russell, VP of strategy for BE NKY. Economic commentator Kyla Scanlon, the forum’s keynote speaker, believes people in

Northern Kentucky – and across the U.S. – are experiencing two different economies: the data economy and the lived economy.

Scanlon describes the data economy as the macroeconomic trends people observe on the news, such as gross domestic product or stock market growth. Scanlon said public officials and media members may talk about the national economy and these metrics in a favorable light. However, people’s personal experiences can often differ from the data.

She refers to this as the lived economy, or how people tangibly experience the economy daily. This manifests itself in factors like the cost of goods and services and housing costs – all of which can impact someone’s quality of life.

“We really have this crisis of reality going on where we got sort of traditional economic data telling one side of the story, inflation is going down or was seems to be, right now, we have a relatively strong labor market, but it’s tough for new college grads to find jobs nationally,” Scanlon said.

“Then we have lived experiences which can sometimes differ from what the economic data is telling us.”

Locally, Scanlon said the data economy is trending in a positive direction. Northern Kentucky’s manufacturing and logistics sectors grew over 2024. BE NKY’s annual report found that advanced manufacturing accounted for 67% of Northern Kentucky’s new projects, 46% of jobs created and 45% of capital investment.

Despite this, the lived economy shows that there are still challenges to overcome.

Scanlon said some workers are facing replacement anxiety as automation spreads, while others lack access to the proper training for a transition into higher-paying roles.

“The challenge is to bridge that gap, to make sure that nobody’s really left behind as all of this happens,” Scanlon said. “To ensure that technological progress creates opportunities for everybody, not just those that are positioned to build or to put employment.”

From Scanlon’s perspective, the good news is that Northern Kentucky’s leaders are making the right investments to adapt to the ongoing economic changes. She cited Northern Kentucky University and Gateway Community & Technical College’s

investments in AI-based curricula and programs. Specifically, in April 2024, NKU launched an AI minor that teaches students how the technology is used and the ethics surrounding it.

“Northern Kentucky’s educational infrastructure isn’t just adapting to change; it does seem to be anticipating it,” Scanlon said. “It’s not just about the old models of workforce development. It’s not just teaching very, very specific skills. It’s teaching skills in a very adaptable way.”

Scanlon suggested that, as AI and automation become more entrenched in regional workplaces, more employers will seek out workers for new jobs that require skills that may not have been in demand a decade ago.

“Warehouse workers could become automation supervisors,” she said. “Factory line workers could become AI-assisted technicians, making sure that AI is doing the job properly.”

Nominations now open for Outstanding Women of Northern Kentucky Awards The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Women’s Initiative is now accepting nominations for the Outstanding Women of Northern Kentucky Awards.

Honorees will be announced in late March, and the awards will be presented June 5 during the Outstanding Women of Northern Kentucky awards luncheon. The nomination deadline is March 14.

“This award recognizes and celebrates exceptional women in our community across sectors and career stages. We are now seeking nominations for this year’s event,” said Catherine Salzman, chair of the Outstanding Women of Northern Kentucky Awards. “Please consider nominating that friend, mentor or colleague who has made a difference in the Northern Kentucky region. Every story of leadership and perseverance inspires the next.”

Established in the fall of 1984 by the late Nancy Boothe, the Outstanding Women of Northern Kentucky Awards have recognized over 250 women who have greatly contributed to the community.

The 2023 Outstanding Women of Northern Kentucky Awards were held at Turfway Park in Florence. Provided | NKY Chamber of Commerce

ing Women of Northern Kentucky Awards, past honorees, and the nomination form, can be found online at nkychamber.com/ womensinitiative.

Chief: Elsmere may cooperate with ICE deportation operations The police chief of Elsmere addressed the possibility of cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE, officers in deportation cases at the city council caucus meeting on Feb. 4.

In the wake of the Trump administration’s crackdown on undocumented immigrants, councilmember Gloria Grubbs raised concerns about whether the Elsmere Police Department would aid federal agents in deporting undocumented immigrants living in the city.

In response, Police Chief Russell Wood stated that the police department would provide their support within existing protocols should the circumstances arise.

People being targeted by ICE would be high-profile targets who pose a threat to public safety, he said.

Wood reassured the council that Section 287 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which deputizes selected state and local law enforcement officers to enforce immigration law, is not being applied to Elsmere.

The program is predominantly taking place in major cities, he added.

The city council also approved a municipal order at the meeting that allows the Elsmere Police Department to sell surplus firearms and ammunition to its current or retired officers.

For more information about the Outstand-

OUR SERVICES YOUR LOCAL FOUNDATION REPAIR AND WATERPROOFING EXPERT. For a basement, crawl space, or slab foundation, we guide you on the right path to a healthy home.

Family owned and operated since 1996, we treat your home like our own.

BEFORE

AFTER

• Cracked or Bowing Walls • Sump Pumps • Waterproofing • Settling Foundations & Encapsulation • Concrete Leveling • Sagging Floors • Crawl Space Repairs

ACT NOW!

$250 off*

Must be presented at time of estimate. Please call for details.

CALL FOR YOUR FREE HOME INSPECTION

BEFORE

AFTER

866-214-2760

*Coupons must be presented at the time of inspection.

This offer may not be combined with any other offer.

Limit one per customer. Valid through 3/31/2025.

FEBRUARY 21, 2025 9

streetscapes

New places, old favorites on Monmouth in Newport

By Maria Hehman

A

s the saying goes, when one door closes, another one opens. The restaurant scene has been one of continuous evolution over the past couple years, with beloved eateries closing and exciting and delicious ones taking their place. Monmouth Street in Newport is no different. Here’s a look at what’s up there.

try sesos, marinated veal brains, or lengua, seasoned beef tongue. They're two choices you’ll be hard-pressed to find in just any Mexican restaurant.

To pair with your meal, La Mexicana offers a variety of margaritas and Mexican beers.

Those looking for nonalcoholic beverages can opt for Jarritos or an agua fresca – both refreshing options, perfect with any meal.

Sake Bomb Sushi

La Mexicana Restaurante Cantina and Tienda For authentic, mouthwatering Mexican, there are few local places that match the flavors and ambiance of La Mexicana Restaurante Cantina and Tienda. The restaurant doubles as a grocery store, so guests who love their meals can try to replicate the dishes at home with fresh, authentic ingredients (although, odds are, it won’t quite live up to La Mexicana’s inhouse experience).

The menu covers all the Mexican staples – tacos, burritos and quesadillas along with tortas, gorditas and sopes. Each can be ordered with a variety of meats and veggies.

By now nearly everyone has heard of or had birria and chorizo, two popular Mexican meats, but this menu offers more exotic choices: If you’re feeling adventuresome,

Sake Bomb Sushi opened its second location at the end of 2024 in the space formerly occupied by Mokka. This location is nearly twice the size of Sake Bamb’s primary location along Dixie Highway, offering plenty of seating for large parties and couples alike.

Its menu is primarily sushi and Korean cuisine, and Sake Bomb carries some creative, hard-to-find sushi rolls. For fish fans, the caterpillar roll (BBQ eel, cucumber and avocado) or Cincinnati roll (mango, cream cheese, avocado, smoked salmon and tempura flakes) are great flavor-packed options. With almost 50 options, it’s hard to order anything outside of the specialty rolls.

Ramen, chicken katsu, yaki soba noodles and kalbi short ribs are among the ample

options to go with sushi. Refreshments include the place’s namesake, sake, as well as soju, a Korean rice liquor similar to vodka in taste. The dessert menu features bingsu – Korean shaved ice – in mango, strawberry, Oreo and Korean red bean flavors.

Crumbl Cookie The cookies that took over the internet last year finally found a location in Northern Kentucky for locals to indulge in. It’s in Newport Plaza just north of Carothers.

This fast-growing chain gained celebrity through TikTok for its rotating weekly flavors and gigantic cookie offerings. Its creative flavors tend to match the season as well as pop culture. The traditional cookies are massive and meant to be shared, but those wanting a taste of everything can opt for their mini-cookies.

Every week there’s some version of a chocolate chip cookie, but even that can change from a semisweet chocolate chunk to a milk chocolate chip. Flavors have included favorites from pink sugar cookie and lemon poppyseed to Kentucky cake batter.

There also are more creative flavors, inspired by pies, candy and other desserts.

Those have included key lime pie, tres leches and s’mores.

Sake Bomb Sushi took over the space formerly occupied by Mokka.

What to Know If You Go La Mexicana Restaurante Cantina and Tienda Location: 642 Monmouth St., Newport Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m.

Phone: 859-261-6112

Sake Bomb Sushi Location: 500 Monmouth St., Newport Hours: Sunday 1-9:30 p.m.; Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., 4:30-9:30 p.m.; Saturday, noon-9:30 p.m.

Website: sakebombnky.com Phone: 859-279-3120

Cumbl Cookies

Crazy S. California and salmon rolls from Sake Bomb. Photos by Maria Hehman | LINK nky contributor

Mini-cookies from Crumbl Cookies.

Location:1313 Monmouth St., Newport Hours: Sunday, closed; Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-midnight.

Website: crumblcookies.com/kynewport Phone: 859-228-7967

Side table

Classifieds

21inx26inx25in Price: $30 Text Brad 859.361.3557

Side table

Tall Bedroom dresser Coffee with table with 37inx19inx56in Price: $200 sides dropText down Brad - 859.361.3557

Tall Bedroom dresser

żǽĨĨҀǝōƸňҀ ƸüĘŦĨҀ ǝōƸňҀ ĠƣżƠҀ ĠżǝűҀ ƫōĠĨƫ

SCAN TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR CLASSIFIEDS

10 FEBRUARY 21, 2025

21inx26inx25in Price: $30 Text Brad 859.361.3557

43inx29inx17.5in (sides down) $50 Text Brad 859.361.3557

43inx29inx17.5in (sides down) $50

37inx19inx56in $200

Text Brad 859.361.3557

Text Brad - 859.361.3557

gramming, why can’t we distribute free groceries? Why do you need to call your boss and run this up the chain? Why do we need to complete a form and wait a week?

Why can’t we just pull up to your facility and distribute groceries to families navigating an active food apartheid? Why is it called a “community center” if the doors are locked in the middle of the day? Why are the community centers so empty?

It should not be this hard to give groceries away It should not be this hard to give out free groceries. Yet here I am, five years into running a nonprofit that does just that, and the barriers we face are not logistical, not about supply, not about demand – but about systems designed to block access.

Since 2019, Change Today, Change Tomorrow has distributed food to thousands of families in Louisville. We have done this without million-dollar budgets or institutional backing, and despite being displaced from five different locations. I am exhausted.

The lack of care and urgency from those in power is not just frustrating – it is infuriating. We live in a tale of two cities, and Black people in Louisville’s West End will continue to die due to lacking basic necessities for a thriving life. This is not new information. Black people are not living as long as our white counterparts in this city.

We have seen countless million-dollar projects pop up in Louisville’s West End over these last five years. These projects were upholstered by public relations campaigns that stamped these spaces as needed, equitable and reliable – in the name of community. When community members asked for housing, we were given a track.

When community members asked for grocery stores, people in power opened more than five grocery stores on the other side of town and reduced folks’ access to public transportation. People in power have chosen to “pave paradise and put up a parking lot” than invest in actual communal needs.

If I call your community center and your community center is not doing any pro-

We recently had to move out of our office housed under the Humana Foundation and the University of Louisville as the “Health Equity Innovation Hub.” This was a $25 million dollar project. Our lease was supposed to end in June but somehow we were displaced as of Feb. 1 with no funding offered or assistance on where to relocate.

This funding is tied to equity, yet this was not an equitable experience or transition for us. Who do we submit our feedback to and will it change their minds? Tiffany Benjamin. Dr. Doug Craddick. No, it didn’t.

Five years ago, I sat in the crowd at a Leadership Louisville event, listening to Dave Christopher share AMPED’s story. He talked about how the city invited him to a meeting, handed him a book of properties and told him to pick any building he wanted. I was inspired – but also confused. Because I have asked the same city for a building.

And we have all but been laughed out of the room.

What determines who gets that opportunity? Why is it that some organizations are handed keys while others are left fighting for scraps? If Louisville truly values “equity,” then where is the equitable access to resources, to buildings, to long-term security?

I am concerned that funds have become so tied up in who is friends with whom that foundations and people in power are not being intentional about whom they fund nor researching new organizations to support. I am afraid that nothing will change in the next 50 years because local foundations and grocers all support our local food bank, whose mission is “working together to provide pathways to end hunger in our community,” yet outright refuses to work with organizations like Change Today, Change Tomorrow.

Communal values and capitalism do not

go together. Capitalism is not going to save us. It is difficult as an educated, poor Black woman to sit back and watch funders throw around terms like “equity” when they are not performing within those terms’ definitions. I have visited the spaces that receive the million-dollar grants, and I have been treated poorly, not served and been left unsatisfied and unaccommodated.

There is a lack of trust and cooperation in this city that we so desperately need to acknowledge and fix. I am 34 years old, and people have a bad taste in their mouth about me because I am willing to ask questions for clarity, hold systems accountable and have hard conversations. The reality is that people need to be mending relationships and getting over their differences for the greater good, for humanity and for a thriving community.

Until this happens, nothing will change.

There is so much going on in the world right now and people need all the help they can get. Organizations need help. Why is it that some organizations are open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and do not open their facility to organizations who could use their space from 5-10 p.m.? Or even overnight? Why haven’t we figured out that pooling our resources (our staff, our volunteers, our funds, our assets, our strategic plans) would lighten our load?

People love to joke, “We are not our ancestors.” And they’re right – we aren’t. Our ancestors understood collaboration. They pooled resources, they shared space, they operated beyond business hours because they knew survival depended on each other. They didn’t just talk about community; they lived it.

Now? We have “community centers” with doors locked at 3 p.m. Nonprofits sitting on millions, refusing to open their spaces after hours. Organizations protecting their funding like it’s proprietary instead of redistributing it where it’s needed. The hoarding of power and resources is killing us.

So what’s stopping the rest of you? If you have an empty building, open the doors. If you have access, share it. If you have money, fund something that actually touches people’s lives. Our ancestors moved with urgency. We should too.

To the people who hold power, control money, own buildings, and decide who gets access, the time to say something was five years ago. It’s time to do something.

If you have a space sitting empty, open the doors. If you’re donating to corporate nonprofits that spend more on marketing than impact, redirect your dollars to organizations actually touching the people. If you’re sitting on a funding committee, a board seat, a grant review panel – push for real equity. If you are Tiffany Benjamin, Dr. Doug Craddick, Louisville Metro officials, foundation directors, grocery executives – what are you actively doing to support Black-led food justice?

There are loopholes in every system – use them to serve the people, not just protect your position. Call your friends. Move your money. Open your space. Support Blackled projects. Because until people in power stop hoarding resources, nothing will change.

If you have resources to share, email me at taylor@change-today.org and let’s talk.

Taylor Ryan, Executive Director and founder, Change Today, Change Tomorrow Louisville

Submit your letters Scan this QR code to submit opinion pieces or letters to the editor

But there are still real ones out here. Shoutout to Lafesa at Hip Hop Sweet Shop – her shop burned down, she bounced back, and she still opens her space for our Youth Advisory Council while she bakes for the next day.

GET ALL THE HEADLINES DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX! SIGN UP FOR: The Daily LINK EVERY WEEKDAY MORNING SCAN TO SIGN UP

The Sports LINK MONDAYS AT NOON SPONSOR OF THE DAILY LINK:

The Weekend LINK SATURDAY MORNINGS FEBRUARY 21, 2025 11

sports 9th Region tourney dates set, Sweet 16 dates included

Conner grad Hamilton named Horizon League Freshman of Week

Ryle’s Lorms sets single-game scoring record for program

Covington Catholic bowling runner-up at state tournament The Covington Catholic bowling team finished second at the KHSAA state tournament Feb. 10 at Kingpin Lanes in Jeffersontown.

NKU freshman Anna Hamilton was named the Horizon League Freshman of the Week. Provided

Conner grad and Northern Kentucky University freshman Anna Hamilton was named the Horizon League’s Freshman of the Week on Feb. 10.

The KHSAA boys’ Sweet 16 is March 26-29 in Rupp Arena. Provided

With the boys’ Sweet 16 being moved back a week due to Rupp Arena’s hosting the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, it has made for some scheduling moves for the boys region tournaments.

The boys’ 9th Region tournament will be held March 8 (first round), March 11 (semifinals) and March 18 (championship) at Northern Kentucky University’s Truist Arena. All four first-round games will be played March 8, the two semifinal games on March 11th and then the championship a week later.

The girls’ 9th Region tournament at Truist Arena will be held March 2 (first round), March 5 (semifinals) and March 7 (championship). All four first round games will be played on March 2, the two semifinal games on March 5 with the championship two days later.

The girls draw for the 9th Region tournament is Feb. 28 at 4 p.m.; the boys draw is March 1 at 9 a.m.

Both Sweet 16 tournaments will be held at Rupp Arena in Lexington – the girls’ Sweet 16 March 12-15, the boys’ March 26-29.

Hamilton tied a career-high with 11 points in the 82-79 Norse win over IU Indy on Feb. 8. She hit two of three shots from the field, knocked down her lone 3-point attempt and drained six of seven free throw attempts.

Hamilton scored seven of her 11 points in the frame in the pivotal fourth, when the Norse rallied from a six-point deficit.

In her freshman campaign, Hamilton is averaging 3.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.

After being seeded 10th in the qualifying round, the Colonels won three matchups over Franklin County, Central Hardin and Apollo before falling to Trinity in the championship.

Simon Kenton’s boys won their first round matchup over Western Hills before losing to Apollo in the second round. Holy Cross did well in the qualifying round and entered the bracket as the No. 3 seed, but lost to Apollo in the first round of bracket play.

Individually, Boone County’s Maddox Kuryla finished fifth, Simon Kenton’s Tyler Blume placing seventh and Covington Catholic’s Dylan Davis in ninth.

The girls’ state tournament and adapted and unified tournaments were postponed Feb. 11 due to the inclement weather. The girls’ state tournament was rescheduled for Feb. 26 and the unified and adapted tournament rescheduled for Feb. 25.

Ryle’s Landon Lorms set the program’s single-game scoring record on Feb. 8. Provided | Raider Sports Network

Ryle senior Landon Lorms set the single-game scoring record for the program in a Feb. 8 victory over St. Henry.

In the record-setting game, Lorms went for 39 points, hitting 13 of 22 shots from the field and five of 10 from the 3-point line. He also hit eight of 10 free throw attempts and pulled down nine rebounds in the Raiders 89-65 victory.

The previous record was held by Tyler Bush and Donovan Robinson, both having 37 points in a single game.

Hamilton joins teammate Kamora Morgan in earning Freshman of the Week honors.

Morgan earned the distinction twice on Nov. 25 and Dec. 2.

Simon Kenton freshman girls win NKAC title The Simon Kenton freshman girls basketball team won the St. Elizabeth NKAC Freshman Basketball Tournament Feb. 1.

They defeated Holy Cross in the championship game.

Covington Catholic finished runner-up at the KHSAA state tournament. Provided | KHSAA

Sponsored by

Ryle’s boys swim and dive team won LINK nky Team of the Week honors for Jan. 26-Feb. 1. Provided | Raider Sports Network

RYLE SWIM & DIVE TEAM 12 FEBRUARY 21, 2025

Fort Thomas staple Grassroots & Vine for sale

By Haley Parnell

ing right up the street from getting on I-471 really gives easy access to and from Cincinnati and surrounding areas. So that helps us pull from Fort Thomas, but it also helps us pull business from outside of Fort Thomas, which is very crucial in a successful business.”

A

fter being a Fort Thomas business owner for 13 years, Barb Thomas is ready to pass the torch.

Thomas opened Fort Thomas Grassroots & Vine in 2018 after owning her gift shop Fort Thomas Central for six years. The combination restaurant, full-service bar, event venue and little retail market became a community staple.

Thomas said some of the awards they have received over the years testify to their success. In 2022, they won the Northern Kentucky Chamber Business Impact Award in the startup category. Yelp voted the restaurant one of the top 25 in Northern Kentucky, and CityBeat named it one of the top 25 brunch and breakfast spots in Greater Cincinnati.

Thomas said the restaurant grew from a desire to bring the community together.

“Think about the name Grassroots & Vine, and if you think about grassroots as going back to your community roots, and then also vine, bringing in the wine, and also pulling together the community.”

Originally from Virginia, Thomas and her family moved to Fort Thomas in 2012. She put her kids through school there and operated her businesses before moving recently to Newport. Since starting her first business in 2012, Thomas said she has watched the Fort Thomas business community grow tenfold.

Going into owning the restaurant, Thomas said she told herself she would run the business for 10 years and then pass the torch to someone else. After about seven years, she decided in December to sell after being diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer.

“I have decided that I’d rather pass the torch to someone energetic and passionate about the food and beverage industry sooner than later so that that person can come in and continue to serve the community and continue to grow the business, as we’ve always done in the past,” Thomas said.

During the transition period, Thomas said she would be available to help the new owner as a consultant. “I personally would like to think that later on down the road I would be able to come in as a customer, and I would be able to watch Grassroots & Vine grow beyond my highest expecta-

Grassroots & Vine owner Barb Thomas, center in blue and red scarf, with the Grassroots & Vine team.

Provided | Barb Thomas

tions,” she said.

Thomas said the business had evolved into something bigger and better than she could have imagined. Contributors to that success are the customers, listening to what the community seeks in a small-town restaurant and the Grassroots & Vine team.

“We are a close-knit work family around here, and they really have taken the reins since my diagnosis and have kept up with the caliber of our service,” Thomas said.

in or carryout – at least once a week. She said their staples are salads, and they can’t leave without a slice of honeysuckle or carrot cake.

“We love the salads,” she said. “They have a beet salad that is amazing, a great portion.

To me, it’s just too much. I take part of it home. It’s really good.”

Thomas said Grassroots & Vine prides itself on freshly made, small-batch menu items and its wine list. She said she brings in wines one doesn’t find at big box stores and that are grown by small farmers or women-owned wineries. Additionally, Thomas said the outdoor patio is the best on this side of the Ohio River.

When she ran her gift shop, Thomas prioritized events around town. She would bring in food trucks and have live music to become a community meeting spot. When it came time to open Grassroots & Vine, she wanted to keep that message but bring it up a notch.

In addition to its food and wine, the restaurant offers live music and wine tastings.

Dillion-Schlosser said the couple followed Thomas from her gift shop, which they also frequented, and were one of the first customers when Thomas opened the restaurant.

The small market carries pieces from local artists, and the business hosts private events like showers, rehearsal dinners and weddings.

“In the summertime and springtime when they open the patio, we are there,” Dillion-Schlosser said. “Sometimes, even more than twice a week. We just love the atmosphere.”

“When you can sit down at a table and you can share a meal and a beverage with someone,” Thomas said, “it takes you to a whole different level, as far as coming together as a community.”

Linda Dillon-Schlosser and her husband, Rob, are two long-time Grassroots & Vine customers.

Grassroots & Vine is in the Historic Midway District in Fort Thomas, which Thomas said is a perk.

Anyone interested in buying Grassroots & Vine can contact Thomas by email at barbnthomas@hotmail.com or by phone at 803-367-3398.

Dillion-Schlosser told LINK nky the couple has frequented the restaurant since it opened and typically eats there – dine-

“We’re on the main street, we’re across from Tower Park, we’re across from the VA hospital,” she said. “I also feel like be-

Thomas is looking to sell to someone who can help the business grow while maintaining its culture. She said the restaurant business is tough, and not many people are looking to invest, but Grassroots & Vine already has an established menu, operation system and reliable staff.

Remember your loved one IS NOW OFFERING OBITUARIES Remember your loved one with an obituary on our website or in our print edition of The LINK Reader

Affordable | All-Inclusive Price | Convenient

SCAN HERE TO LEARN MORE FEBRUARY 21, 2025 13

real estate

Villa Hills four-bedroom landominium Address: 882 Willowdale Drive, Villa Hills Price: $547,500 Bedrooms: Four Bathrooms: Two (plus one half bath) Square footage: 2,646 School district: Kenton County County: Kenton Special features: This landominium has a two-car garage and many updates throughout. The home offers engineered hardwood floors on the main level, new luxury plank flooring on the lower level, updated countertops, fresh paint and a renovated primary bath shower. Relax in your private hot tub on the lower-level walkout patio or sip your morning coffee on the main-level deck with a canopy.

An exterior view of this Villa Hills property. Photos provided | Gary Brandenburg with Lohmiller Real Estate

A view of this home’s living and dining rooms.

This home’s back deck.

DIVISION I

DIVISION I

CASE NO.: 24-CI-01573

CASE NO.: 24-CI-01821

KENTUCKY HOUSING CORPORATION

KENTUCKY HOUSING CORPORATION

VERSUS}

VERSUS}

JENNIFER ROBIN ELLIS, ET AL

LEAH D. GROBLER, ET AL

By virtue of a judgment and order of sale of the Boone Circuit Court rendered JANUARY 21, 2025 the above case, I shall proceed to offer for sale at the Justice Center Building in Burlington, Kentucky, to the highest bidder, at public auction on THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2025 at the hour of 9:00 a.m. or thereabouts, the following described property to-wit:

By virtue of a judgment and order of sale of the Boone Circuit Court rendered JANUARY 28, 2025 the above case, I shall proceed to offer for sale at the Justice Center Building in Burlington, Kentucky, to the highest bidder, at public auction on THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 2025 at the hour of 9:00 a.m. or thereabouts, the following described property to-wit:

ADDRESS: 2972 HOLLY HILL DRIVE BURLINGTON, KY 41005 PVA PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION NUMBER: 038.00-15-082.00

MASTER COMMISSIONER’S SALE BOONE COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT

ADDRESS: 29 ORCHARD DRIVE FLORENCE, KY 41042 PVA PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION NUMBER: 061.26-24-013.00

AMOUNT OF JUDGMENT: $208,866.32

AMOUNT OF JUDGMENT: $93,586.34

GROUP NO.: 4824

GROUP NO.: 568

The complete legal description is particularly set out in the Judgment and Order of Sale entered in this case.

TERMS OF SALE: The property shall be sold as a whole. The purchaser may pay all or part of the purchase price in cash, and may pay the balance of the purchase price on a credit of 30 days after date of sale; said credit shall be granted only upon the execution by the purchaser of bond, with surety thereon, and said surety shall be a lending institution authorized and doing business in Kentucky, or a reputable fidelity or surety company, authorized and doing business in Kentucky, and only if said surety be acceptable to the Commissioner of the Boone Circuit Court; and an authorized officer of the surety must be present at the sale or must have given the Commissioner adequate assurance of its intent to be surety prior to or at the sale; and said Bond shall be, and shall remain, a lien on the property sold as additional security for the payment of the full purchase price, and shall have the full force and effect of a Judgment; and said Bond shall bear interest at the rate provided by the Judgment up to Twelve (12%) Percent per annum until paid. The purchaser shall be required to pay the sum of 10% of the bid amount in cash or certified check on the purchase at the time of sale.

The successful bidder at the sale shall, at bidder’s own expense, carry fire and extended insurance coverage on any improvements from the date of sale until the purchase price is fully paid, with a loss payable clause to the Commissioner of the Boone Circuit Court. Failure of the purchaser to effect such insurance shall not affect the validity of the sale or the purchaser’s liability thereunder, but shall entitle, but not require, a lien holder herein, after giving notice to the Commissioner, to effect said insurance and furnish the policy or evidence thereof to the Commissioner, and the premium thereon or the proper portion thereof shall be charged to the purchaser as purchaser’s cost.

The property shall be sold subject to ad valorem taxes for the year 2025 and all subsequent years thereafter; easements, restrictions and stipulations of record; assessments for public improvements levied against the property, if any; existing zoning ordinances, statutes, laws, or regulations; and any facts which an inspection and accurate survey of the property may disclose. BIDDERS SHALL BE PREPARED TO COMPLY WITH THESE TERMS. All sales are “as is” and the Plaintiff, the Master Commissioner, and the Court shall not be deemed to have warranted title of the real estate to the purchaser.

FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING THESE SALES AND OTHER UPCOMING SALES CAN BE FOUND AT www.boonecountyky.org (Link to Department/Agencies to Master Commissioner) PROSPECTIVE BIDDERS ARE ADVISED AND ENCOURAGED TO REFER TO THAT WEBSITE FOR ANSWERS TO ANY QUESTIONS.

14 FEBRUARY 21, 2025

FEBRUARY 21, 2025 15

★★★★★

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITES Ends March 23rd LINK nky has launched the Readers’ Choice Awards Voting is open February 22 – March 23.

linknky.com

Like what you see and want to subscribe? Scan the QR code above 16 FEBRUARY 21, 2025