LINK Kenton Reader - Volume 3, Edition 15 - March 7, 2025
With funding uncertain, service organizations seek alternatives
By Nathan Granger
Service organizations that rely on federal funding are reeling from changes brought about by the new presidential administration, and many are wondering how to adapt to possible (and, in some cases, already enacted) cessations of federal funding sources.
“As of right now, it’s week by week, focusing on the clients’ needs and diversifying our funding,” said Wilson Mejia, resettlement director for Kentucky Refugee Ministries. The organization, often called KRM, has an office in Covington. It was founded in 2021 to aid Afghan refugees who fled their country in the wake of U.S. troop withdrawal.
Since then, it’s expanded its services to help families from other countries, including Syria, the Democratic Republic of Congo and countries in Latin America. When LINK nky spoke with Mejia last week, he said the organization had resettled about 750 people since its formation.
Immigrant and refugee service organizations have been especially hard hit by federal changes. Following the issuance
Continues on page 3
New Cold Spring pharmacy bucks trend
By Kenton Hornbeck
LifeLine24 Pharmacy will be one of the first independently owned retail pharmacies in Northern Kentucky to open since three of the region’s oldest community pharmacies closed in 2023.
That year, a wave of closures among independently owned pharmacies rocked Northern Kentucky. Fort Thomas Drug Center, Ludlow Pharmacy and Alexandria Drug permanently shuttered within a span of six months.
The owners cited challenging economic conditions exacerbated by pharmacy benefit managers, third-party corporations that administer prescription drug benefits for health insurance plans, employers and individuals. Pharmacy benefit managers
have been accused of inflating prices for both insurers and consumers.
All three of the pharmacies’ customers were transferred to nearby big- box pharmacies such as Walgreens.
Joseph Whittrock is set to open LifeLine 24’s first retail store in Cold Spring, bucking the trend of closures.
The original LifeLine24 is a “closed-door” pharmacy that delivers medications and pharmaceutical services to facilities such as nursing homes. Closed-door pharmacies serve only patients in long-term care facilities and do not serve the general public.
Due to the pharmacy closures, Whittrock noticed an opening in the market. Neither Fort Thomas nor Ludlow has a pharmacy
within city limits. He, along with his son Jantzen, wanted LifeLine24 to become a trusted and familiar face to customers in central Campbell County.
“It’s definitely a little bit of a scary feeling there,” Joseph said. “The community outreach to us as well has been great. If you look on Facebook, just the different comments and things – everybody is very excited about us opening up.”
LifeLine24 was to open March 1 in the former Peoples Bank building. The Whittrocks purchased it in September from Citizens Deposit Bank & Trust Inc., according to Campbell County Property Valuation Administrator records.
Joseph explained that the former bank building was halfway between Fort Thomas and Alexandria, two of the communities
Continues on page 4
A client gets a legal consultation with Kentucky Refugees Ministry. Provided | Kentucky Refugee Ministries
2025 COMMUNITY CONVERSATION SERIES:
APRIL 17
JUNE 12
AUGUST 14
OCTOBER 9
DECEMBER 4
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
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.
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.
Continued from page 1 of executive orders in January, about 80% of Kentucky Refugee Ministries’ funding, which comes from federal grants, was frozen.
Prior to the changes, the organization had expected to receive about 180 clients for the fiscal year, which runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30. With the funding no longer guaranteed, however, it has been forced to stop taking on new clients. The organization had received 46 new clients prior to the executive orders, and it’s now unable to accept more.
“So we had a couple of Afghan cases in Afghanistan that were scheduled to travel to the United States for safety, and that also was stopped,” Mejia said. “So, those folks received the devastating news they no longer are going to be able to go to a place that they can feel safe.”
“I think, as of January and February, we’re only helping around 20 clients with rent or utilities,” said KRM’s housing coordinator, Rhys Boatwright. “And for some of them, it’s like $200 toward their rent from grants that we’ve received. So, I know a lot of the concern about refugee resettlement is that it’s a drain on the economy, but, from our experience, it’s very much the opposite of that. We have served many, many clients and are now helping very few in any direct way. They’ve become self-sufficient. They’re desperate to become self-sufficient.”
Other organizations have been feeling the squeeze, too. The Immigrant and Refugee Law Center, which is based in Cincinnati and serves clients in Northern Kentucky, announced last week it has been directed
to stop representing unaccompanied children fleeing hardship.
“In less than 48 hours,” however, according to a subsequent announcement, “members of the public sent more than 15,000 letters to Congress demanding that our critical work be reinstated.” The organization announced on Feb. 21 that the restriction against representing children had been lifted.
Other immigrant service and community groups have also turned out in the wake of federal changes to offer various services to local migrants and refugees, including educational and outreach efforts to inform migrants of their rights in case ICE comes knocking.
Immigrant service organizations aren’t the only ones who might be affected by the federal changes.
“There is a lot of angst in our community, and not just in our community but in com-
munities like ours across the commonwealth in terms of what other decisions are going to be made and what will the impacts be,” said Rick Wurth, CEO of the Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky Behavioral Health. “The vast majority of the folks that we take care of – even though we take care of a wide swath of people of different age ranges and different socioeconomic status backgrounds – the truth of the matter is that the vast majority of the folks that we serve presently are tied to a Kentucky Medicaid card.”
The Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky is one of the oldest service organizations in the region, founded in 1882 as an orphanage called the Covington Protestant Children’s Home. It evolved into the youth mental health and therapeutic provider it is today.
The organization provided just over 36,000 individual services in 2024, according to its annual report. Like Wurth said, many of its clients rely on Medicaid, which is disbursed by the federal government and then distributed to patients at the state level.
Although no changes to Medicaid have yet been made, GOP officials in Congress have floated the idea of reducing the program’s budget or adding work requirements. About 80 million people nationwide (just under 25% of the total U.S. population) rely on Medicaid for health care coverage. When Arkansas enacted a work requirement for Medicaid during the first Trump administration, about 18,000 people lost coverage. A federal judge later struck down the requirement.
The Trump administration’s federal funding freeze is moving through the courts following a slew of legal challenges. In the meantime, organizations are considering alternatives to keep their operations going.
For instance, KRM partnered with West Sixth Brewing in Covington during February. For every beer flight purchased at the establishment, West Sixth donated $1 to KRM. West Sixth and KRM also hosted a happy hour Feb. 28 to raise money. Finally, the organization has set up a GoFundMe campaign to aid in raising money, as well.
“There’s been a lot of community movement happening across the country,…” Boatwright said.
“That one executive order, I think, sent a lot of fear into people and activated a lot of people because I don’t think anyone expected that kind of thing to happen.”
The Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky Behavioral Health main campus in Devou Park. Provided | CHNK Behavioral Health
impacted by the independent pharmacy closures. Additionally, it’s directly off the AA Highway exit ramp to Cold Spring, giving easy access to potential customers traveling up and down the highway.
“We looked at a couple of places in Alexandria as well, and it’s central to Alexandria Drug closing, Fort Thomas Drugs closing –I’m hoping I can get both of those,” Joseph said. “Then being right here on the [U.S.] 27 with the traffic light and having the AA Highway right there made this an ideal situation.”
The Whittrocks said the pharmacy will employ four pharmacists, including Joseph, who will rotate through the week between Cold Spring and Hamilton, Ohio. Additionally, the branch will employ four pharmacy technicians, all of whom are on track to graduate or have graduated from Northern Kentucky University.
Upon opening, the pharmacy will offer three months of free deliveries. After that, delivery fees will be $3, $7 and $11, depending on how far the drop-off location is from the pharmacy.
Jantzen told LINK nky that one of the biggest hurdles of opening the pharmacy was getting approved for the proper licenses by insurance companies.
“It’s been a lot of stress with the time that it’s taken, and just that’ll be a very exciting time when we finally got it,” Jantzen said.
Jantzen, left, and Joseph Whittrock are about to open LifeLife24’s first retail pharmacy. Photo by Kenton Hornbeck | LINK nky
Covington now runnin’ on Dunkin’
By Kenton Hornbeck
Covington’s first Dunkin’ is open to the public.
The new store, at the corner of Bakewell and W. Fifth streets in West Covington, opened for business at 9 a.m. Feb. 24.
The new store is owned and operated by One Holland Group, a Taylor Mill-based restaurant franchisee. One Holland operates multiple Dunkin’ stores in Northern Kentucky, as well as several LaRosa’s, Skyline Chili, First Watch Cafe and Barleycorn’s locations.
“We’re now from Covington, right near the
Ohio River, all the way down to Richmond, Kentucky, with our sights set on the Tennessee border,” said Gary Holland, founder of One Holland Group.
Dillon Adams, president of One Holland, said there was plenty of intrigue about when Dunkin’ would open.
“We’ve had people walking up to the window,” Adams said. “You’d get a new person every five minutes walking up to the window. We’re excited to finally be open, and we believe that that’s probably a great indication of what type of location this will be.”
The Covington Dunkin’ is a drive-throughonly store, similar to another One Holland Dunkin’ at 1826 Dixie Highway in Fort
Wright. Adams said many of the Covington store’s employees trained at the Fort Wright Dunkin’ over the past few months in preparation for the opening.
“Thank you to the team at the Fort Wright Dunkin’ for training them well, so everyone in there knows exactly what they’re doing,” Adams said. “You should get great service from day one.”
The Dunkin’ was constructed on the former site of the now-demolished Liquor City outlet, which closed in 2023. The property, less than a mile from north and south I-75 exit ramps into Covington, is a prime location for travelers and commuters. It’s surrounded by other fast-food restaurants, including Chipotle, McDonald’s, White Castle,
On the morning of the opening, Covington hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to welcome Dunkin’ and One Holland. Mayor Ron Washington thanked One Holland for “investing in our city and one of our important gateways.”
As part of the ceremony, the Ludlow High School pep band performed several songs. One Holland gave each band member $50 in Dunkin’ gift cards and donated $1,000 to the program as a whole.
March 18 7:30 - 9:00 AM
One Holland Group celebrates the opening of its newest Dunkin location in Covington. Photo by Kenton Hornbeck | LINK nky
Burger King, Wendy’s, Taco Bell and Gold Star, that also cater to interstate travelers.
Job cuts spur call to remove Newport superintendent
By Haley Parnell
The Newport Teachers Association has called for a “no confidence” vote on Newport Superintendent Tony Watts.
The association asked for the vote at the Feb. 26 board meeting; the vote would show dissatisfaction with the superintendent’s leadership and performance but would have no official bearing on an administrator’s job. However, no board member moved for a vote of no confidence during the meeting or discussed the topic.
The Newport Teachers Association includes certified staff (employees with teaching credentials or licenses) affiliated with the National Education Association labor union. It represents public school teachers and other support personnel, etc.
Numerous Newport teachers, staff, parents and students showed up at the meeting, so many that it had to be moved to the cafeteria. The turnout was due to tentative staffing allocations recommended by Watts. Those included cutting 21 positions across Newport’s three schools.
Four positions would be cut from Newport Primary School, eight from Newport Intermediate School and nine from Newport High School. Aside from member Bobbie Stubbeman, the board voted to approve the
tentative allocations.
The 21 teacher cuts were recommended to help close the $3.9 million budget deficit for the 2025-26 school year.
“I know that this is right now a tentative allotment, but I think it shortchanges you,” said Stubbeman. “Every one of you is important. You’re important to our students, and we need all of you. I have a child that says we need more of you. Thank you for everything you do day in and day out.”
Watts said that the district must do this by March 1 by law, but that doesn’t mean they can’t add additional staff, and these numbers may not be the final allocation. Final allocations must be turned in by May 15. The board plans to meet at 6:30 p.m. March 12 to discuss the allocations further.
“I want to reiterate what we’re doing tonight. It’s not final,” Watts said. “We have a lot more work to do.”
Newport Teachers Association President Esther Fatsy, who has been with the district since 2005, called for the vote of no confidence in Watts by the board of education. Fatsy said she was coming to the board not only as the Newport Teachers Association president but also representing every teacher and staff member in the district.
“I urge you to leave no stone unturned,”
Newport Teachers Association President Esther Fatsy speaks to the board of education. Photo by Haley Parnell | LINK nky
Fatsy said. “Investigate everything. We have a gifted coordinator without kids being serviced at all when cuts are made to the building levels, and no one is willing to answer the question of what is being cut at the central office. Keep in mind they’re not the ones working with students. This is not the way it should work in public schools; this is not the way we get test scores up. We need to keep teachers and support staff.”
Newport Intermediate special education teacher Robin Bomkamp said staff on the front lines are struggling with limited resources; they navigate crowded classrooms and manage behavioral disruptions.
“This work is challenging but not impossible, especially when we have the appropriate support in place that allows our talented, highly qualified educators to do what they do best: teach,” Bomkamp said. “We need more support, not less, for our student success. We are not requesting coffee, lunches or a free T-shirt during the holiday season. We are asking for meaningful support and resources to meet the diverse needs of all learners.”
Newport High School junior Donovan Macario said teachers are doing more than just teaching. “If you cut them, the kids are not going to want to go to school,” he said. “For a lot of kids, school is their only way out of their bad home life.”
Newport High School freshman Holly Macario also addressed the board with her concerns about the teacher cuts.
“I understand we are currently $3.9 million in debt, but we need to find a way to get out of the situation, and to think about the students this way – cutting back on the educators we have in order to handle behavioral issues, intervention, classes and extracurricular activities – not only is going to affect the staff but also the students,” Macario said.
Newport Board of Education Chair Ramona Malone said the board’s job is to ensure that the district has sufficient positions throughout the district, including bus drivers, teachers, counselors, leadership and whatever is needed to run the district effectively.
Malone said the March 12 meeting is when the board will look at all positions and how
they are funded.
“You have a board here that is working continuously to make the right decisions,” Malone said. “We’re gathering information. We’re talking to Mr. Watts regularly, asking for the information we need so that we can make the right decision for this district. I don’t want you to think that we’re only looking at teachers.”
Newport High School freshman Holly Macario spoke against teacher cuts in the district. Photo by Haley Parnell | LINK nky
Revitalizing Covington: Historic buildings get new life through reuse
Local developer and preservationist Allen Haehnle believes historic buildings should be salvaged, not left to rot.
This philosophy has placed Haehnle in the midst of some of Covington’s most intriguing adaptive reuse projects. Covington has a robust stock of historical buildings, many of which were constructed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. For Haehnle, these buildings present an opportunity to make a positive impact on the community.
“Every city in America has an urban comeback, and these buildings are cool,” he told LINK nky.
Adaptive reuse repurposes an existing building for a purpose other than its initial design. It helps cities retain their historical identity by preserving cherished buildings and landmarks. Over the past few decades, the practice has become increasingly popular due to rising construction costs, the implementation of sustainable construction practices and a greater demand for unique office spaces.
In 2021, DBL Law, one of Greater Cincinnati’s largest law firms, unveiled its new headquarters in downtown Covington. The project is among the most high-profile examples of adaptive reuse in Northern Kentucky.
Haehnle was one of the chief developers behind the renovation of the Covington Monarch Building, a historic building along Fourth Street that initially served as the headquarters of the Monarch Tool Co. In partnership with Fedders Construction and PCA Architecture, Haehnle turned the dilapidated property into one of the city’s most iconic buildings.
Construction crews added two new floors to the building and an adjacent four-story addition. Today, it features 34,000 square feet of Class A office space.
Haehnle’s most recent restoration project, 419 Scott Blvd., developed a new office building in the open space between the former Kentucky Times-Star building and the office building that houses the Covington Police Bike Patrol and Stephen Gould Packaging. Previously, the property was home to Liberty’s Show Lounge, a shuttered gentleman’s club.
Initially, Haehnle tapped the building for adaptative reuse. Despite its rough condition, he saw potential. Through the renovation process, Haehnle and his construction crews encountered difficult hurdles, one of which nearly sank the entire project. In February 2023, the structure’s frail center wall collapsed due to strong winds, bringing the whole building with it.
“I couldn’t leave a hole in the middle of the block there, and I didn’t know what to do,” Haehnle said.
Haehnle consulted Cincinnati-based architect Ken Workman, who suggested constructing a new building to avoid leaving the block with a vacant space. His adaptive reuse project turned into an infill development opportunity. Infill development involves building new structures on vacant or underutilized land within an urban area.
Tom West, director of Covington’s Economic Development Department, told LINK nky that the city wants to work with developers who understand the cultural significance of its historic building stock.
“It is important when a city has infill sites that we find developers who understand the market and how to build something that can be adaptable and relevant through multiple decades,” West said. “That is a characteristic that the builders of our best 19th-century structures understood, which is why so many of those buildings continue to find new uses over a very long life cycle.”
Eventually, Haehnle and his team persevered. 419 Scott Street now houses Covington’s newest Class A office building. Haehnle described the new building as “quirky” and “unique,” conceding that its design was born out of unusual circumstances.
“You would never build it from scratch. No one would design that on a sheet and go, ‘Yeah, build this,’” Haehnle said. “It’s quirky, it’s weird, it’s different, it’s unique.”
West says Covington supports quality infill developments in its urban core. From his perspective, Haehnle’s recent project fits that criteria.
“This building checks all the boxes for both business attraction and great urban infill,” West said. “It is a great size for many companies looking to downsize after COVID, it has the design vibe that helps businesses in our target markets attract and retain talent. It also fits the scale and massing of the historic district without being a replica of a historic building.”
Christy Ensell named to succeed Caudill as Ludlow principal
Christy Ensell has been named the new principal of Ludlow High School. Ensell will succeed Travis Caudill, who announced his retirement in January after serving as principal for 11 years.
Ensell graduated from the district and formerly taught English. She has been the assistant principal of the high school for the last two years.
“We are thrilled to have Mrs. Ensell continue the excellence in our school and lead it into the future,” said Superintendent Jason Steffen in a press release.
“Christy loves this school and this community,” Caudill said in the same release. “She will do an amazing job as principal, and I believe that even brighter days lie ahead for Ludlow High School under her leadership.”
Ensell will assume the role of principal on July 1.
Wenzel Distillery wins two titles at World Whiskies Awards
Covington’s Wenzel Whiskey Distillery announced its Sherry-finished Bourbon took home two titles from the World Whiskies Awards. The Sherry-finished Bourbon won the title of Best Kentucky Finished Bourbon and World’s Best Finished Bourbon at the awards on Feb. 13 in Louisville.
The World Whiskies Awards, organized by Whisky Magazine, honors excellence in whisky production worldwide.
Wenzel Distillery was recently included in the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and The B-Line. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail offers enthusiasts a trip through distilleries throughout the commonwealth, while The B-Line highlights Northern Kentucky’s bourbon experiences.
The distillery, located off Tobacco Aly, is also nearing completion of its facility expansion. The upgraded distillery will feature guided tours of the production area. This expansion aims to provide guests with an insight into the art and science of bourbon making, per the distillery in a news release.
“We are honored to receive such a distinguished award and to be recognized among the world’s best,” said Wenzel Distillery co-founder Austin Dunbar in the release. “Our team’s dedication to quality and innovation has been instrumental in achieving this milestone. We look forward to welcoming visitors to our expanded facility and sharing our passion for bourbon.”
Fort Wright leaders take field trip, learn about roundabouts
Members of Fort Wright City Council traveled to Carmel, Indiana, this month to learn more about roundabouts and traffic circles.
The Brent Spence Corridor Project may be bringing roundabouts to Fort Wright and Fort Mitchell. In response, Fort Wright council members have a lot of questions.
Mayor Dave Hatter wanted to remind citizens that the roundabout decision is out of the city’s hands. “It’s a state road; we cannot decide what the state will do,” Hatter said.
The interior of 419 Scott Blvd. Provided | Allen Haehnle
“However, we want to be as informed as possible and keep the citizens informed.”
Fort Wright has asked the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for more information, more traffic studies and more consideration of how this will affect the city’s traffic. Their trip to Carmel, in suburban Indianapolis, is the latest information-gathering effort.
Carmel is recognized worldwide for its unique approach to traffic. It has been on a mission since the 1990s to replace all of the city’s signalized intersections with roundabouts. Now, with 150 roundabouts, it has more than any other American city.
“In Carmel, we drove for miles without seeing a light,” council member Margie Witt said. “It was truly just roundabouts.”
Witt compiled a summary of the group’s observations during their trip. The city will send that summary to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to be considered in its decision.
In that summary, Witt compares traffic in Carmel and Fort Wright. At the February council meeting, she expressed concern that the proposed Fort Wright roundabouts are too close to a signalized intersection.
“My concern with the traffic lights at Kyle’s-Dixie and at the city building is that those traffic lights will cause traffic to back up and interfere with the traffic flow through the roundabout,” Witt said. “So it [would] circumvent any traffic improvement from the roundabout itself.”
According to Witt, this is something that Carmel doesn’t currently have to deal with.
“[In Carmel], they had room to stretch out these roundabouts and build around them; it looked like new development,” Witt said.
“We’re trying to retrofit here. From what I saw, I think having those lights so close will be an issue.”
Fort Wright city government plans to meet with officials from Carmel soon to ask more about their roundabouts. The city intends to get more information to bring back to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
The city hopes that the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet can address these concerns, among others, in its road plan. There is currently no confirmed construction start date for the Brent Spence Corridor Project.
Blue North, New Riff support entrepreneurs with new bourbon
Blue North, a Northern Kentucky entrepreneurial resource and advocacy organization, is launching its own limited edition bourbon with one of the region’s most iconic distilleries.
The Entrepreneurial Spark was created by Newport-based New Riff Distilling. The proceeds from bottle sales will raise money for the Northern Kentucky Entrepreneurship Fund.
The NKY Entrepreneur Fund supports Northern Kentucky-based entrepreneurs and organizations, including startups, support organizations, educational vehicles and accelerators. The fund’s inaugural initiative, launched in 2023, was a partnership with Cincinnati-based Main Street Ventures.
“At New Riff, we’ve always believed in the power of entrepreneurship to shape and strengthen our community – it’s the same spirit that drives everything we do,” New Riff Distilling President Mollie Lewis said in a release. “We’re proud to support local entrepreneurs and the NKY Entrepreneur Fund with this collaboration, celebrating the innovation and determination that make Northern Kentucky and New Riff so unique.”
The bottle features a blue label that ties into the signature Blue North color palette. The name Entrepreneurial Spark pays homage to SparkHaus, a centrally located office hub for startups, investment firms and entrepreneurial support organizations in downtown Covington.
“Northern Kentucky is home to a diverse group of innovators and through the NKY Entrepreneur Fund,” Blue North Executive Director Dave Knox said in the release. “We have been able to support entrepreneurial sparks ranging from autonomous robots and AI startups to hot sauce and high protein desserts. We are extremely thankful for the support of New Riff to support our mission and the efforts of their fellow entrepreneurs.”
St. Agnes students play history detectives, study Boston Massacre
Fifth-grade students at St. Agnes School in Fort Wright took on the role of detectives last week in the Boston Massacre Simulation Investigation. Students were tasked with investigating and leveling judgment on a recreation of the Boston Massacre, wherein British regulars stationed in Boston opened fire on a crowd in March 1770.
Students investigated the circumstances of the Boston Massacre and determined if it was murder, self-defense or an accident.
“We are real history detectives,” one student said.
Another student quipped, “Too bad we don’t have any DNA stuff.”
One class determined the soldiers were guilty of murder. Another class ruled it an accident.
Latonia Elementary assistant honored with state award
Kim Frank, an administrative assistant at Latonia Elementary in Covington Independent Public Schools, has won the Kentucky Education Support Staff Professional Award from the Kentucky Department of Education for the 2024-25 academic school year.
Frank was honored by Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, Principal Maranda Meyer, other district staff members, as well as her friends and family last week.
“We are especially proud of Ms. Frank today,” said Covington Superintendent Alvin Garrison. “This is a tremendous honor, and Ms. Frank is very deserving of this recognition.”
The award was established in 2020 to honor nonteaching school staff members who nonetheless provide essential, nonacademic services. Winners are then referred to the U.S. Department of Education for consideration for the national 2025 Recognizing Inspirational School Employees Award.
“We are truly blessed to have Kim Frank as a part of our Latonia Elementary family,” said Meyer. “Her presence makes a profound difference every single day, as she touches the lives of countless individuals – students, families, staff and the broader community alike.”
In her duties, Frank sends out weekly newsletters, inviting staff members to share positive stories from around the school. She’s the head of the school’s Cooking Club, works with the school’s community garden and leads the school’s Culture and Climate Committee.
She’s also helped with district service learning projects, is a member of the school attendance team, and mentors a former student. Frank has also been instrumental in bringing about collaborative projects with other organizations in the community.
“Mrs. Kim Frank is a true asset, always willing to collaborate with partner organizations and engage with the wider community, embodying the spirit of service and commitment that inspires us all,” said Ashley McClure with Covington Partners.
Kim Frank, center, a school administrative assistant at Latonia Elementary School, was honored Feb. 21 with the 2024-25 Kentucky Education Support Staff Professional Award. Also pictured, left, is Kentucky Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman. Provided | Myles Young
A roundabout planned for Ky. 536 between Dixie Highway and Bristow Road. Provided | Andrew Rowan/WCPO
With the Lenten season upon us, fish fries have begun across Northern Kentucky. Each county has a plethora of places to participate in a weekly fish feast. Read on to find a fry near you.
Unless otherwise noted, these fish fries run Fridays through April 11.
If you don’t see your favorite fish fry on our list, please submit it to our event calendar at linknky.com/events.
Boone County
Burlington
• Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, 4 p.m., 5876 Veterans Way, Burlington, 859-689-5010.
Florence
• St. Paul Parish, 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., 7301 Dixie Hwy, Florence, 859-371-8051 (Dine in or drive-through. Online ordering available from 4:15 to 6:30 p.m.)
Union
• St. Timothy Parish, 5 to 7:30 p.m., 10272 U.S. 42, Union, 859-384-1100. Dine in or drive-through. Drive-through 4:30 to 7 p.m., credit card only.
Walton
• St. Joseph Academy, 4:30 to 8 p.m., 48 Needmore St., Walton, 859-485-6444. Dine-in or drive-through.
Find a fish fry near you
Campbell County
Camp Springs
• St. Joseph Parish, 4 to 7 p.m., 6833 Four Mile Road, Camp Springs. 859-6352491. Dine in or carryout order online.
• St. Bernard Church, 5 to 7 p.m., 401 Berry St., Dayton, 859-261-8506. Dine in or carryout.
Fort Thomas
• St. Catherine of Siena, 4:30 to 7 p.m., 1803 N. Fort Thomas Ave., Fort Thomas, 859-441-1352. Dine in or carryout.
• St. Thomas School, 4 to 8 p.m., 428 Fort Thomas Ave., Fort Thomas. Dine in at the school cafeteria or carryout.
Kenton County
Covington
• Holy Cross High School, 5 to 8 p.m., 3617 Church St., Covington. 859-4311335. Dine in school cafeteria or carryout.
• St. Augustine Parish, doors open at 4 p.m., 413 W. 19th St., Covington, 859431-3943. Dine in or carryout.
• St. Benedict Church, 4:45 to 7 p.m., 338 E. 17 St., Covington, 859-431-5607. Dine in or carryout.
Erlanger
• Mary Queen of Heaven Parish, 4 to 8 p.m., 1150 Donaldson Hwy, Erlanger, 859-371-8100. Drive-through lanes, online ordering with curbside pickup. Dine-in available.
• St. Barbara Church, 4:30 to 8 p.m., 4042 Turkeyfoot Road, Erlanger, 859-3713100. Dine in and drive-through closes at 7:30 p.m.
Son honors father’s legacy in annual Rock’n Revival
By Maggy McDonel
Following his untimely death, John Forsthoefel’s legacy continues to live on thanks to one man and his band.
The day after attending his future sonin-law’s bachelor party, just a few weeks before his daughter’s wedding, John had a seizure and was quickly diagnosed with glioblastoma.
Resistant to most conventional therapy, glioblastoma is a brain cancer that “can result in death in six months or less,” according to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons.
“This disease is not curable,” said John’s son, Adam Forsthoefel, who has put on a concert benefiting his father’s disease every year since his diagnosis. “It’s killed John McCain, and it killed the drummer of Rush. It’s really sad because I didn’t know there was an incurable cancer. I was like, ‘I thought you had a fighting chance.’”
Adam said his father, who was an engineer, a hobby guitarist and a dedicated father, was as healthy as could be when he was diagnosed in 2015. By January 2017, he was dead.
After learning about this incurable cancer, Adam said that he felt he needed to do something. Inspired by his father’s love for rock music, he thought, what better way to raise money for research on his disease than a concert? Out of that, Rock’n Revival For the Cure at Southgate House Revival in Newport was started. This year marks its ninth edition. Together, the concerts have raised over $100,000 for glioblastoma research through the University of Cincinnati..
Around the time of his father’s diagnosis, Adam’s band, The Grove, had been playing gigs at Southgate House, and he reached out to them and asked if they would host the festival.
All of the credit for the success of the events goes to Adam, said the owner of Southgate House, Morrella Raleigh.
“He approached me with the idea,” said Raleigh. “And I said, ‘Absolutely, let’s do it.’ He is the one who does the hard work of booking the bands and scheduling the time. I would think any parent would be proud to have a child who would do something like this.”
Adam, who is from Anderson Township, started his music career when he and Jeff Voegele, now drummer for The Grove, signed up for the eighth-grade talent show. After they signed up, Adam said they thought, “Oh, we haven’t learned how to play instruments.”
The two played what Adam described as a “horrible, horrible” rendition of “Back In Black” by AC/DC. They were hooked. The two broke into the music scene while attending college at Ohio University, and, after they
returned, they added Adam’s brother Matthew Forsthoefel on keyboards and bassist Matt Holt. The group plays at various Cincinnati venues like the Northside Tavern, Bogarts, Madison Theater, Stanley’s Pub and Southgate House Revival.
Raleigh said that she loves putting on Rock’n Revival For the Cure every year. Local bands play on all three stages in genres ranging from rock to country to pop. “It covers a lot of different territory with a lot of the talent that we have here locally based, and it’s just a fun night.”
Since its inception, Raleigh said, the event has been a hit.
“It’s one of our highest attended events every year,” said Raleigh. “It’s always in the top two or three top-attended events in a year for us. And so the response is amazing. And you know, these types of events are kind of magical. You can’t really explain what it is to people until they come and experience it, but you walk around, you’ll see people, you’ll see friends, but you’ll make new friends, too.”
John attended the first Rock’n Revival For the Cure, and every year since, it has been put on in his honor.
“That is what my dad liked to do anyways, concert drinking,” said Adam. “He just was a lot of fun. … Those are the memories when I think my dad. If you ask him for his perfect night, it would be going to a concert, drinking, having fun with his friends. It wasn’t complicated.”
For more information on Rock’n Revival For the Cure, visit southgatehouse.com.
What to Know If You Go
This year is the ninth Rock’n Revival For the Cure.
• Date and time: March 8. Music starts at 2 p.m.
• Where: Southgate House Revival, 111 E. Sixth St., Newport.
• Bands: Over 25 booked.
• Tickets: $25 in advance (southgate house.com), $30 at door.
• Benefits: John Forsthoefel for Glioblastoma Research Foundation.
John Forsthoefel with his children.
A flyer for the 2025 Rock’n Revival for the Cure.
John Forsthoefel with his wife. Photos provided | Adam Forsthoefel
NKY girls coaches name All-Conference basketball teams
The Northern Kentucky Girls High School Basketball Coaches Association made its selections for the Northern Kentucky All-Conference teams. The NKAC is made up of three divisions, Division I for the big schools down to Division III for the smallest schools.
The Player of the Year, Miss Hustle, Academic Award winner and Coach of the Year are listed below each division.
Division I All-Conference: Addyson Brissey, Haylee Noel and Zene Thompson (Cooper), Brynli Pernell and Haylie Webb (Simon Kenton), Catherine Buddenberg and Coralee Pelfrey (Dixie Heights), Emma Holtzapfel, Maya Lawrie and Sophia Gibson (Notre Dame), Isabella Jayasuriya and Kendall Augsback (Campbell County), Izelee Kerns (Conner) and Jaelyn Jones (Ryle).
The Player of the Year is Noel, Miss Hustle is Brissey, Academic Award winner is Ryle’s Saylor Fong and Coach of the Year is Coo-
per’s Justin Holthaus.
Division II All-Conference: Aniyah Carter and Aumani Nelson (Holy Cross), Braylin Terrell and Elin Logue (Walton-Verona), Caroline Eaglin (Newport Central Catholic), Joey Powers (St. Henry) Kaia Peterson and Nakiah Mejia (Scott), Kaylee Mills, Maren Orme and Marissa Green (Highlands), Kylie Smith and Zoee Meyers (Bishop Brossart), Mya Holden- Hopkins (Lloyd Memorial).
Eaglin and Green shared co-Player of the Year honors, Lloyd Memorial’s Emmie Litton won Miss Hustle, Beechwood’s Hayden Ritter was the Academic Award winner and Highlands’ Jaime Richey was the Coach of the Year.
Division III All-Conference: Addison Nine, Kate Gibbs and Mary Chadwick (Villa Madonna), Addy Garrett (Ludlow), Ally MacPherson, Jayda Dowell and Jaylah Dowell (Bellevue), Axie Jimenez and Tayah Smith (Dayton).
Garrett was named Player of the Year, Smith was Miss Hustle, Villa Madonna’s Makena Lainhart was the Academic Award winner and Bellevue’s Tommy Sorrell and Villa Madonna’s Tony Fields won co-Coach of the Year.
NKY boys coaches name All-Conference basketball teams
The Northern Kentucky Boys Basketball Coaches Association also made its selections for Northern Kentucky All-Conference teams. The boys teams NKAC, too, are made up of three divisions, Division I for the biggest schools down to Division III for the smallest.
Academic award winners were Covington Catholic’s Tate Kruer in Division I, St. Henry’s Nate Francis in Division II and Villa Madonna’s Drew Thomas in Division III.
Division I: Andy Johnson (Cooper), Athens McGillis and Cash Harney (Covington Catholic), Landon Lorms (Ryle), Garyn Jackson and Austin Davie (Campbell County), Jay Bilton (Simon Kenton), Finn Louden and Landon Warner (Conner) and Griffen Derry
(Dixie Heights).
Johnson was named Player of the Year, Jackson Defensive Player of the Year. Simon Kenton’s Trent Steiner Coach of the Year and Covington Catholic’s Nolan Ruthsatz Mr. Hustle.
Division II: E.J. Walker and Anthony Blackaar (Lloyd Memorial), Jack Sullivan and Carson Blackburn (Beechwood), James Turner, Griffin Starks and Yamil Rondon (Newport), Brady Gabbard, Nate Rominger and Will McElheney (Holy Cross), Ian Mann and Louie Collopy (Newport Central Catholic) and Mark McCutchen (Holmes).
Walker was named Player of the Year, Turner Defensive Player of the Year. Beechwood’s Ross Hart was named Coach of the Year, Beechwood’s Kingston Brockett and Collopy sharing the Mr. Hustle award.
Division III: Peyton Morris and Luke Getsy (Calvary Christian), Spencer Brandenburg, Joseph Scott and Byron Conley (Ludlow), Marquel Kennedy (Dayton), Cade Holtman and Landon Reinhart (Heritage Academy), Arion Stuckey (Bellevue) and Quinn Thomas (Villa Madonna).
Morris won Player of the Year, Conley Defensive Player of the Year. Calvary Christian’s Ben Mulling won Coach of the Year, Thomas Mr. Hustle.
For 5th straight year, Ryle wins Region 5 wrestling crown
Ryle claimed the Region 5 wrestling title Feb. 22 at Campbell County. It’s the Raiders’ fifth consecutive crown in Regions 5 and 6.
The Raiders put eight wrestlers in the championship finals and topped the team standings with 247.5 points.
Landon Evans, Rider Trumble and Travis Steiber captured weight-class championships in repeat performances, two at different weights.
Also taking home individual regional crowns for Ryle are freshman twins Bryant Brinkman and Aiden Brinkman. The other Raiders champs are junior Callen Schmidt and sophomore Keigan Reisenbeck.
That means half of Saturday’s list of 14 weight class champions come from one school – Ryle.
Other Ryle wrestlers qualifying for state include Luke Cornwell, Jagger Irvin and Noah Crisp.
Notre Dame Pandas runners-up at state swim, dive meet
Notre Dame finished second to Louisville Sacred Heart, 371-249, at the girls KHSAA state swim and dive meet at the University of Kentucky’s Lancaster Aquatic Center.
Cooper’s Andy Johnson was named the NKAC Division I Player of the Year. Provided | Charles Bolton
Highlands’ Marissa Green was selected as the co-NKGBCA Division II Player of the Year. Provided | Jenna Richey
The Region 5 champion Ryle wrestling team poses with coaches and members of the girls wrestling team at Campbell County Middle School. Provided | Ryle X account
Sponsored by
The Conner girls basketball team won LINK nky Team of the Week honors for Feb. 16-22. Photo provided | Sally Schaefer
The Pandas moved up two spots over last year. They were strong in relays – a fourth in the 200 medley and second in the 200 and 400 freestyle.
Highlands was fifth with 125 points, a halfpoint ahead of Ryle. Beechwood was seventh with 114.
Notre Dame freshman Clare Herfel and Panda senior Sadie Hartig dueled in the 500-yard freestyle. Herfel won in 4 minutes, 51.22 seconds, and Hartig 4:53.78.
Hartig, who’s committed to the Air Force Academy, finished third in the 200 freestyle in 1:50.96, a little more than a second sooner than Herfel’s fourth-place 1:52.09.
Ryle senior Reese Yauger, who’s headed for the University of Cincinnati, finished third in the 100-yard butterfly (56.50 seconds) and fifth in the 200 individual medley (2:06.59).
Savannah Bien did not make the 1-meter diving top eight a year ago. Different story Friday: The Notre Dame sophomore moved up seven spots, finishing third with 435.80 points.
Bien led a Northern Kentucky quartet to the medals. Cooper junior Chris Nowak was fifth with 418.85, Scott’s Rylee Pernell was seventh with 376.50, and Campbell County’s Grace Hedger was eighth with 375.75.
Ryle boys, girls win 2nd combined state swim, dive title
At around 8:48 p.m. Feb. 22 at the University of Kentucky’s Lancaster Aquatic Center, Ryle swimming coach Jeff Floyd declared the mission accomplished.
Yes, Louisville St. Xavier won its 37th KHSAA state swim and dive team title, but the Raiders did something they’ll remember when they have grandchildren – they won their second straight KHSAA swim and dive combined title, for which boys and girls scores are added together.
Ryle finished third in the boys team standings with 181 points. (St. Xavier won with 481.5, and Trinity was second with 258.) When you add the girls’ 124.5 points, the combined results are Ryle 305.5 and Highlands 243.
Ryle’s boys earned points from familiar sources. Junior Chase Knopf finished fourth in the 200-yard freestyle (1 minute, 40.14 seconds) and second in 500 freestyle (4:30.23), and senior Andy Pleiman finished second in the 50 freestyle (20.59) and third in the 100 freestyle (45.45).
Floyd said the Raiders also got numbers from inconspicuous places.
Divers Wes Hampel, Carter Young and Eli Evans contributed nine points – significant because Highlands had no divers – and Lucas Dilger joined Pleiman, Nash Parsons and Knopf to finish third in the 200 freestyle relay (1:24.93).
Bellevue girls basketball coach Sorrell stepping down after 13 seasons
Bellevue High School girls basketball coach
Remember your loved one IS NOW
Tommy Sorrell is resigning his position after 24 years of service to his alma mater. His last home game was Feb. 19, a 61-36 win over Lloyd.
Sorrell’s accomplishments at Bellevue set new coaching standards. They transcend the basketball team and leave a lasting legacy. Sorrell concluded with a career record of 247-243. He’s 209-173 over the last 13 seasons.
Sorrell is the program’s all-time victory leader by a wide margin over Sally Meng, who won 85 games from 1974-83. The coach is at the peak of his powers. He has put together 10 winning seasons, including the last four in a row, with just two losing seasons in the last 13. He posted a career-high and program-best 22 wins last season as the Tigers made their second regional tournament appearance during his tenure.
Sorrell’s Bellevue teams have won or shared five Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference Division III regular season championships, including the last three. They have won the past two NKAC Division III in-season tournament crowns and been in the final every year. The Tigers have a pair of 36th District tournament runner-up finishes under Sorrell, including last season. Under Sorrell’s direction, Bellevue defeated Lloyd, St. Henry, NewCath and Highlands for the first time in program history.
The Pandas’ runner-up finish was two places higher than 2024’s fourth place. Provided | Charles Bolton
Ryle won its second straight combined swim and dive state title. Provided | Charles Bolton
Edgewood home has 3,500 square feet
Address: 3016 Winterbourne Road, Edgewood
Price: $775,000
Bedrooms: Four
Bathrooms: Three (plus one half bath)
Square footage: 3,536
School district: Kenton County
County: Kenton
Special features: This Edgewood home offers two-story foyer with wood trim and dual staircases, plus an elevated piano. The home includes a walkout basement, a three-car, side-entry garage and a new roof. Outside, the home’s back deck looks over the 0.3-acre yard.
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
• 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
LEGAL NOTICE
Notice is hereby given that University of Kentucky Environmental Extension Office has filed an application with the Kentucky Energy and Environmental Department for Environmental Protection Division of Water to allow for site modifications and grading on property located within the Special Flood Hazard Area at 1261 Racetrack Road Alexandria KY. Direct comments or objections to:
