LINK Kenton Reader - Volume 3, Issue 18 - March 28, 2025

KENTON

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 17 — MARCH 28, 2025

THE VOICE OF NKY

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Boot camp links high schoolers to supply chain

By Haley Parnell

W

illiamsburg High School junior Matthew Burkhart said he wants to start his own business after graduation, and learning the ins and outs of the supply chain will help him reach that goal.

Burkhart was one of the students who attended the Northern Kentucky University Global Supply Chain Bootcamp. As part of the camp, the students toured Verst Logistics in Hebron on March 14.

“Not so many people go there [Williamsburg] as other schools around us,” Burkhart told LINK nky, “so the rare opportunities like this [NKU boot camp], it’s nice to take advantage of them, especially when it’s cost-free. So getting to see this and go out and get tours, it’s nice and interesting to learn.”

Mark Thackeray, director of NKU’s supply chain management program in the Haile College of Business, said the weeklong boot camp involves about 38 students from eight area high schools in Ohio and Continues on page 3

High school students tour Verst Logistics as part of the Global Supply Chain Bootcamp organized by Northern Kentucky University. Photo by Haley Parnell | LINK nky

James Votruba, former NKU president and ‘everyone’s mentor,’ dies

By Meghan Goth

J

ames Votruba, Northern Kentucky University’s fourth and longest-serving president, died March 18 at his home, surrounded by his loved ones.

He was 79.

While he may be most well known in Northern Kentucky for his 15-year tenure leading NKU, from 1997 to 2012, Votruba was always known for his leadership, mentorship and kindness.

James Votruba served as NKU president from 1997-2012. Provided | WCPO

“Jim pioneered the way on so many fronts for NKU and this community,” said Karen Finan, president and CEO of the OneNKY Alliance. Finan worked with Votruba in many capacities, including as a board

member of Educate NKY. “He had a wisdom about him that always balanced the room and steadied all sides so we could have logical discussion and impact could be achieved. He was a beacon, a mentor and a role model for so many, and he will be remembered for his incredible contributions to this community.”

Brent Cooper, now president and CEO of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, said the whole reason he joined the chamber’s board of directors is because he wanted to hang out with Votruba. “I always felt like he was one of the smartest people in the room, and he was such a dedicated and kind public servant.”

Current NKU President Cady Short-ThompContinues on page 4

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Continued from page 1

Kentucky. Given the current high demand for skilled workers in this field, the goal of NKU’s boot camp is to pique students’ interest in the supply chain and create a talent pipeline for employers.

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Thackeray said during the tour that he helped create the boot camp for high schoolers specifically because supply chain management has an undeserved reputation problem.

“A lot of people think of supply chain as trucks and boxes, which is certainly a small part of that,” he said. “Supply chain management is much bigger. It’s a business optimization approach to all of the different entities that exist within our supply chains. So the biggest thing I wanted out of this was [for] the students to get a better understanding of what supply chain is, and maybe what it isn’t.”

He said NKU designed the week to include plenty of experiential learning. Students visited places like TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Castellini Co. in Wilder and ended the week at Verst Logistics.

The Verst Logistics tour introduced bootcamp students to the complexity of supply chain management.

Photos by Haley Parnell | LINK nky

pand in or move to Northern Kentucky, NKU recognized the need for a talent pipeline. That spurred the university to create its global supply chain management program. The boot camp is a feeder program to higher education and job opportunities for the students who attend it.

Verst Logistics was founded in 1966 by Bill Verst. The company employs roughly 2,200 people, 600 of them in Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties.

Jeff Greelish, Verst’s senior vice president of human resources, said filling these supply chain jobs is critically important because they are how a product gets to its destination, whether it’s someone’s home or a store.

“The Northern Kentucky-Greater Cincinnati area has really become a supply chain hub over the last 20 years,” said Chris Verst, the company’s vice president of transportation. “Our location here allows us to reach 85% of the country’s population within two-day shipping. So, from an inventory management and distribution standpoint, this has really become a supply chain hub.”

“We do some work with the Junior Achievement community, with trying to try to promote this type of supply chain work,” Greelish said. “Then, different events – we will go to job fairs and different things like that within colleges to try to encourage folks to pursue the supply chain work.”

Thackeray added that the region’s airport, with its infrastructure for cargo carriers that can move goods overnight, attracts more company interest. He said the area still has relatively inexpensive land, and there is a good quality of life here.

As a result, as businesses continue to ex-

Chris Verst said Verst Logistics was the original sponsor of NKU’s supply chain program. As part of that, they sponsored some scholarships and provided direct training and mentorship to the students.

Greelish said they then try to have annual meetings with the scholarship winners to talk to them about supply chain and their future careers.

While Greelish said he doesn’t think fewer people are entering the supply chain industry, the field has become more specialized and challenging. Verst added that the skills needed also are changing.

“When you operate at a warehouse in the ’60s, you did it on yellow ledger paper,” Verst said. “As the supply chains continue to get more complex and customers become more demanding, it’s created a new need for a new skill set. That’s why we partner with NKU to make sure that we’re training the next generation of leaders in the more specialized fields of industrial engineering and project management and systems maintenance and that sort of thing that’s the absolute backbone of supply chain.”

Burkhart said the boot camp has given him insight into what goes on in the world around him, such as how consumers’ everyday goods like toilet paper are transported.

“Whatever interests you have, it can be applied in some way,” Burkhart said. “Even if you’re a server, the food that you’re going to deliver to people, it’s coming from somewhere in this huge global supply chain.”

No part of this publication may be used without permission of the publisher. Every effort is made to avoid errors, misspellings, and omissions.

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Students in the boot camp got to see behind the scenes operations at Verst Logistics.

MARCH 28, 2025 3

Continued from page 1

son sent an email to the NKU community March 19 expressing sadness over the news.

“This message is personally painful as I write from what I still fondly think of as ‘Jim’s office’; without question, his legacy and impact are enduring on this special place and people,” Short-Thompson said.

“Like so many students, regents, faculty, staff, administrators and community members, my life and career have been shaped and positively impacted by his leadership and inimitable communication gifts.”

Votruba, Short-Thompson said, led with energy, vision and an uncanny ability to positively connect with all of his constituents.

James Votruba's leadership of NKU advanced the dreams of all Northern Kentucky. Provided | Northern Kentucky University

“As seemingly everyone’s mentor, Jim was generous in every way,” Short-Thompson said. “Northern Kentucky University is tremendously fortunate that he decided to remain here for decades and build NKU with aplomb.”

One story that OneNKY’s Finan remembered with fondness was when the Life Learning Center chose Votruba as the person they would roast at their annual benefit. Each year, Finan said, someone is chosen to be roasted, but roasting Votruba was like roasting Abraham Lincoln.

“I sat there thinking, how do you roast Abraham Lincoln?” Finan said. “He is so wise and a pillar of the community, and it was funny because they did roast him, but not like you would roast anybody else.”

It showed her, she said, the genuine respect everyone in this community has for Votruba. “There is nothing bad to say about him,” she said.

Votruba was recognized as a Great Living Cincinnatian in 2016, and the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber wrote a story that credited Votruba with putting NKU on the map.

James Votruba and his wife, Rachel, on NKU’s Highand Heights campus. Provided | Northern Kentucky University

“Over the course of Dr. Votruba’s NKU presidency, the university became nationally recognized for its efforts to advance regional economic, social and civic progress through its commitment to community engagement,” the article said. “Dr. Votruba

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weaved public engagement into the fabric of the university and helped the community understand how to engage productively with the campus.”

After Votruba retired from NKU in the summer of 2012, he remained active in the community, including serving as chair of LINK nky’s editorial board.

“Other folks will be better to remember all the work that Jim did outside of LINK, but the deep affection and respect that I, and the rest of the LINK team, feel for him comes from his direct involvement in our incubation, launch and growth,” wrote LINK nky President and CEO Lacy Starling in a column published March 19.

What she will miss most about Votruba, she said, is his deep belief in LINK’s mission.

“He never missed an opportunity to tell us how important our work is to NKY, and that it is vital to our shared community,” Starling wrote. “Just a couple of weeks ago, Jim told me he had to step down from our editorial board due to some health issues.

I knew this was a decision he did not make lightly, and he said he hoped to return soon. In closing, ever kind and generous, he wrote ‘You and your team are an inspiration in your commitment to this work.’”

Votruba was involved in many other boards and groups over the years, including Educate NKY, the St. Elizabeth Board of Trustees, the board of directors for the Ohio National Mutual Holding Co., the Northern Kentucky Kindergarten Readiness Task Force, the Kentucky Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence and many others.

On NKU’s website, Votruba is credited with creating new colleges, overseeing massive enrollment increases and stepping NKU toward Division I. “During that time period, NKU became a national leader in what is now known as regional stewardship,” Votruba said when asked by the university when he stepped down about his proudest accomplishments, “taking responsibility for advancing not only the dreams of our students, but the dreams of our region and our community.”

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Local leaders frustrated as rental bill reborn in Frankfort

By Nathan Granger

S

everal of the region’s mayors have expressed frustration over a proposal in Frankfort that would limit local regulation of short-term rental properties.

“It just exemplifies everything that’s broken,” Independence Mayor Chris Reinersman told LINK nky after the March 15 meeting of the Kenton County Mayors Group. Reinersman and several other mayors were concerned about a set of regulatory proposals that sought to limit municipal control over short-term rental properties, often called Airbnbs after the website that markets such properties.

Through legislative maneuvering, proponents of the measure attached its contents to an unrelated bill when the original measure failed to pass. The proposals – which called for prohibitions against local conditional use permits or density-based restrictions on short-term rentals – appeared initially in Kentucky Senate Bill 110.

Short-term rental lobbyists have been advocating for such regulations since late last year.

The bill, Reinersman said, proved to be unpopular, but the proposed prohibitions later got attached to a House bill that failed to leave committee. Reinersman said he’d been frantically trying to coordinate with the region’s legislators as it moved through committee, advocating against its passage.

“So we thought it was dead; everything’s all good,” Reinersman told attendees at the meeting. “And then we got – I think it was yesterday, day before yesterday – we got word that, oh no, that was attached to Senate Bill 61.”

S.B. 61 is largely aimed at regulating private swimming pools, but Kentucky House Speaker David Osborne, a Republican from Prospect in Jefferson and Oldham counties, amended the bill late March 12 to add the regulations limiting local control over short-term rentals. The bill cleared the House March 14 and is awaiting a vote in the Senate.

Over the years, short-term rentals have

Independence Mayor Chris Reinersman, center in striped shirt, speaks at the Kenton County Mayors Group meeting March 15. Also pictured are Covington Business Council Executive Director Pat Frew, back left, Kenton County Public Works Capital Improvement Manager Brandon Seiter, back right, and Taylor Mill Mayor Dan Bell. Photo by Nathan Granger | LINK nky

been criticized for their effect on local economies and housing. The fear is that unregulated short-term rental properties, especially in tourism-heavy cities along the river, can create de facto hotel districts in areas originally designed as permanent residential neighborhoods.

Moreover, a large number of short-term rentals can affect property values and rent prices. According to a 2020 study from the National Bureau of Economic Research, the University of Southern California and California State University, which used Airbnb listing data from around the country, “a 1% increase in Airbnb listings leads to a 0.018% increase in rents and a 0.026% increase in house prices.”

“Considering the median annual Airbnb growth in each ZIP code, these results translate to an annual increase of $9 in monthly rent and $1,800 in house prices for the median ZIP code in our data, which accounts for about one fifth of actual rent

growth and about one seventh of actual price growth,” according to the study.

of short-term rental properties in their cities.

Reinersman said that he had used Airbnbs before but wasn’t optimistic about their effects on local economies.

Earlier this month, Covington Mayor Ron Washington also spoke out against the legislative proposals. Although the city has not passed an official resolution against the bills, the mayor told attendees at the March 11 city commission meeting that he didn’t “believe that Frankfort should be necessarily trying to set policy on this issue for the city of Covington. I think it’s best for local control.”

“I was in an Airbnb in Madison, Indiana, a few weeks ago and got into a conversation with a woman who had just bought a house there to retire there and said she had been looking for a house for a year and a half,…”

Reinersman said. “It just killed affordability.”

Airbnb has also been subject to a lawsuit by the Kentucky League of Cities and the Kentucky Travel Industry Association, alleging the company had failed to remit its mandated share of hotel and motel taxes. The lawsuit is ongoing.

Several cities in the region, including Covington, have passed legislation mandating business licensing and caps on the number

Crestview Hill Mayor Paul Meier said that maybe the lawsuit against Airbnb would blunt some of the motivation for S.B. 61’s passage. “If you haven’t mentioned that to your senators, that may be something to help us out in the next two weeks,” he told the other officials at the mayors group meeting.

“I’m sure they’re looking forward to another text from me,” Reinersman joked.

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No charges for officers who shot bank robbery suspect

By Nathan Granger

T

wo Covington police officers will not be criminally charged for shooting a bank robbery suspect, Kenton County Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Sanders announced March 17.

The suspect had attempted to rob the bank with a can of gasoline and a fake handgun before being shot, Sanders said during a news conference.

“The law requires us to look at the situation from the standpoint of the officers, what they knew and what they were dealing with at the time,” Sanders said. “And in essence, what Kentucky law says is that anyone in Kentucky is justified in the use of deadly force if they reasonably believe, from what they knew at the time, that the use of deadly force was required to repel someone using deadly force on them.”

The two Covington police officers, Spc. Wade Webster and Officer Phouthakone “H.P.” Homphotichak, shot Charles Davis on Feb. 28 after Davis is alleged to have attempted to rob the U.S. Bank branch in the 600 block of Madison Avenue in Covington.

Webster and Homphotichak shot Davis multiple times after encountering him in an alley near the bank.

Davis was later transported to UC Medical Center for treatment. After a few days, he was released and arrested by the FBI, which charged him with bank robbery. He is currently being held at the Campbell County Detention Center.

Sanders said during the news conference that his office would not file criminal charges against Webster and Homphotichak.

Charles Davis aims what appears to be a handgun at Covington Spc. Wade Webster in a still image taken from body camera footage. Photos provided | Kenton County Commonwealth’s Attorney

‘He got a gun!’

Sanders played footage from both Webster’s body camera and a Ring camera

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mounted on the alley wall, which showed the events of the officers’ encounter with Davis. Homphotichak didn’t properly activate his body camera, but he is visible in the footage.

Kenton County Dispatch received multiple calls around 3 p.m. on Feb. 28 of a Black male attempting to rob the bank with what appeared to be a handgun and a canister of gasoline.

Dispatchers in Webster’s body cam footage state that Davis had tried to set fire to the canister inside the bank. About six officers responded to the call, including a K-9 unit, but it was Webster and Homphotichak who located Davis in the alley. Body cam footage shows Webster finding Davis shortly after leaving his car.

Davis was standing in the alleyway with his hands down. Dollar bills were scattered around on the pavement.

The officers shouted multiple times for Davis to get on the ground and raise his hands.

Davis did not raise his hands, and camera footage shows him slowly reaching into his right jacket pocket, which was facing away from the officers. More dollar bills fell from his pocket.

Webster warned Davis to “stop reaching! I will shoot you!” Davis did not aggressively brandish what was in his pocket at first, but Homphotichak said that he could see Davis’ right hand before finally shouting, “He got a gun!”

Webster fired first, shooting Davis multiple times. At this point, what appears to be a handgun is discernible in the camera footage. After the initial shots, Davis sat up and reached for the weapon, which had fallen from his hand. Webster shot him again before Davis rolled around and aimed the weapon at Webster while still on the ground. Homphotichak then shot him once.

know that the suspect was actually brandishing only a toy gun.”

Sanders argued that even though Davis was not armed with an actual firearm, the officers didn’t know that and believed that Davis had been truly armed based on what they’d been told. Moreover, he argued, the toy resembled a gun enough that there was no way officers could have known it was fake at that moment. As a result, under Kentucky law, they were justified in the use of force and would not be charged.

“The gun that he was holding, albeit a toy, looked very real to the officers,” Sanders said. “I’ve got to say that, if I was ever faced with someone pointing a gun at me like officer Webster was having a gun pointed at him, they could count on me firing back at them as well.

“What this means is that we are declining to proceed with any criminal charges.

There’s no probable cause to believe that any criminal offenses were committed by the officers. The case will not be presented to the grand jury because prosecutors are ethically barred from any further proceedings if any prosecutor doesn’t believe that there’s probable cause that a criminal offense was committed.”

Sanders could not speak to Davis’ motivations. The gas canister alleged in the dispatch calls was not recovered by local authorities; Sanders guessed it had been taken by the FBI. FBI representatives did not attend the news conference. Davis had prior arrests for burglary, receiving stolen property, fraud and manslaughter in Alabama. The case has now been turned over to the FBI.

The officers moved in to try and restrain Davis, who was still brandishing the weapon.

Homphotichak put his foot on Davis. During the struggle, Davis moves the weapon in Homphotichak’s direction. Homphotichak then shot him again, effectively ending the struggle.

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Other officers appeared in the frame, and the group began to apply medical treatment on Davis.

Covington Police Officer Phouthakone “H.P.” Homphotichak.

Modified toy looked real Upon further inspection, it was revealed that Davis’ gun was fake, a toy wrapped in dark blue tape.

“In this case, the gun that Mr. Davis possessed wasn’t actually a gun,” Sanders said at the news conference. “This is some kind of toy gun or Nerf gun that, as you can see in the pictures, has been modified with a dark color tape in order to cover up any indication that would have let the officers

Covington Police Spc. Wade Webster.

Few turn out to Covington transition forum

By Nathan Granger

O

nly eight city residents, not including members of the Covington city government and its committee on government transition, attended a public forum March 13 to collect feedback about how to structure Covington’s new mayor-council form of government, which is slated to take effect in 2027.

The city commission formed a committee on the transition late last year, comprising resident appointees from the city’s various neighborhoods. The forum was part of an effort by the city to collect residents’ opinions on how to structure the new government.

The latest event aimed to get input on the number of council seats the new governing body should have, whether the members should be elected at large, represent specific wards or districts, be a combination of both, and if the city should mandate partisan primaries.

You can read LINK nky’s explainers at linknky.com to learn more about the differences between Kentucky’s municipal government structures and the differences between at-large and ward-based systems.

“We need more participation in the political process in Covington,” resident Daniel Burr told the committee. “You look here tonight at the number; I thought this would be packed.”

Although the numbers were slim, those who did show up shared their thoughts about the potential structure of the new government. Although there was disagreement about the number of seats and whether a ward system should be employed, no one was in favor of partisan elections.

“Partisan politics do not belong in a city government,” Burr told LINK nky after the meeting.

Unlike some of the other speakers at the meeting, Burr thought a ward system would be ideal, arguing it could increase

Covington City Attorney Frank Schultz, from left, Transition Committee members Ginger Dawson and David Davidson, Mayor Ron Washington, City Commissioner James Toebbe, City Manager Ken Smith, committee member Angie Taylor, City Commissioner Tim Acri, and committee members Michael Beeby and Billie Mocabee-Kegley were on hand at the March 13 forum. Photo by Nathan Granger | LINK nky

the field of eligible candidates by narrowing the area where candidates would have to campaign. He argued this would remove financial barriers to running.

“If it gets down to a district, to one person out of this geographical area, it might encourage somebody,” Burr said. “They say, ‘Well, if I make it through that first one, then I can try to get really serious about raising money,’ because I think that is a factor that you should consider in these elections. We need to encourage more people for diversified areas of the city, of diversified backgrounds; we need to encourage them to run.”

Not everyone agreed, though.

“For whatever reason, the at-large system that we’ve had for the last 20 or so years seems to have done a fairly good job of guaranteeing or providing good representation, or diverse representation of different regions in the city,” said Dave Meyer, who formerly served as the vice chair for the Kenton County Democrats. In spite of his partisan background, he, like the other attendees, was not in favor of partisan elections.

As far as the number of council seats, Meyer said, “the focus of the legislative body should be on how many it takes to produce good laws,” adding that he tended to advocate for a “a smaller number rather than a larger number, but it’s also a function of the support staff, of the folks that are attendant to that.”

City councils in Kentucky can have anywhere from six to 12 members. The other two major population centers in Kenton County, Independence and Erlanger, have six and nine members, respectively.

Daniel Burr suggested elections by district could lower the barriers to running for office. Photo by Nathan Granger | LINK nky

Kara Acri, the wife of City Commissioner Tim Acri, a former reporter and lobbyist and current owner of Scarlet Begonias Flower Truck, said that ward systems in her experience can sometimes degenerate into internecine rancor. Ditto for partisanship.

found both in covering [government bodies] as a former newspaper reporter and working with them as a lobbyist and a consultant, is that a nonpartisan, at-large local government is the best form that I found where they are able to successfully accomplish what they want to get done in the community,” she said.

She gave an example of how bad things could turn out.

city to give back a $3 million federal grant because the partisanship on the council was so bad that they just took turns swiping back and forth at each other,” Kara Acri said. “In another, the ward format, the wards literally pitted against each other, the representatives for those wards, to basically screw over the other wards, and it was just ugly.”

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kenton county briefs Works Pizza opens its first Ky. location in downtown Covington

The Works Pizza staff celebrates the opening of the restaurant’s first Kentucky location. Provided | The Works, Facebook

The Works Pizza, a brick oven pizzeria, has opened in Covington.

The 4,800-square-foot pizzeria is on the ground floor of the Hayden, a 12-story apartment building at 114 Park Place in downtown Covington. March 14 was the restaurant’s first day in business, which was announced on its Facebook page.

“This milestone is the result of countless hours of hard work and dedication from our incredible team,” read the post. “It’s been a true labor of love, fueled by our shared passion for pizza and the amazing communities we serve.”

Originally from Ohio, The Works Pizza has locations north of the river in Loveland and Sycamore Township. Its menu features brick oven pizzas, sandwiches, wraps and several appetizers.

Covington seeking items for 50-year time capsule in Central Riverfront

“We want to offer every resident, business, and organization in Covington the opportunity to let future generations know what life was like in The Cov in 2025,” Covington Economic Development Director Tom West said in a release. “Even though the time capsule is just a small box, we have come up with a way for all 40,000 Covingtonians to get inside for the 50-year journey to the future.”

Covington is partnering with Kenton County Public Library and LINK nky for the event, which will be hosted by former WCPO anchor Evan Millward from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

In addition, LINK nky asked Norse Media students from Northern Kentucky University to record a video of residents as they give a 10- to 15-second explanation of why they’d like their item included.

“Our job is to tell the story of the Northern Kentucky community, and this will be a really fun way to preserve those stories for future generations,” LINK nky CEO Lacy Starling said in the release.

Since the 20 inch-by-16.2-inch-by-16 inch capsule won’t allow every item to be included, Norse Media students will edit the video of the submittal pitches from the April 12 event into a file and store it on a flash drive to be placed in the time capsule.

Kenton County Library Director Dave Schroeder, staff from the library’s local history and genealogy department, and Angela Washington, wife of Mayor Ron Washington, will select items from the submittal

Covington is searching for items to be placed in a time capsule that will be buried in the Covington Central Riverfront neighborhood.

The “Fill a Time Capsule” submittal event is set for April 12 in front of the Latonia branch of the Kenton County Public Library. The city wants to allow all residents to submit items for consideration. The time capsule will be opened in 2075.

event to go into the capsule.

The contents will be finalized by April 30 in time for the time capsule’s dedication on May 13, from 3:30 to 5 p.m., at the corner of Russell Street and Stewart Alley at the Covington Central Riverfront. The dedication will follow the presentation of the city’s annual Authenti-CITY and Historic Preservation Awards.

Federal loan funds renovations to lower tenants’ energy costs A Covington nonprofit that recently received a $450,000 forgivable loan from the federal government is using that money to help lower energy costs for affordable housing tenants.

The loan has helped fund HVAC system replacements in eight units, worth around $65,000, and will soon fund the installation of new water heaters, worth around $35,000.

A majority of the money will be used to refinance debt related to the units.

The HOME program is a federal program focused on housing and has been used to fund rental assistance programs, home repair programs and housing nonprofits like Neighborhood Investment Partners. It also funds the local HOME Consortium, which provides forgivable loans to qualifying home buyers. Covington, Independence, Erlanger, Florence, Ludlow, Newport, Bellevue and Dayton are member cities in the consortium.

Construction is set to begin later this month and extend through September.

The city has flexibility in its forgiveness structure so long as the buildings remain in federal compliance regarding affordable housing and conform to local code regulations.

SparkHaus sneak peek: Entrepreneurial hub gives construction tour

All of the units are owned by Neighborhood Investment Partners, an independent nonprofit affiliated with the city and the Housing Authority of Covington. Its directors are appointed by the mayor.

“I can talk for almost all single moms when I say that any amount of money saved is amazing and it’s a blessing,” said Audrey Cooper, a resident at one of the renovated units. “It’s hard when you’re the only parent that financially provides (for) needs that your kids might have.”

Cooper, who is a single mom of three, said her December-to-January electric bill cost around $800.

“It was crazy,” she said. “Like, I don’t want to keep having to fork out $800.”

Photo from a 2019 time capsule unveiling event at the former IRS site. The time capsule was placed behind the cornerstone of the IRS building when the building was dedicated in 1966. Provided | City of Covington

“We wanted to do the things that were most cost-effective, and it will lower their utility bills right away,” he said. “We’re using it to the best of our ability to help lower our residents’ bills.”

The new HVAC systems run more efficiently, according to Leroy Hodge, NIP’s executive director, which will better heat or cool units as well as lower electric costs.

The main stairwell that leads to the SparkHaus lower level. Photo by Kenton Hornbeck | LINK nky

Construction on SparkHaus, Northern Kentucky’s future entrepreneurial hub, is well underway.

Located inside the historic Simms Furniture building at 727 Madison Ave. in Covington’s central business district, SparkHaus aims to be a space where NKYbased founders, investors and support organizations can collaborate in one central office hub.

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kenton county briefs Upon completion, SparkHaus will house many of the region’s preeminent venture capital firms, entrepreneurial development organizations and startups. So far, SparkHaus has received commitments from Covington-based venture capital firm eGateway Capital and Blue North, the region’s primary entrepreneurial resource and advocacy organization.

On March 13, the Covington Business Council hosted a hard hat tour during which participants were given an up-close look at the project’s progress. Dave Knox, executive director of Blue North, led a tour group on an excursion through the active construction zone.

“It’s the first entrepreneurial hub, really, in Northern Kentucky as a whole,” Knox said.

“It’s gonna be the largest of this sort in both Greater Cincinnati but also the entire state of Kentucky. It’s really powerful, and it really shows the kind of the momentum we have going on when it comes to entrepreneurship across the community.”

Due to the building’s age, Cincinnati-based developer Urban Sites, the project’s general contractor, is working to maintain its historical character while also retrofitting it for modern use. The building was constructed in 1929 and originally housed a Montgomery Ward department store.

According to Knox, SparkHaus is slated to open Aug. 1.

Covington’s books clean, deficit shrinking, annual financial audit reports Barnes Dennig, an accounting firm hired by the city of Covington, has issued an unmodified or clean opinion on the city’s financial status.

This will be the second consecutive year since 1995 that the city has received a clean audit from an independent financial firm.

Additionally, the audit suggests that the deficit that has plagued the city’s general fund for the past two fiscal years is closing.

“The year to date trends have been positive,” said Steve Webb, Covington’s director

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of finance. “We continue to kind of tick up in the right direction, I think, both in terms of position and the [city’s] operations. So, I think all things just continue to move in the right direction.”

Barnes Dennig presented its findings to the Covington City Commission on March 11.

Cities are required to undergo audits from independent professionals every year.

Although they’re not exhaustive, audits provide fresh eyes on how well a city is managing its money and offer recommendations on effective bookkeeping and compliance with professional standards. Audits can also be useful in uncovering fraud or the misuse of public funds. Barnes Dennig’s audit found no indications of fraud or other illegal activity.

“We do get reasonable assurance, not absolute assurance,” explained Barnes Dennig assurance manager Daniel Demonte.

“Basically, what that means is we look at certain transactions that are riskier versus others. We can’t look at every payroll, every invoice; that would not be efficient of our time or the city’s time. So, we determine what barriers are riskier and look more heavily in those areas.”

Although most of the city’s financial operations were clean and in compliance, there were two items Barnes Dennig flagged as deficiencies, albeit minor ones that could be easily rectified. The first was the improper disposal of a capital asset, namely an old building whose disposal should have been recorded in fiscal year 2020 but was instead recorded this year. This error had the effect of offsetting the city’s overall net position. Audit documents indicate the city agreed to Barnes Dennig’s recommendation of regularly reviewing its property records to avoid this in the future.

The other was related to record keeping for Covington’s Section 8 program. City staff informed LINK nky that this arose from an error during the changeover of the Section 8 program’s administration from the city to the Housing Authority of Covington. A file was improperly converted from its original paper form to electronic form. LINK nky contacted the Housing Authority of Cov-

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county properties with an eye toward commercial development and attracting employers. The fiscal court voted to approve the partnership at its March 11 meeting.

Following the institution of work-fromhome labor arrangements from the city’s larger employers, such as Fidelity, during the pandemic, the city saw a decline in payroll tax revenue, which in time led to a deficit in the city’s general fund, which is responsible for much of the city’s operating budget. Other city funds that don’t rely on tax revenue were not affected. Since then, the city commission has re-appropriated emergency COVID dollars to meet the shortfall and has introduced other cost-cutting measures to close the gap.

“Catalytic Fund CEO Jeanne Schroer and her team have had a tremendous impact on our community, and there are few transformative projects in our urban core since their founding that they’ve not helped make happen,” Kenton County Judge-Executive Kris Knochelmann said in a release. “I feel confident with their expertise and guidance we can ensure the funds entrusted to Kenton County by our partners in the General Assembly will be spent responsibly and generate a significant impact for our cities and residents.”

Audit documents and city financial reports indicate that the general fund deficit still exists, but the gap is closing. Expenditures exceeded revenues by about $2.4 million in fiscal year 2022. In fiscal year 2023, expenditures exceeded revenues by about $2.6 million. Finally, in fiscal year 2024, which ended June 30, expenditures exceeded revenues by only $784,460.

The Catalytic Fund is a nonprofit categorized as a Community Development Financial Institution. Such organizations provide financing for otherwise financially untenable development projects. The fund focuses on “housing, mixed-use developments and the revitalization of key commercial corridors,” according to the same release.

Audit documents also indicate that payroll tax revenues and property tax revenues have increased since last year. Government expenditures, on the other hand, have increased by about $10.5 million, with most expenditures incurred by police and fire.

The redevelopment fund was allocated about $5 million from the General Assembly during the 2024 legislative session.

Cities in the county will be able to apply for funding on a case-by-case basis. Although the fiscal court will maintain final approval on all projects, the Catalytic Fund will advise on the following: • Developing criteria for judging the worthiness of submitted project proposals.

• Creating a uniform application process.

• Developing quarterly reports on the program’s status.

• Evaluating and helping the county make decisions on proposals, the amount of money that will be awarded and any terms and conditions on payouts.

County, Catalytic Fund join forces to establish redevelopment fund

Covington government revenues, tracked in several city funds, for fiscal year 2024. Chart provided | Barnes Dennig

Kenton County Fiscal Court has approved a partnership with the Catalytic Fund of Northern Kentucky to advise on the development of a county redevelopment fund.

That fund would aim to redevelop select

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Addressing the obesity crisis in the United States will require a comprehensive and multifaceted approach. Fortunately for Kentucky, Rep. Brett Guthrie has championed initiatives to promote healthy behaviors and prevent obesity. AOMs can be another tool in our toolbox, but we need to act now.

New obesity treatments out of reach for seniors Kentucky consistently ranks among the highest states in the nation for obesity.

According to recent data, the commonwealth has the second-highest adult obesity rate in the United States, with over 40% of adults classified as obese. This alarming statistic is not just a number but a significant public health crisis that demands immediate attention and action.

The consequences of obesity are far-reaching, including an increased risk of numerous chronic diseases, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes and certain types of cancer. In Kentucky, heart disease is the leading cause of death. In addition, nearly 14% of the state’s adults are diagnosed with diabetes, and 40.3% are diagnosed with hypertension. These conditions not only diminish the quality of life for individuals but place a substantial burden on the health care system, with obesity-related health care costs estimated to be billions of dollars annually.

Many older Americans, especially those on Medicare, cannot fully access treatments that help address obesity, specifically anti-obesity medications, or AOMs. Medicare covers treatments for other chronic diseases, including diabetes, arthritis, heart disease and chronic kidney diseases, and extending the coverage of the full spectrum of care for obesity as a chronic disease is crucial. However, Medicare Part-D does not cover AOMs.

Under the Biden Administration, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services proposed a rule to allow Medicare and Medicaid to cover FDA-approved anti-obesity medications. The comment period ended Jan. 27 leaving the finalization of the rule to the discretion of the Trump administration.

The Trump administration is discussing government efficiency and a “Make America Healthy Again” agenda. AOMs offer an opportunity to do both. Not only will it help the health of our seniors in Kentucky, but including AOMs as an option will significantly decrease Medicare costs. On average, Medicare spends over $2,000 more yearly on beneficiaries with obesity. If Medicare allows these medications as options, it could save the government upward of $250 billion in spending over 10 years that would otherwise be spent on treating obesity-related health conditions.

This CMS rule has broad bipartisan support and strong support from medical and patient communities. The extension provides access to comprehensive, affordable and clinically effective treatments, allowing health care providers and Medicare patients access to all tools to treat obesity.

With this foundation laid, it is clear: CMS must act this year to allow Medicare to cover AOMs. By extending the CMS rule, America will continue to recognize that obesity is a treatable chronic disease and achieve millions of dollars in savings for the health care system.

Dr. Monalisa Tailor Internal medicine, advanced cardiac life support physician Louisville

Inside LINK: Remembering Jim Votruba

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Jim Votruba was involved with LINK nky even before I was.

When I was recruited to help with writing a business plan and determining if LINK could be a viable business, as well as the voice of Northern Kentucky, I was building on years of work that Jim, along with a team of other business and nonprofit leaders, had already done.

It should come as no surprise that Jim was involved in launching LINK – his name is (rightly) associated with so much good that has happened in Northern Kentucky, starting with his transformative work at Northern Kentucky University. By the time I moved to the area, Jim’s presidency at NKU was nearing its end, so I always knew of him more through his work in the community than in that role.

Other folks will be better to remember all the work that Jim did outside of LINK, but

James Votruba. Photo provided | Northern Kentucky University

the deep affection and respect that I, and the rest of the LINK team, feel for him comes from his direct involvement in our incubation, launch and growth.

Jim joined our editorial board immediately after we were founded in 2021, serving as an important voice in the development of our coverage, analysis of the stories we were writing and the issues we were facing. He also served as a symbol of our credibility. Anyone who knew Jim knew that he would not attach his name to an unworthy cause, or an organization that was going to do a disservice to his adopted home. That credibility was invaluable in our formative years.

On the editorial board, Jim was a strong voice. Not a loud one, as anyone who has spent time him understands. Jim did not have to raise his voice or get excited to be heard. His opinions came at their own pace, but once delivered, had the ability to completely change your perspective on a topic or reveal some nuance that you had not considered, but he never wandered into condescension or I-told-you-so’s, even when he could have.

I’m a hotshot startup type, moving fast and making decisions quickly. Being in Jim’s presence and seeing a very different type of leadership – one that was deeply thoughtful and informed – helped me grow as a leader, and as a member of the NKY community. In our editorial board meetings, Jim always had something insightful to offer. Often, he’d have difficult questions for us – always delivered in the same kind, measured tone – that made us think more critically about our choices of coverage, wording, tone and approach.

Jim was an essential part of our foundation, our team. Without him, LINK would not be as good as we are today, and his legacy will

live on every time we tell ourselves to slow down and think more about how and why we’re doing what we are doing. That counterbalance in the fast pace of the news is critical, and I’m so glad we had as long as we did with Jim to learn it from him.

What I will miss most about Jim, however, is his deep belief in what we are doing at LINK. He never missed an opportunity to tell us how important our work is to NKY, and that it is vital to our shared community.

Just a couple of weeks ago, Jim told me he had to step down from our editorial board due to some health issues. I knew this was a decision he did not make lightly, and he said he hoped to return soon. In closing, ever kind and generous, he wrote “You and your team are an inspiration in your commitment to this work.”

That kind of support, kindness and generosity is hard to find in today’s world, especially coming from someone as important to our community as Jim. With his passing, it is our responsibility to continue live up to his high standards, to ask ourselves the hard questions, to think deeply about our work, and to honor Jim’s contributions to our founding and growth.

Lacy Starling LINK CEO

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

Dayton store gives zine community a ‘third space’

By Kenton Hornbeck

T

om and Ren Boeing transformed their love of zines into a fully fledged business – one focused on bringing the hobby’s local community together.

Zines are self-published, small-circulation magazines, comics or newsletters that include text, original artwork and other unique characteristics. According to Tom Boeing, the appeal of zines is that they can be about anything, offering the author a blank canvas to create.

“A zine is a small DIY publication,” he said.

“Usually, it’s made pretty scrappy, it’s made as cheaply as possible, with the goal of getting your ideas or your art out to people. It can be cartoons, text-based, poetry, short stories or interviews. It can be photography. So there’s really not a specific ‘it has to be this’ to be a zine.”

Over the years, Tom and Ren developed a love for the art form. They traveled across the Midwest, from Indianapolis, Chicago and Columbus, Ohio, to attend zine festivals, where they met and collaborated with other creators.

In 2019, the pair founded Zinezinnati Fest, a festival for local zine makers and enthusiasts in Cincinnati. When Greater Cincinnati zine community members sought a permanent home, the Boeings decided to create it themselves. Ren told LINK nky that there wasn’t a space for the community to meet regularly at the time.

“There really wasn’t a store that fills the spot in this area,” she said.

The couple envisioned it as a “third space” for the community, a physical location outside of one’s home where people congregate, socialize and build community. (In the third space concept, home is one’s “first space” and work is the “second space.” Places like bars, cafes and bookstores are third spaces.)

Their main goal was to foster community. The duo envisioned a storefront where small and independent publishers could

Tom and Ren Boeing stand in front of indie Northern Kentucky’s new store in Dayton. Photo by Kenton Hornbeck | LINK nky

freely spend time, work on their projects and share space with other creatives.

“We think so often with spaces, you have to come and spend money to do anything,” said Tom Boeing. “While, you know, we are a business, it’s important for us to be able to offer a space for people to just go, do something for free and not have to worry about spending money.”

In 2023, the Boeings founded indie Northern Kentucky, which they call ink. The shop is an independent small bookstore that primarily sells zines. Initially, the store operated inside Petri’s Floral in Bellevue. The shared space allowed people unfamiliar with zines to gain exposure to the art form.

The venture proved so successful that the Boeings sought a larger space. They found

one at 507 Sixth Ave. in Dayton. Ink opened its new store in November 2024. The store uses a consignment business model, allowing creators to display their products in exchange for a cut of each sale.

Upon entering the store, customers are greeted by a wall of zines sourced from local and regional creators. In a separate room, zine creators have access to a variety of art and printing supplies. Ultimately, the couple hopes the store will draw interest from not only the zine community but also members of the public who are interested in art and socializing.

So far, the business has been challenging but fulfilling, Tom said. The couple juggles running ink with the responsibilities of being full-time parents and employees.

“We have two kids, and we do the store, and it’s very difficult, but we have a great time,” Tom said. “We meet so many awesome people, and we’ve made so many good friends that this doesn’t feel like a burden even though we have so much other things going on.”

Ren Boeing said their next goal is to focus on growth by hosting live events at the store or spreading awareness of zines through social media or word of mouth.

“We’ve had a really great reaction from the community, where people are super on board, and I feel like we’re on board with where we want to go,” Ren said. “We want to have this open door space where we can have people come in and work on their stuff.”

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sports Cooper first team to pull off basketball double since 2012

The girls 9th Region All-Tournament team was: Caroline Eaglin (Newport Central Catholic), Aumani Nelson (Holy Cross), Jaelyn Jones (Ryle), Clare Slocum (St. Henry), Marissa Green and Ty Berry (Highlands), Catherine Buddenberg and Asia Carner (Dixie Heights), Sophia Gibson and Maya Lawrie (Notre Dame), Zene Thompson, Addyson Brissey and Haylee Noel (Cooper).

Cooper celebrates after winning a fourth straight 9th Region girls basketball title. Provided | Charles Bolton

The boys 9th Region All-Tournament team was: Griffen Derry (Dixie Heights), Nathan Rickard (Highlands), Luke Arlinghaus (Holy Cross), Landon Lorms (Ryle), Cash Harney and Athens McGillis (Covington Catholic), Yamil Rondon and Amontae Lowe (Newport), EJ Walker and Anthony Blaackar (Lloyd Memorial), Chris Rodriguez, Isaac Brown and Andy Johnson (Cooper).

Handful of NKY student-athletes in NCAA tournaments

Cooper claimed the 9th Region title on March 18 at Truist Arena in a victory over Lloyd Memorial.

Provided | Charles Bolton

Boone County in 2012 was the last program to win boys and girls region titles in the same year. Now Cooper has accomplished the feat.

Several players that played on the hardwood in the region’s prep scene are playing at the next level and in the Big Dance.

The Cooper girls team won its fourth straight regional title March 7 with a 60-57 victory over Notre Dame, while the boys team took down Lloyd Memorial on March 18 with a 53-38 triumph.

The Lady Jags advanced to the state quarterfinals before eventually falling to fivetime defending champion Sacred Heart.

They opened the state tournament with a 70-45 victory over Mercy and then dropped the contest with the Valkyries, 78-61.

Haylee Noel was named to the Sweet 16 All-Tournament team as well as 9th Region Tournament MVP. Zene Thompson and Addyson Brissey were named to the 9th Region All-Tournament team.

Bishop Brossart grad Marie Kiefer is the all-time blocks leader for the Ball State women’s basketball program. Provided | Ball State Athletics

ment as a No. 12 seed but were eliminated in the March 21 first round by No. 5 Ole Miss.

• Maleah Alexander, Liberty. The Cooper grad is in her freshman season with the Lady Flames and is redshirting. Liberty, a No. 13 seed, posted a blistering fourth quarter to take No. 4 seed Kentucky to the wire in Lexington March 21, but the Flames fell one point short, 79-78.

• Henry Thole, Xavier. The Villa Madonna grad is in his freshman season and walked on for the 2024-25 season. He made an appearance in a Dec. 10 contest with Morgan State. The Musketeers won their “first four” play-in game against Texas but were eliminated March 21 by Illinois.

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Spring sports season has arrived

• Whitney Lind, Lehigh. The Cooper grad is in her sophomore season with the Mountain Hawks. Lind is averaging 5.9 points, 2.2 rebounds and nearly a steal per game in 32 games played. She averages about 16 minutes a game and shoots 44% from the field and 90% from the free throw line.

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The men’s tournament doesn’t feature as many players in the tournament as the women, so here’s a look at who will be playing in March Madness.

• Marie Kiefer, Ball State. The Bishop Brossart grad is the all-time blocked shots leader for the Cardinals and is averaging 7.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. Kiefer was recently named the MAC Defensive Player of the Year for the 202425 season. Ball State is 27-7 on the year and champions of the Mid-American Conference. The Cards opened the NCAA tourna-

The Jaguars’ region title was their second after winning in 2017. They came up short in the last two region championship games

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to Newport. Andy Johnson was named 9th Region Tournament MVP, while Isaac Brown and Chris Rodriguez made the All-Tournament team. Their state tournament run got started March 27 against Henderson County.

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Covington Catholic has won two straight state tennis titles. Provided | Ray Schaefer

The Kentucky High School Athletic Association spring sports regular season officially got underway March 17. On top of baseball, softball, track and field, and tennis, three new spring sports have been sanctioned by the KHSAA. Boys volleyball and boys and girls lacrosse will have official KHSAA state tournaments this season.

May 5 is when region tennis tournaments and region track and field meets begin.

Volleyball and lacrosse region tournaments start May 9, while district baseball and softball tournaments begin the week of May 19. The region baseball and softball tournaments then follow on May 24.

State tournament dates are: May 19 for lacrosse, May 20 for volleyball, May 29-31 for track and field, June 5-7 for baseball and softball (first two rounds) and then June 1314 (semifinals and championship rounds).

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COMMISSIONER’S SALE CAMPBELL COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT

CASE NUMBER 24-CI-00207

CASE NUMBER 24-CI-00631

CASE NUMBER 24-CI-00837

DIVISION 2

DIVISION 2

DIVISION 1

DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE, ON BEHALF OF THE HOLDERS OF THE J.P. MORGAN MORTGAGE ACQUISITION TRUST 2007-CH4 ASSET BACKED PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES SERIES 2007-CH4

WESBANCO BANK, INC.

CITY OF FORT THOMAS, KENTUCKY

VS.

VS.

LILLIE M. AKERS, ET AL.

ALLEN THEOBALD, ET AL.

VS.

BY VIRTUE OF A JUDGMENT RENDERED 2/18/2025 BY THE CAMPBELL CIRCUIT COURT, IN THE ABOVE CAUSE I SHALL PROCEED TO OFFER FOR SALE AT THE CAMPBELL CIRCUIT COURTHOUSE, 330 YORK STREET, NEWPORT, KENTUCKY 41071, OUTSIDE THE FRONT DOOR.

BY VIRTUE OF A JUDGMENT RENDERED 2/24/2025

BY THE CAMPBELL CIRCUIT COURT, IN THE ABOVE CAUSE I SHALL PROCEED TO OFFER FOR SALE AT THE CAMPBELL CIRCUIT COURTHOUSE, 330 YORK STREET, NEWPORT, KENTUCKY 41071, OUTSIDE THE FRONT DOOR.

DAVID M. REED, ET AL.

BY VIRTUE OF A JUDGMENT RENDERED 8/9/2024 BY THE CAMPBELL CIRCUIT COURT, IN THE ABOVE CAUSE I SHALL PROCEED TO OFFER FOR SALE AT THE CAMPBELL CIRCUIT COURTHOUSE, 330 YORK STREET, NEWPORT, KENTUCKY 41071, OUTSIDE THE FRONT DOOR. To the highest or best bidder at public auction on 4/8/2025 at 3:00pm, the following property, to-wit: 42 Tremont Avenue, Fort Thomas, Kentucky 41075 Group No: 41515/A1

To the highest or best bidder at public auction on 4/8/2025 at 3:00pm, the following property, to-wit: 19 West Crescent Avenue, Woodlawn, Kentucky 41071 Group No: 41604/A2

To the highest or best bidder at public auction on 4/8/2025 at 3:00pm, the following property, to-wit: 51 Forest Avenue, Fort Thomas, Kentucky 41075 Group No: 30435/A1

PIDN: 999-99-12-147.00

PIDN: 999-99-16-878.00

PIDN: 999-99-13-841.00

CASE NUMBER 23-CI-00860

CASE NUMBER 21-CI-00577

CASE NUMBER 25-CI-00011

DIVISION 1

DIVISION 2

DIVISION 2

BLUEGRASS LIEN SOLUTIONS, LLC

HIGHLAND MEADOWS CONDOMINIUM OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC.

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

VS. LESLIE A. SMART, ET AL.

VS.

VS. APRIL S. HOSKINS, ET AL.

DARRELL THARP, ET AL.

BY VIRTUE OF A JUDGMENT RENDERED 2/10/2025

BY THE CAMPBELL CIRCUIT COURT, IN THE ABOVE CAUSE I SHALL PROCEED TO OFFER FOR SALE AT THE CAMPBELL CIRCUIT COURTHOUSE, 330 YORK STREET, NEWPORT, KENTUCKY 41071, OUTSIDE THE FRONT DOOR.

BY VIRTUE OF A JUDGMENT RENDERED 8/15/2022 BY THE CAMPBELL CIRCUIT COURT, IN THE ABOVE CAUSE I SHALL PROCEED TO OFFER FOR SALE AT THE CAMPBELL CIRCUIT COURTHOUSE, 330 YORK STREET, NEWPORT, KENTUCKY 41071, OUTSIDE THE FRONT DOOR.

BY VIRTUE OF A JUDGMENT RENDERED 2/28/2025

BY THE CAMPBELL CIRCUIT COURT, IN THE ABOVE CAUSE I SHALL PROCEED TO OFFER FOR SALE AT THE CAMPBELL CIRCUIT COURTHOUSE, 330 YORK STREET, NEWPORT, KENTUCKY 41071, OUTSIDE THE FRONT DOOR.

To the highest or best bidder at public auction on 4/8/2025 at 3:00pm, the following property, to-wit:

To the highest or best bidder at public auction on 4/8/2025 at 3:00pm, the following property, to-wit:

To the highest or best bidder at public auction on 4/8/2025 at 3:00pm, the following property, to-wit:

3058 Ten Mile Road, Melbourne, Kentucky 41059

25 Highland Meadows Circle, Unit 5, Highland Heights, Kentucky 41076

9 North Rosewood Court, Alexandria, Kentucky 41001

Group No: 70325/B1 PIDN: 999-99-27-327.08

Group No: 30766/Q2 PIDN: 999-99-22-230.00

Group No: 70304/W3 PIDN: 999-99-23-845.45

THE COMPLETE LEGAL DESCRIPTION IS MORE PARTICULARLY SET OUT IN THE JUDGMENT AND ORDER OF SALE ENTERED IN THIS CASE. Subject to conditions, covenants, restrictions, right of ways and easements in existence, including but not limited to those in prior instruments of record; legal highways, and zoning ordinances.

SAID PROPERTY SHALL BE SOLD SUBJECT TO REAL ESTATE TAXES DUE AND OWING FOR THE YEAR OF SALE AND THEREAFTER PRIOR YEARS UNPAID TAXES SHALL BE PAID FROM THE PROCEEDS IF THE PURCHASER IS NOT THE PLAINTIFF. IF THE PURCHASER IS THE PLAINTIFF, PRIOR YEARS’ UNPAID TAXES SHALL BE PAID BY THE PLAINTIFF, IN FULL OR PRO RATA, PROVIDED THE SALE PURCHASE PRICE EXCEEDS THE COURT COSTS. THIS PROPERTY IS BEING SOLD TO PRODUCE THE SUMS OF MONEY SO ORDERED TO BE MADE IN THE JUDGMENT AND ORDER OF SALE ENTERED IN THE WITHIN CASE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO COURT COSTS, AD VALOREM TAXES, IN THE SUM OF $4,271.16; AND OTHER LIENS, INTEREST, ATTORNEY FEES AND/OR OTHER SUMS AND JUDGMENTS THAT MAY BE AWARDED BY THE COURT. THE SALE SHALL BE MADE TO THE HIGHEST AND BEST BIDDER(S). ANY PURCHASER OTHER THAN PLAINTIFF WHO DOES NOT PAY CASH IN FULL SHALL PAY 10% CASH AND SHALL BE REQUIRED TO EXECUTE A BOND AT THE TIME OF SALE, WITH SURETY ACCEPTABLE TO THE MASTER COMMISSIONER AND PRE-APPROVED BY THE MASTER COMMISSIONER AT LEAST BY NOON, TWO (2) BUSINESS DAYS BEFORE THE SALE DATE, TO SECURE THE UNPAID BALANCE OF THE PURCHASE PRICE, AND SAID BOND SHALL BEAR INTEREST AT THE RATE OF 12% PER ANNUM FROM THE DATE OF SALE UNTIL PAID, AND SHALL HAVE THE SAME FORCE AND EFFECT AS A JUDGMENT AND SHALL REMAIN AND BE A LIEN ON THE PROPERTY UNTIL PAID THE BOND SURETY MUST BE PRESENT AT THE SALE AND EXECUTE SALE BOND AND THE AFFIDAVIT OF SURETY THE PURCHASER(S) SHALL HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF PAYING ALL THE BALANCE OF THE PURCHASE PRICE PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION OF THE THIRTY (30) DAY PERIOD. THE DEPOSIT SHALL BE WAIVED IF PLAINTIFF IS THE SUCCESSFUL BIDDER. THE MASTER COMMISSIONER SHALL SELL THE REAL ESTATE BY PUBLIC SALE ON A DAY AND TIME TO BE FIXED BY HIM, OUTSIDE THE FRONT DOOR OF THE CAMPBELL CIRCUIT COURTHOUSE, 330 YORK STREET, NEWPORT, KENTUCKY. BIDDERS MUST BE PREPARED TO COMPLY WITH THESE TERMS. THE COSTS OF THE SALE SHALL BE PAID WITHIN FOURTEEN (14) DAYS OF THE SALE. JOSEPH F. GRIMME, MASTER COMMISSIONER 859-291-9075

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real estate

Historic Crestview Hills three-bedroom home Address: 2914 Dixie Highway, Crestview Hills Price: $454,900 Bedrooms: Three Bathrooms: Two (plus one half bath) Square footage: 4,000 School district: Kenton County County: Kenton Special features: Built in 1923 as the Old Crestview Hills neighborhood’s first model home, this historic property blends classic character with modern updates. Features include a double brick exterior, an original Rookwood fireplace and hardwood floors throughout. The home’s kitchen overlooks a private, expansive backyard. Nestled in a pet-friendly neighborhood with private lake access for fishing and no HOA fees.

An exterior view of this historic Crestview Hills home. Photos provided | Nicole Rankin with Coldwell Banker

A view of this home’s living space with a Rookwood tile fireplace.

This home’s sunroom.

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PUBLIC NOTICE The City of Erlanger is accepting bids for the purchase of topsoil. Bid information may be viewed in full at www. erlangerky.gov or at 505 Commonwealth Avenue, Erlanger, KY 41018, 859-727-2525.

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