LINK Kenton Reader - Volume 3, Issue 37 - August 15, 2025

KENTON

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 37 — AUGUST 15, 2025

THE VOICE OF NKY

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Firefighters find home away from home in Munich

By Haley Parnell

F

or two weeks this summer a Newport and Cincinnati firefighter were just part of the crew – in Munich.

Newport firefighter Chris Holmes and Cincinnati firefighter Kurt Baker traveled to Germany from June 25 to July 10 to participate in a firefighter exchange. The pair participated in daily firefighter life and training with the Munich Fire Department, or Münchener Feuerwehr, learning and exploring with its firefighters.

This is the first time that the Newport and Cincinnati departments have sent personnel overseas for an exchange.

“This world is pretty big, but, through this experience, it made the world a lot smaller,” Baker said. “Our actions definitely have an impact on the rest of the world, as Americans, and just getting to know other people’s perspectives has opened my eyes and ears to really having a heart for not only us as United States citizens, but more so the world as a whole.”

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Newport firefighter Chris Holmes and Cincinnati firefighter Kurt Baker stand in front of the Munich Fire Department station where they served from June 25 to July 10. Provided | Chris Holmes

What do Medicaid changes mean for NKY?

By Nathan Granger

T

he U.S. Congress passed a raft of tax and federal spending changes on July 4 that will affect our region.

The legislation, referred to collectively as the Big Beautiful Bill by its supporters, enacts a variety of changes, notably to Medicaid, a federal program aimed at helping people below certain income levels get access to health care.

“This is going to impact more people than we anticipate, for several reasons,” said Abdullah Al Bahrani, a professor of economics at NKU.

Abdullah Al Bahrani speaks to the Latonia Business Association in 2024. Photo by Nathan Granger | LINK nky

Al Bahrani writes and speaks regularly about economic issues in the region and recently wrote a series of articles about the bill’s effects. He and others point to data from KFF, formerly the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonpartisan nonprofit known for

its research on the health care sector.

KFF has assembled fact sheets on Medicaid coverage for every state and Congressional district. There were about 1.4 million people, both children and adults, on Medicaid in Kentucky as of the KFF’s most recent report, published on May 20. That’s equivalent to about $16.3 billion in spending.

About 44% of births, 51% of working adults with disabilities and 68% of nursing home residents in Kentucky are covered by Medicaid, according to KFF. “Usage of social safety net programs, especially in our area, is a personal matter,” Al Bahrani said. “Not everybody shares that information, and then there’s also a social stigma about the use of social safety nets in general, whether it’s unemployment insurance or in this case Medicaid. So, the average individual is not aware of how many people that they are close to that might be

Tallant Studio makes music accessible to anyone p5 Indie gaming convention proud to be in Covington p8 Entrepreneur gives advice on mistakes to avoid p9

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The firefighter exchange program between the Newport and Cincinnati fire departments and Munich’s began with the Munich department sending people to Greater Cincinnati in 2019, 2022 and 2024. The Munich Sister City Association of Greater Cincinnati helped to facilitate the exchange.

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Munich is one of nine Cincinnati sister cities established through Sister Cities International. Sister cities create long-term partnerships to promote cultural and commercial exchange and understanding.

Former Newport firefighter Chuck Dietz helped start the program. Dietz, who retired from the Newport Fire Department in 2018, began his fire career in 1979 and still works part-time as assistant chief for the Crescent Springs Villa Hills Fire Department.

“For quite a bit of time, there has been a lot of [exchange] on the admin side,” Dietz said. “There’s been a teacher exchange, there’s been a student exchange, there’s been a lawyer exchange, there’s been a city government exchange. The police had a pretty good exchange program going for a while. If you’re going to be a sister city, doing these kinds of things is not only a learning experience, but it’s also more than saying, ‘Hey, we’re the sister city.’”

Dietz, Baker and Holmes all said they believed this firefighter exchange is unique to the region and possibly even the country.

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When Newport hosted the Munich firefighters, Holmes said they acted as on-shift firefighters and did everything local firefighters did except go into live fires. When Holmes and Baker traveled to Germany, they were fully integrated with the shifts.

He said they acted as extra people on the fire engines. They woke up, had breakfast with the Munich firefighters and did their daily routine shift work like any other personnel.

“The firehouse culture, I was surprised to see that it is almost identical to what it is over here in the States,” Holmes said.

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While he said language and culture differences were apparent, how they operate in the firehouse was identical. “How we share meals, train together, take pride in our department, our stations and really like to have a little bit of fun with each other, as far as making fun of each other and having a great time” was the same, he said.

One of the differences Holmes noticed, aside from the lack of air conditioning in the department, is that firefighters in Munich must be trained in another profession, like a mechanic or carpenter, before they can become firefighters. Holmes said he talked to someone who was an optometrist previously and another person who was in school to be a doctor.

Another difference was that the German ambulances had paramedics on them, but some stations have ambulances with a doctor or pediatrician on them.

Baker said that, at the root of firefighting,

Newport firefighter Chris Holmes and Cincinnati firefighter Kurt Baker trained like any other Munich firefighter during their time in an exchange program there. Provided | Kurt Baker

many aspects were also fundamentally similar. The difference over there that he pointed out was the condensed population and that many of the city’s buildings were made of concrete.

They also met James Miller, consul general at the U.S. Consulate in Munich. He invited them to a Fourth of July party at the consulate. Holmes said they had American foods – McDonald’s, KFC and Dunkin.

He said this was caused by Munich’s being heavily bombed during World War II.

The nice thing about the exchange, Baker said, was that it allowed them to gain friends while working on shift, and, from those friendships, it opened doors for them to explore the country’s culture and history.

“There was a lot of cross history, so that was at first a little uncomfortable because a lot of their history was bombed, but, after really getting to know the guys and the crews over there, they were like, things could have been a whole lot different had these buildings not been bombed,” Baker said.

“There are two sides to every point, and that perspective was really nice to know.

Like, hey, it’s not, ‘You destroyed all of our history,’ but more so, ‘That was history. We never want to repeat it.’ Moving forward, we’re still growing together in this.’”

While abroad, the pair was able to explore some of Germany.

Baker and Holmes visited Dachau, a concentration camp from World War II. “For us, it’s one of those things that you see pictures of it, but when you’re actually there, you see the grand scale of everything, and you’re kind of like, ‘Holy smokes, this is it,’” Holmes said. “It was wild.”

Dietz, Holmes and Baker said they hope to see the exchange program continue. Dietz said Munich should be sending over two more firefighters next year, and the intention is for Munich to take the even years and for Newport and Cincinnati to send people over in the odd years.

Baker said he would love to see more collaboration between local fire departments, similar to the exchange.

“Just making that firefighter community a little bit tighter, because it’s unfortunately not,” Baker said. “We don’t do a great job with that. So, if this could be a bridge, figuratively and literally, to help our communities, support each other, then that would be an even better perk from this whole situation.”

AUGUST 8, 2025 3

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She pointed to data from the University of North Carolina’s Sheps Center for Health Services Research, which, at the request of U.S. Senate Democrats, compiled data on the number of U.S. hospitals at risk of closure due to the phasing out of programs like HRIP. For Kentucky, that number was 35, although Galvagni said the number was an estimate, not a guarantee. Most of the at-risk hospitals were outside the 4th District, according to the Sheps Center.

impacted by this policy.”

Northern Kentucky is part of Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District, where 22% of residents used Medicaid in 2024, according to KFF. That translates to about 165,900 people, including 32,200 adults, 15,900 children, 20,600 seniors and 35,600 people with disabilities.

What’s next?

The changes enacted by the bill don’t take effect immediately. Instead, they’re rolled out over a period of 10 years. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that about 11 million Americans will lose their health insurance by 2034 as a result. Specific figures and effects on individual states and regions are more difficult to predict.

“Medicaid is actually administered at the state level,...” Al Bahrani said. “The state still has flexibility on changing its own spending. So we might not see any direct impacts to Medicaid.”

Instead, Al Bahrani said, the state could reallocate spending from other parts of its budget. Or it could raise taxes or change its Medicaid eligibility criteria.

A map showing the Congressional districts in Kentucky. District 4 includes much of Northern Kentucky.

Provided | KFF

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, often referred to as the CMS, is the federal agency responsible for setting administrative procedures related to Medicaid. The General Assembly in Kentucky will be responsible for enacting the changes in the commonwealth. This process is ongoing.

The Kentucky Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board met July 30 to discuss the bill’s ramifications. They discussed details of the bill and the timing of its provisions, such as new work requirements for applicants and a new requirement for Medicaid participants to reapply every six months instead of every year. The work requirements go into effect in 2027.

No official action was taken at the meeting. Other topics included waivers to some of the new requirements, state payment structures and, especially, rural health care. Just before the passage of the bill, the U.S. Senate added about $50 billion in state grants aimed at restructuring rural health care across the country. Given the high number of rural Kentucky hospitals dependent on Medicaid, this topic took up much of the discussion.

“This just became a law on July 4, and there are a number of things that were not entirely clear,” said Steven Stack, secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, at the meeting. “Some of this is subject to the CMS administrator giving some additional detail about what’s required in an application [for funding] and then how to apply. So, all the states are still awaiting that guidance and that clarity.”

Hospital closures feared Nancy Galvagni, president of the Kentucky Hospital Association, spoke about a program called the Hospital Rate Improvement Program, or HRIP, a Medicaid-funded program that allows hospitals access to additional federal Medicaid funding without drawing from states. Under the Big Beautiful Bill, that program will end in 2028.

Many in the health care sector fear a large number of people will lose access to medical care under the federal budget bill passed July 4. Provided | KTSU

“Without HRIP, Kentucky hospitals would be operating at a minus-7% operating margin,” Galvagni said. “That would mean less access to vital treatments, less access to care in general.”

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In spite of the concern expressed by Galvagni, one member of the board, Rep. Jason Petrie, a Republican from Elkton, said the new funding for rural transformation should be seen as an opportunity.

“To pick up just on a word that’s in that – transformation, not subsidization, not find a new revenue to continue doing what we were doing,” Petrie said, “but it will be an opportunity and a challenge to transform the way we think about rural health care and the ripple effects of that.... I hope we all take it up and work together to do that so that, over these next five years, we have a better system than we had last month.”

Health care in the more urban parts of the state, like Northern Kentucky, was not extensively discussed. The board has two Northern Kentucky legislators, Sen. Chris McDaniel of Ryland Heights and Rep. Kim Moser of Taylor Mill, both Republicans.

Moser did not speak, and McDaniel did not attend the meeting.

Go deeper Read research on Medicaid coverage and health care vulnerability in the country.

• KFF’s interactive map on Medicaid participation by U.S. congressional district: bit.ly/LINK-KFF. • KFF’s fact sheet on Medicaid in Kentucky: bit.ly/LINK-KY-KFF. • Abdullah Al Bahrani’s Substack article on Medicaid and the Big Beautiful Bill: bit.ly/LINK-Bahrani.

Tallant Music Studio strives to make music accessible for all

By Kenton Hornbeck

C

aileen Tallant-Adams believes music can genuinely enhance people’s lives. Her namesake business, Tallant Music Studio, strives to make music education accessible to everyone.

There’s an old proverb that says, “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” Tallant-Adams applies that philosophy to teaching music.

“For us, it’s how can music, you know, supplement your life and make it better? That’s what we’re gonna do, even though we’re all extremely highly trained, I think we have the ability to meet anybody where they are at,” she said.

Before starting her business, Tallant-Adams juggled studies, performing and teaching on the side at Slater Music Academy in Fort Thomas. Initially seeing herself as a performer, she grew passionate about teaching, viewing it as a more sustainable way to stay engaged in sharing music with others.

In 2020, Slater Music Academy merged with Northern Kentucky University’s Preparatory Academy and closed. Tallant-Adams had aspirations to start her own school, but she had to put her dream on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With Slater’s closure, there was a vacuum in the market.

In July 2020, Tallant-Adams founded Tallant Music Studio, a private, one-on-one instructional music school in Fort Thomas.

Tallant Music Studio provides lessons for various instruments, such as piano, voice, drums, strings, guitar, flute and piccolo.

Brass lessons were available in the past and might resume depending on demand.

The studio is also introducing a rock band program, allowing students to participate in genre-specific groups.

Tallant and her team have seen the business grow to more than 250 students and 14 teachers. The studio has moved into a larger building, at 112 N. Fort Thomas Ave.

Caileen Tallant-Adams stands in front of her music studio in Fort Thomas. Photo by Kenton Hornbeck | LINK nky

“The other thing that I really like is that anyone can come here,” Tallant-Adams said. “It’s not like we’re training you all to be a concert pianist, or we’re expecting you to do all these things. Maybe you just want to learn to play a song, or maybe you used to play or you want to pick it back up.

The studio’s student body is diverse. Students range in age from 6 to 76 years old.

Its instructors tailor their approach to each individual, helping students enjoy playing music at their own pace.

Tallant instructor Veli Franta has more than 40 years of experience teaching piano.

“What I like about teaching people at dif-

ferent ages is that teaching each age is a challenge, but also a very rewarding experience,” she said. “I have to adjust my approach to each student and try to figure out what works and what doesn’t.

One challenge Tallant-Adams has faced since starting her business is maintaining the attention of younger students through lessons. With the increasing popularity of social media among young people, it can often be difficult to keep them engaged.

To address this, Tallant-Adams and her instructors aim to connect with younger students by engaging with their interests in video games, content and TV shows, using them to support their lesson plans. Additionally, Tallant-Adams explains to stu-

dents how playing an instrument can have real-life applications, like impressing live audiences at a concert. This way, she can hopefully pique the students’ interest.

“I think the aspect of talking about how this can actually be something that you could do if you wanted to, and then to see all the different avenues,” she said.

Tallant Music Studio will mark its fifth anniversary in 2025, a milestone Tallant-Adams is proud of, particularly since she didn’t intend to follow an entrepreneurial route during college.

“I do have a chemistry degree, but it’s collecting dust in my basement,” she laughed.

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AUGUST 8, 2025 5

kenton county briefs Erlanger taps its development director as new administrator Mark Collier, a founding member of LINK nky and current director of economic development for Erlanger, has been appointed as that city’s city administrator. He’ll start Sept. 1.

Mark Collier will take over Sept. 1 as Erlanger city administrator. Provided | City of Erlanger on Facebook

Collier was appointed via a municipal order at the Aug. 5

city council meeting, although he won’t officially be sworn in until council’s September meeting. He will take the reins from Peter Glenn, who is retiring. Glenn became administrator in 2023 after serving as the city’s director of public works.

Collier will now join Sharmili Reddy, appointed last month as Covington’s city manager, and Chris Moriconi of Independence as the central administrative officers of Kenton County’s largest cities. Covington and Independence are the county’s dual seats.

Collier graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2005 with a degree in journalism. His first job was with a financial advisory firm. Collier told LINK nky that

NOTICE Duke Energy Kentucky, Inc. (Duke Energy Kentucky or the Company) hereby gives notice that, in an application to be filed no sooner than August 4, 2025, Duke Energy Kentucky will be seeking approval by the Public Service Commission, Frankfort, Kentucky to revise KYPSC No. 2 Sheet 84, proposed to become effective on and after September 4, 2025.

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Excess Generation Avoided Cost Credit per kWh (Residential): $0.062924 Excess Generation Avoided Cost Credit per kWh (Non-Residential): $0.063255 Proposed Rate: EXCESS GENERATION AVOIDED COST CREDIT RATE The Company will provide a bill credit for each kWh Customer produces to the Company’s grid using the rate below.

Excess Generation Avoided Cost Credit per kWh: $0.065427 The foregoing rates reflect a proposed increase in the Net Metering II credit for exported energy resulting in an increased credit to participants. Net Metering II participants do not represent a separate rate class. All Net Metering II participants are currently residential customers and have participated for less than a year. The average usage and monthly bill impact for each customer class to which the proposed rates will apply are not applicable. The percentage increase in the credit per kWh, representing a reduction in the net metering participant’s bill is as follows: Total Credit Total Increase Credit ($/kWh) Increase (%)

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his background in private business sets him apart from previous city managers, who came from government backgrounds.

The two city administrators who preceded Glenn came from police work.

“Communications, I feel like, is my strong suit,” Collier told LINK nky.

Collier founded Fort Thomas Matters, a small media outlet that eventually merged with River City News to form what would become LINK nky, in 2008. He bought Living Magazines, a set of lifestyle periodicals that have been in operation since 1977, in 2016. He sold the magazines in 2023.

Collier had worked extensively with River City News founder Michael Monks to cover the general election in 2020, a collaboration that led to the merger that created LINK nky in 2021. He served as LINK’s chief operating officer before joining Erlanger in 2024 as economic development director and assistant city administrator, where he worked closely with Glenn.

Erlanger Mayor Jessica Fette commended Glenn and his time with the city, pointing to the recent renovation of the city building’s break room, a project he and other city department heads collaborated on.

Fette said Glenn trained people, including Collier, who did not have a background in the trades to do the work – a small gesture and way of leaving his mark on the city.

Collier served a single term as a Fort Thomas City Council member beginning in 2019.

He met Fette in 2020 when they were both newly elected officials and both participating in the Northern Kentucky Chamber’s Leadership NKY program. Fette said Collier has similar points of view on leadership and that they had “grown through politics and leadership together.”

Collier said the city will likely not immediately fill the economic development position and hoped to wrap many of its duties, such as drawing business to the city and creating relationships, into the expectations of the city administrator. The city may reconsider the economic development director position if necessary, Collier said.

Fette pointed to Collier’s work on the Eons project, a massive 1,000-acre park, as one of Collier’s achievements since he joined the city staff. She characterized him as the “conductor” of the project, especially as it related to gathering partnerships with local businesses and institutions. The first phase of the project, which includes a dog park, is underway. Reconstruction of the intersection and parking lot that will lead into the dog park has been put out to bid.

“He can think big and get things done,” Fette said, “and those are phenomenal qualities to have in a city administrator.”

Independence considers changing how it responds to loose dogs complaints In response to a growing number of complaints from residents and concerns about

Independence Councilmember Carol Franzen, left, speaks at the Aug. 4 council meeting. Also pictured is City Attorney Jack Gatlin. Photo by Nathan Granger | LINK nky

police resources, Independence is exploring potential changes to how it handles loose dogs.

The discussion was broached by longtime Councilmember Carol Franzen, who said she’d been fielding complaints from neighbors on Pembroke Drive about a pet dog that kept getting out, although Franzen said it was “not a vicious dog.”

Franzen volunteers with Kenton County Animal Services and in previous meetings has encouraged residents to get involved with the shelter.

The issue, Franzen said, is that, outside of its regular operating hours, Animal Services will come out only for reports of vicious dogs. Otherwise, calls for errant canines are handled by the police, which Franzen thought was a poor use of their time.

“The police aren’t really equipped to handle that,” Franzen said. “They shouldn’t handle it. They’ve got other things to do, but, unfortunately, they have to respond to it.”

Kenton County moved to standardize animal control ordinances across its many jurisdictions in 2020, and Independence, along with other cities, adopted a uniform leash law, violations of which are a misdemeanor. Franzen initially thought the city’s ordinance needed to be tweaked.

City Attorney Jack Gatlin suggested it would be better to adjust operations with animal control.

The county confirmed some of this. Animal Services’ facilities actually do have some weekend operating hours – 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

– during which staff are available to handle calls.

Animal Services previously employed an officer on Saturdays but switched to an on-call structure outside of the aforementioned hours several months ago, according to the county. They are currently training a new animal control officer, with the goal of having someone available to work consistently at least one day on the weekends.

Kenton County Animal Services recorded 733 calls to Independence in 2024, 12 of which were due to a bite or attack. Of the total, 474 resulted in an animal control officer responding in the city. There were 6,444 total animal control-related calls throughout the county in 2024, according

kenton county briefs to the Kenton County Emergency Communications Center, the largest number of which, 2,391, came from Covington.

“For a while, we were transporting dogs to Kenton County Animal Shelter after hours and dropping them off at, like, an intake for animals,” Police Chief Brian Ferayorni said at the meeting. “Again, that will take an officer off the road for anywhere from half an hour or so to an hour, depending on where they’re at and what’s going on.”

One resident, Ben Bach, who serves on the HOA board for his neighborhood, spoke at the meeting and attested that it was often unclear what to do about dogs that had slipped their leashes. Franzen eventually said it might be worthwhile to see if people in the community would be willing to volunteer with Animal Services to transport loose dogs during off hours, rather than shunting everything to the police.

No official action was taken at the meeting, but Mayor Chris Reinersman said that, whatever might eventually happen, it was important that Franzen and the council “come up with something that’s going to be practically enforced.”

accommodations for individuals with disabilities.”

LifeSciKY will be based in the OneNKY Center in Covington. Provided | BE NKY.

The lab space is funded by money raised from a special single-barrel bourbon release from New Riff Distilling, as well as a matching donation from Blue North. The SparkHaus membership is sponsored by St. Elizabeth Healthcare.

“This is a testament to the power of collaboration, community and support that makes Northern Kentucky an ideal environment for the next generation of innovators,” said Dr. Christin Godale, executive director LifeSciKY, in a release. “This lab bench sponsorship is an incredible opportunity for early-stage entrepreneurs looking to take the next step on their journey and we encourage interested applicants to apply early.”

“If we can do something operationally, obviously, we won’t have to do anything with the ordinance, but I just want to point out that it is becoming a problem,” Franzen said.

Interested business owners can apply through Aug. 31 at bit.ly/lifesciky-lab. A panel of representatives from New Riff and Blue North will select the winners, which will be announced in September, just before LifeSciKY is set to open.

LifeSciKY offers funded lab space for science entrepreneurs

Lakeside Park family alleges ban on chickens violates Fair Housing Act

LifeSciKY, an NKY life science incubator, is inviting local life science startups and entrepreneurs to apply for a subsidized lab space at their facility.

A family in Lakeside Park is suing the city over its law against keeping chickens, alleging it violates the Fair Housing Act, a federal law that prohibits discrimination in providing housing.

Chosen applicants will receive a fully-funded lab bench at the LifeSciKY facility, which will be located in the OneNKY Center in Covington, as well as a full co-working membership at the SparkHaus, both of which are set to open in the fall.

Specifically, the family’s complaint alleges the city’s “blanket prohibition on chickens, without any exception for assistance animals under state or federal law, contravenes such law by denying reasonable

“It’s [Caring for chickens is] a tool for someone that’s autistic to have routine, and it’s good to maintain routine at any age,” Jim Wilson told LINK nky this spring. He reiterated this in July: “One of the key aspects of having a child with autism is you pretty much have to have their day planned out, 24/7.”

The suit lists the first citation from Kenton County Planning and Development Services against the Wilsons as occurring in January. Prior to the citations, the Wilsons believed the chickens were allowed.

The city began prohibiting chickens under its nuisance ordinance around 2015, but the Wilsons figured they would have been grandfathered in.

In March 2025, the family went before the Kenton County Code Enforcement Board to plead its case.

More correspondence from their daughter’s health care providers, as well as various articles from newsletters and other publications touting chickens’ efficacy as therapy animals, are included as exhibits in the Wilsons’ complaint.

Before the code enforcement hearing, the Wilsons said they had reached out to Lakeside Park Mayor Paul Markgraf, asking him to speak to the board and advocate for a continuance on the citation. At the same time, the city worked out a proposal for a new ordinance that would allow the chickens, but Markgraf declined, hoping to stay neutral and let PDS complete its process.

Meeting minutes from the code enforcement hearing corroborate this: Greg Voss, who serves as the attorney for both the code enforcement board and the Lakeside Park council, “read a text he received from the mayor which read that the [appellants] respectfully asked for him to persuade the [board] to grant a continuance until their next meeting and he respectfully declined.”

The minutes also indicated that Voss “men-

Remember your loved one

Lakeside Park resident Mike Buckingham speaks out against a proposed city ordinance that would allow chickens. Photo by Kenton Hornbeck | LINK nky

tioned that the mayor was not in favor of a continuance.”

The minutes state the Wilsons’ medical documents could not be entered into the evidence record for confidentiality reasons, but one of the board members, Taylor Mill Rep. Roger Braden “stated that this is an atypical case with a medical and therapeutic basis to it and action has been taken to make changes but could be more than 60 days,” the minutes read. “He made a motion to carry the case over for 90 days.”

The board was “sympathetic,” Jim Wilson said, so the motion passed, giving the Wilsons 90 days – until June 12 – to work it out with the city.

Lakeside Park Councilmember Cassi Schabell introduced a draft ordinance in February that would have allowed the keeping of chickens. After some revisions, council eventually rejected the proposal, 4-1, in April. Schabell was the only member to support the ordinance.

“I just think the council should have put people over politics,” Schabell said when asked about the suit. “They could have just let people have their chickens.”

Schabell’s interactions with the rest of the council and the mayor have been adversarial at times, and the Wilsons expressed a worry when we interviewed them in the spring that the peculiar dynamic on the council might subsume their chances at getting a fair shake.

The city has until Sept. 2 to file a response to the Wilsons’ complaint.

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AUGUST 8, 2025 7

Indie gaming convention touts Covington, connections

By Nathan Granger

W

ho doesn’t like to play games?

If you’re in Covington, you may soon be able to celebrate the joys of gaming – whether that’s tabletop games, board games, RPGs or card games – with friends.

Enter CONington, a “weekend of games, creators, cosplay and chaos,” slated for April, according to the event organizers’ website.

Shaun Smith, one of the convention’s primary organizers, said she didn’t really get into gaming until about three years ago, when her husband invited her to play.

“I didn’t know anything about it before then,” Smith said. “I fell in love: the storytelling, the creativity, just being able to be something completely opposite of what you are normally if you want to be.”

CONington board members Michael Roark, starting from the top going clockwise: Michael Roark, Steven Smith, Shaun Smith, Abi Galeas, Brandon Galeas, Scott Nichols and Joanna Nichols. Provided | Shaun Smith

The convention will take place at Leapin Lizard in Covington’s Mainstrasse neighborhood. The organizers have started a crowdfunding campaign to finance the convention, and they hope to have live music, an improv performance, vendors and even an interactive “scavenger hunt-riddle thing, where you have to go to different businesses, hopefully, to gain your clue to get to the next thing,” Smith said.

“Covington is like no other place I’ve ever lived in my entire life,” Smith said, “and I just love it.”

“80,000 people are in Indianapolis right now going to Gen Con for absolutely nothing, as far as the city of Indianapolis is concerned,” Roark said. “Nobody’s there because they care about Indianapolis.”

“I love the two things and just want to create a fun, very indie-focused convention that will never be huge like other ones,” Smith said.

The organizers touted gaming as a way to build lasting connections with other people and encouraged anyone who was interested to plan on attending. “The guys that we game with are now absolute family,” Smith said.

“Come check out this awesome, awesome city and these awesome people and this awesome hobby and this community of found family that we can all assemble together,” said Roarke.

Learn more about CONington at conington. org.

“This is going to be remarkably awesome, hopefully from the outset,” said Michael Roark, another organizer. “We are going to figure out, obviously, what our shortcomings are in this first year, but the idea is to keep it a little bit small for that, and then we can grow from there.”

The event will also feature a special guest appearance by Erica Lowe, indie RPG author of the game RagnaBorg, who will lead special sessions of the game for attendees.

Michael Roark, left, and Steven Smith host a fancy afternoon tea game. Provided | Shaun Smith

NOTICE Please take notice that, no sooner than August 15, Duke Energy Kentucky, Inc. will apply to the Kentucky Public Service Commission for approval to revise its Demand Side Management (DSM) rate, KYPSC No. 2, Sheet No. 78 for electric service for residential and commercial customers, proposed to become effective on and after September 15, 2025. Duke Energy Kentucky’s current monthly DSM rate for residential electric customers is $0.002418 per kilowatt-hour and for non-residential customers is $0.003409 per kilowatt-hour for distribution service and $0.000674 per kilowatt-hour for transmission service.

Duke Energy Kentucky seeks approval to revise these rates as follows: Duke Energy Kentucky’s monthly DSM rate for residential electric customers would decrease to $0.001641 per kilowatt-hour and for non-residential customers would decrease to $0.003000 per kilowatt-hour for distribution service and would remain at $0.000674 per kilowatt-hour for transmission service.

The rate contained in this notice is the rate proposed by Duke Energy Kentucky. However, the Public Service Commission may order a rate to be charged that differs from this proposed rate. Such action may result in a rate for consumers other than the rate in this notice. The foregoing rates reflect a proposed decrease in electric revenues of approximately $2.10 million or (0.44%) over current total electric revenues.

A typical residential electric customer using 1000 kWh in a month will see a decrease of $0.82 or (0.5%). A typical non-residential electric customer using 40 kilowatts and 14,000 kWh will see a decrease of $6.21 or (0.3%). Non-residential customers served at transmission voltage will see no change.

Any corporation, association, body politic or person may by motion within thirty (30) days after publication or mailing of notice of the proposed rate changes, submit a written request to intervene to the Public Service Commission, 211 Sower Boulevard, P.O. Box 615, Frankfort, Kentucky 40602, and shall set forth the grounds for the request including the status and interest of the party. The intervention may be granted beyond the thirty (30) day period for good cause shown. If the Commission does not receive a written request for intervention within thirty (30) days of the initial publication of the notice, the Commission may take final action on the tariff filing. Written comments regarding the proposed rate may be submitted to the Public Service Commission by mail or through the Public Service Commission’s website. A copy of this application filed with the Public Service Commission is available for public inspection at Duke Energy Kentucky’s office at 1262 Cox Road, Erlanger, Kentucky 41018 and on its website at http://www.duke-energy.com. This filing and any other related documents can be found on the Public Service Commission’s website at http://psc.ky.gov.

8 AUGUST 8, 2025

Smith and Roark said they hoped to distinguish this convention from other gaming conventions by making it smaller and more personal. They used Gen Con, one of the country’s largest gaming conventions, as a foil for what they weren’t going for.

They also said they wanted to highlight the uniqueness of Covington as a city.

A banner advertising the dates of the convention.

Provided | CONington

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community voices

5 common mistakes first-time entrepreneurs make I wasn’t running a business anymore; I was being run by the business.

Tonya Bolton runs Tonya Bolton Photography in Alexandria and shares advice, tips and ideas for entrepreneurs. Reach her at info@tonyaboltonphotography.com.

S

tarting a business is a bold and exciting journey. It’s a blend of passion, risk-taking and constant learning.

What to do instead: Learn the power of delegation and collaboration. Whether it’s hiring freelancers, bringing on a partner or using automation tools, find ways to offload tasks that aren’t your strength. Focus on the areas where you bring the most value – and give yourself permission to get support.

For first-time entrepreneurs, the road to success is paved with good intentions, but it’s also riddled with potholes that can stall growth or sink a business altogether. While mistakes are a natural part of the entrepreneurial process, some missteps are avoidable and, if spotted early, can save time, money and unnecessary stress.

Ignoring the numbers

Here are five of the most common mistakes first-time entrepreneurs make – and how to avoid them.

If you are reading this and don’t know your numbers, you are on a slippery slope, my friend. (Email me for an example of how I analyze my business every month.)

Wanting everything to be perfect Many first-time entrepreneurs fall into the trap of perfectionism. They obsess over every detail – logo design, website layout, product tweaks – before launching. While attention to detail is important, perfectionism can quickly turn into procrastination.

No business launches perfectly. The goal should be progress, not perfection. Successful entrepreneurs understand that iteration is part of the process. It’s better to launch a “good enough” version, gather feedback and improve over time than to wait indefinitely for the perfect debut.

What to do instead: Focus on creating a minimum viable product – a version of your product or service that’s functional and testable. Get it into the hands of customers, listen to their feedback and refine from there.

Trying to do everything alone Entrepreneurs are often driven, ambitious, and resourceful – which is great until it turns into a one-person show. Trying to handle marketing, sales, accounting, customer service, product development and every administrative task alone is a recipe for burnout and inefficiency.

I learned this the hard way. I thought being “hands-on” meant doing literally everything myself – writing all the content, editing the photos, managing the website, replying to every email, booking every client, keeping track of invoices … and then still trying to show up like I had it all together.

At first, it felt empowering. I told myself it was saving money. Before long, though, I was exhausted, missing deadlines and constantly stressed out. Worse, I started dreading work that I once loved because I was too buried in the stuff I wasn’t good at.

Many first-time entrepreneurs are so focused on their idea, product or service that they overlook the financial side of running a business. It’s not uncommon to hear, “I’m not a numbers person,” but, in business, that’s not an excuse. It’s a liability.

From cash flow to profit margins to customer acquisition cost, numbers tell the real story of your business. Ignoring them can lead to underpricing, overspending or even running out of cash.

What to do instead: Get comfortable with your financials. Even if you hire an accountant, you need to understand your income, expenses and financial forecasts. Consider taking a basic finance or accounting course tailored to entrepreneurs.

Having a clear understanding of your financials is key when owning a business. Provided | Microsoft via Unsplash

it exists, it won’t sell.

Marketing isn’t just about ads. It’s about creating awareness, building trust and communicating value. Without it, your business remains invisible.

What to do instead: Develop a simple marketing plan early. This can include building an email list, creating content on social media, networking or running ads. Consistency is key: Small, steady actions add up over time. FYI: Mass marketing could be wasting a lot of your budget!

Final thoughts The entrepreneurial journey is filled with highs, lows and plenty of learning moments. Mistakes are inevitable – but some are avoidable with the right mindset and

preparation. If you can let go of perfection, ask for help, understand your numbers, have a clear concept of your audience and take marketing seriously, you’re already ahead of the curve.

Remember: Every successful entrepreneur was once a beginner. What sets them apart is not that they never made mistakes – but that they learned from them and kept moving forward.

If you’re a first-time entrepreneur, take heart. The road may be bumpy, but, with awareness and resilience, you can navigate the challenges – and build something truly remarkable.

If you have an idea for a Community Voices column, email Meghan Goth at mgoth@ linknky.com.

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Not knowing target audience It’s tempting to think your product or service is “for everyone,” but this is one of the fastest ways to dilute your marketing and waste your budget. First-time entrepreneurs often skip the deep work of understanding their ideal customer, which leads to generic branding, weak messaging and low engagement.

If you don’t know exactly who you’re speaking to, you can’t speak effectively at all.

(Contact me for an example of how I narrowed down my ideal client.)

What to do instead: Create a detailed customer avatar. Who is your ideal client?

What do they care about? What problem are you solving for them? The clearer you are about your target audience, the easier it becomes to market to them and build brand loyalty.

Underestimating marketing “Build it and they will come” is not a strategy. It’s a myth.

Many first-time entrepreneurs spend months (or years) building their business only to launch to crickets because they didn’t invest in marketing. No matter how great your product is, if people don’t know

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What changed everything was realizing that asking for help didn’t mean I was failing. It meant I was growing. I started outsourcing small tasks. Then I hired a freelance assistant. Eventually, I let go of the idea that I had to prove I could do it all alone. That shift made me a better entrepreneur and a happier person.

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AUGUST 8, 2025 9

From Etsy success, Arden and Gold grows into storefront

By Maggy McDonel

T-shirt bars, private events

reated in 2013 as Simply Embroidered, Arden and Gold opened a storefront in Covington this month, and it’s ready to lure a bigger customer base.

Arden and Gold has actually been based on West Seventh Street in Covington for three years. Only recently did the owners decide to open the space as a boutique. The front half is open to customers with everything from T-shirts to travel packs, tote bags, blankets and more. All can be sent to the back of the shop to be custom embroidered, same day.

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Co-owners Kristina Czarnik and Vanessa Pena are sisters in law who sort of fell into the embroidery business by happy accident. Czarnik’s father owned an embroidery business that was getting busy, so the two, who both worked full time – Czarnik in the textile industry and Vanessa as an elementary school teacher – decided to jump in.

“We were like, ‘Well, let’s just buy a machine, and we’ll just do it on the side to help maybe take some of the stuff he’s turning away,’” Czarnik told LINK. “And then it ended up being something that we did not expect.”

Designs available for the T-shirt bar at Arden and Gold. Photos by Maggy McDonel | LINK nky

At first, the duo started going business-to-business, giving their pricing sheet to potential customers and trying to get sales. “We got zero sales from that, but it was a builder of our character,” said Czarnik.

Then, in January 2013, they started their online boutique on Etsy. For a while, Pena said, they were only getting a handful of orders a week, and the two were still working their other jobs.

Everything changed in September 2013.

“One day, we started getting all these sales, and we were like, ‘What’s going on?’” Pena told LINK. “Well, one of our listings on Etsy had been pinned on Pinterest, and it went viral, so to speak. It got pinned over and over again. Then Etsy picked up the traffic, and email blasted it out.”

Arden and Gold’s Covington store hopes to open fully in September.

After that, they started getting 50 to 60 orders a day. “It exploded from there,… and then it really never slowed down after that,” said Pena.

Kristina went full-time at Simply Embroidered in September 2014, Vanessa in June 2015. In 2018, they rebranded to Arden and Gold.

While Etsy was initially a boon to the business, recent changes by the platform have been reported by users worldwide to make life more difficult for small businesses due to increased competition, SEO troubles and hiked fees.

“It’s a day-to-day battle with Etsy,” said Czarnik. “Us and Etsy, it’s a love-hate relationship.”

Their difficulties with the platform are one of the reasons they decided to open a storefront. “It’s very hard to rely on someone else,” said Czarnik.

Arden and Gold has operated from Covington’s West Seventh Street for three years.

10 AUGUST 8, 2025

“Your Instagram could get shut down,” said Czarnik. “Anything could get shut down, but this place, who is going to shut me down? I choose when I want to be open.”

The back of the shop has embroidery machines, direct-to-film printing presses and everything else one could imagine to create custom designs.

Czarnik and Pena are hoping to get foot traffic from people enjoying the bars and restaurants along Madison Avenue, as well as opening the shop for private events, such as birthday parties and bridal showers, and offering needlepoint and sewing classes.

Bridal products, Pena said, are among their biggest sellers. The store offers pajamas, bridesmaid proposal gifts and more. Another top category is schools. With backto-school season approaching, they are selling lots of custom teacher gifts and doing a lot of spirit wear.

The store also does custom shirts for many parochial schools, including St. Joseph, Calvary Christian and Blessed Sacrament.

For these schools, they set up T-shirt bars where they develop a custom collection of logos with the school, then kids or parents build their own shirt with elements the school chooses.

Part of their success in school spirit wear, said Pena, is that many companies in the field are run by men and tend to focus more on men’s wear style designs. “We bring a new element to a lot of the spirit wear stuff.”

Soon, the duo plans to launch a T-shirt bar at the shop, where customers can select multiple elements to include and have their shirts made on-site. They also plan to create custom themed packages for parties.

Flexibility and the ability to work in a fun, creative environment are the draws for the shop, according to everyone at Arden and Gold, we spoke with.

Arden and Gold is currently open on a trial basis, Monday through Thursday.

Czarnik said they are currently in a “very soft launch” and that they are open only during their typical production hours, from around 8 a.m. to 4 or 5 p.m.

In September, the shop is hosting a ribbon-cutting, and Czarnik said that is when they plan to be fully open.

Arden and Gold is at 13 W Seventh St. in Covington and online at ardenandgold. com.

Boone County continues zoning debate on curbing commercial truck parking

By Kenton Hornbeck

ments with visual appeal.

ommercial truck parking has become a hot topic in Boone County, prompting the fiscal court and planning commission to collaborate on revising the zoning code to address the issue.

In the end, the fiscal court said it wants to increase truck parking availability without imposing excessive regulations. Additionally, it seeks to establish clear guidelines for where truck parking is permitted in the county, which can be accomplished by updating the zoning code.

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The County has become an important logistics center in Greater Cincinnati, thanks to the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport and I-71/75. However, the rise in semitruck traffic created by this economic activity has led to parking issues that impact residents’ quality of life.

Schwartz said county staff examined zoning regulations from Chicago, Indianapolis, Louisville Metro and Memphis/Shelby County, Tennessee – all Midwestern freight hubs – to guide the development of the new definitions.

“The idea has always been, when I started this five, six years ago – it’s got to be to get the trailers off the road,” Commissioner Cathy Flaig said.

At the end of a lengthy discussion, Judge-Executive Gary Moore said the discussion would continue during future fiscal court meetings. No action was taken.

In December, the fiscal court tasked county staff with reviewing whether to establish a new definition of commercial parking in its zoning code. In April, the discussion picked up again, with the court and county planning commission staff debating the next steps. They eventually approved a motion instructing staff to start the process of updating the zoning code, which the fiscal court would then review.

“I think we digest what we’re hearing today, and, if the court chooses to move forward,” he said, “we can do that next meeting or a future meeting if it needs some more work.”

On Aug. 5, County Zoning Administrator Michael Schwartz returned to the fiscal court with updates. Schwartz said he believed that creating a new zone for commercial truck parking was unnecessary.

Schwartz instead proposed allowing truck parking as a conditional use in commercial 3 zones and as a permitted use in industrial 1 and industrial 2 districts. It could also be designated as a conditional use near airports.

Industrial 1 zones are designated for light industrial activities, including wholesale distribution, warehousing, and the manufacturing, assembly and processing of materials that generate minimal pollution. In contrast, I-2 zones are reserved for heavy

Semitrucks parked in a lot. Provided | Nigel Tadyanehondo via Unsplash

industrial uses, such as large-scale manufacturing and extensive warehousing facilities.

Schwartz also said county staff drafted definitions for specific asset categories, including freight terminals, freight containers, trucks, semitrailers, trailers and truck trailers.

The ultimate aim of the exercise is to eliminate trucks from roadside parking by establishing legal and safe alternatives, giving more flexibility to accommodate the trucking industry’s needs. It also strives to reduce the visual clutter of truck parking in nearby areas, balancing industry require-

If approved, the planning commission would hold a public hearing for community input. Subsequently, the planning commission would take legislative action, which the fiscal court would then follow.

“We provided a new definition for trucks and trailers,” Schwartz said. “We provided a new use category named freight terminals, to properly distinguish that from commercial parking and warehouse and distribution and truck stops, we felt that there is no need to create a new zoning district.”

Another important aspect in the deliberations was timing. Similar to the April meeting, Schwartz suggested addressing the issue after the comprehensive plan is adopted. That process is underway and estimated to finish in 2026.

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AUGUST 8, 2025 11

sports Fort Thomas Sharks break 50-year NKSL drought, win league

The Fort Thomas Sharks won the Northern Kentucky Swim League title for the first time since 1975. Provided

The Fort Thomas Sharks swim and dive team was able to accomplish something it hadn’t done in 50 years: It won the Northern Kentucky Swim League.

The Sharks won the combined score, boys score and girls score. The coaches even got in on the action, winning the coaches relay.

“Sometimes you get lucky with the age groups,” Sharks coach Kevin Kampschmidt said. “Being consistent with the amount of coaching the past four to five years has helped. The coaches have really been very key to the success.”

Five swimmers in their respective age groups took home the High Point award: Noah Biemesche (8 and under boys), Gracie Biemesche (9-10 girls), Taryn Ripley (13-14 girls), Griffin Barlow (15-18 boys) and Sarah Jones (15-18 girls).

Barlow and Jones set league records in the 50-yard breaststroke. Six team records were set: the 13-14 girls 200 medley relay team of Maggie Meyers, Taryn Ripley, Kayden Massie and Vivian Winkler; Jones in the 15-18 girls 100 freestyle and backstroke; Barlow in the 15-18 boys 50 breaststroke, 100 individual medley and 50 free in leading off the 200 relay.

Where the team really separated itself, Kampschmidt said, was in the boys 8-and-under division. “They were amazing. Won every event,” he said. “In the 25 freestyle and 25 butterfly, they went 1-2-3, which was unheard of, and won both relays by seven to 10 seconds.”

Kampschmidt is the Highlands High School swim and dive coach and has coached the Sharks for nine years. The high school team finished runner-up last season in the state KHSAA swim and dive meet in combined points.

“I’m thrilled as a high school coach. It goes hand in hand, gives you a preview of who’s coming up,” Kampschmidt said. “I know we’ll lose some of these kids to other sports, but to get them at a young age and make it fun for them and have them enjoy it is great. The high school team’s correlation of success definitely helps.”

Kampschmidt also praised the support staff and swim team board members such as Kelsey Ripley, Jill Taylor and Tara Willig for the championship. The mood is light with practices from Monday through Thursday and Pancake Tuesdays.

“There’s countless parents that do things.

We’ve got Pancake Tuesdays. We do the Fourth of July parade with swimming pools in the bed of trucks. It’s about making memories for the kids and the families,” Kampschmidt said.

breaststroke.

• Annalise Taylor, 9-10 girls: 50 breaststroke.

• Taryn Ripley, 13-14 girls: 50 breaststroke.

• Griffin Barlow, 15-18 boys: 50 breaststroke.

• Henry Bach, 8 and under boys: 25 backstroke.

• Elliot Meyers, 13-14 boys: 50 backstroke.

• Maggie Meyers, 13-14 girls: 50 backstroke.

• Sarah Jones, 15-18 girls: 50 backstroke.

• Henry Bach, 8 and under: 25 butterfly.

• Sarah Jones, 15-18 girls: 50 butterfly.

• Gracie Beimesche, 9-10 girls: 100 IM. • Maggie Meyers, 13-14 girls: 100 IM. • Griffin Barlow, 15-18 boys: 100 IM. • 8 and under boys 100 free relay: Noah Beimesche, Jax Arnold, Henry Bach, Cole Burke.

• 8 and under girls 100 free relay: Gwen Cook, Eve Van Orsdel, Alexa Borchardt, Larkin Ripley.

• 9-10 girls 200 free relay: Elizabeth Ko, Allie Ko, Annalise Taylor, Gracie Beimesche.

• 13-14 boys 200 free relay: Mason Taylor, Cole Willig, Aaron Ko, Elliot Meyers.

The Sharks beat out 10 teams in the NKSL championship meet. The team consists of about 130 swimmers aged anywhere from 8-and-under to 18 years old. They went undefeated in the six dual meets throughout the season and won the championship by 250 points.

NKSL champions: • Taryn Ripley, 13-14 50 freestyle.

• Alexa Borchardt, 8 and under diving.

• Griffin Barlow, open 200 free.

• 8 and under boys, 100 medley relay: Jamie Peterson, Noah Beimesche, Henry Bach, Jax Arnold.

• 9-10 girls, 200 medley relay: Allie Ko, Annalise Taylor, Gracie Beimesche, Elizabeth Ko. • 13-14 girls, 200 medley relay: Maggie Meyers, Taryn Ripley, Kayden Massie, Vivian Winkler.

• Jamie Peterson, 8 and under boys: 25 free.

• Gracie Beimesche, 9-10 girls: 50 free.

• Morgan Ripley, 11-12 girls: 50 free.

• Sarah Jones, 15-18 girls: 100 free.

• Noah Beimesche, 8 and under boys: 25

Sorrell’s retirement short-lived; he’s named boys coach

leader of the boys basketball program. He takes over from Jim Hicks, who stepped down from the position after 14 seasons with the team.

Sorrell, a 1995 Bellevue grad, spent 24 seasons on the sidelines with the girls team.

Sorrell’s accomplishments at Bellevue set new standards. He won 247 games with the girls program and coached in 490 games.

He 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 in the 2023-24 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.

“What I’m most proud of is every year, whether we won conference or not, we put a competitive team on the floor,” Sorrell said in February. “These girls have played some tough games against girls from much bigger schools and won.”

He’ll inherit a Bellevue boys team that had just one senior on the roster last season and went 10-20 with a quarterfinal exit to Newport in the 36th District tournament.

The last Bellevue boys team to reach the region tournament was in 2008.

His two kids, TJ and Taytem, just graduated from the high school.

Bellevue girls basketball coach Tommy Sorrell retired in February but returns to lead the boys team. Provided | Charles Bolton

Predicting NKY district football battles for fall

Tommy Sorrell made his retirement public in February from the Bellevue girls basketball team after 17 seasons as its head coach.

Fast forward about six months, and Sorrell will take on a new challenge at the same school. He was named Aug. 4 as the next

The weekly comic by Andrew Buchanan Beechwood has outscored district opponents 54410 the last two seasons. Provided | Charles Bolton

Plenty of first goals for football teams start with winning a district title.

The reality is that, outside of RPI for playoff positioning, the first five to six games of the prep football season don’t really matter until district play hits in late September or early October.

Winning a district title means getting to host at least two playoff games; second place means getting at least one, while finishing third and fourth in the district means living life on the road in November.

With that said, let’s take a look at the districts in Northern Kentucky and how those races may play out.

12 AUGUST 8, 2025

sports Class 6A, 6th District • Teams: Campbell County, Great Crossing, Ryle, Simon Kenton.

• Outlook: Ryle is the reigning champ of a district with a lot less parity in 2024 than 2023. With what Ryle has coming back, it would be silly to have them anywhere but at the top. Great Crossing should provide a great challenge, while Simon Kenton and Campbell County should still bring competitiveness.

• Projected order of finish: Ryle, Great Crossing, Simon Kenton, Campbell County.

Class 5A, 5th District • Teams: Boone County, Conner, Cooper, Dixie Heights, Scott.

• Outlook: Cooper feels like it’s in a class by itself. Can Conner or Dixie Heights challenge? With Highlands moving down to 4A, it opens up a playoff spot for either Boone County or Scott.

• Projected order: Cooper, Conner, Dixie Heights, Scott, Boone County.

Class 4A, 5th District • Teams: Covington Catholic, Harrison County, Highlands, Mason County.

• Outlook: No offense to Harrison or Mason County, but this is a two-horse race. Go ahead and circle Oct. 3 on the schedule when CovCath and Highlands meet. Holmes would be in this district, but they’ve opted out of district play for the next two seasons.

• Projected order: Highlands, Coving-

ton Catholic, Mason County, Harrison County.

Class 3A, 5th District • Teams: Bourbon County, Carroll County, Henry County, Lloyd Memorial, Pendleton County.

• Outlook: With Lexington Catholic’s departure to 4A in realignment, the door opened for a new district champion. On the surface, we’re hard-pressed to find a challenger for Lloyd Memorial. The Juggernauts lost a lot from their skill positions, but they still return quarterback Kaleb Evans and leading tackler Lincoln Tomlinson. Lloyd won nine games last year, the same as the rest of the district combined. Bourbon County is the choice to challenge. It got Tyquan Rice to coach the team, coming over from Paris after leading the Greyhounds to 29 wins and three playoff wins over the last four seasons. Henry County won five games last season and drops from 4A to 3A, so maybe it’s them?

• Projected order: Lloyd Memorial, Bourbon County, Henry County, Pendleton County, Carroll County.

Class 2A, 5th District • Teams: Beechwood, Bracken County, Gallatin County, Owen County, St. Henry District, Walton-Verona.

• Outlook: Expect Beechwood’s dominance to continue. The question is how lopsided it will be. Last year the Tigers outscored district foes 271-7, with Bracken County the lone team

not to post a goose egg against them.

In 2023, it was Tigers 273-3 against district opponents, with Walton-Verona able to scrounge up a field goal.

The Polar Bears probably pose the only semblance of a threat with a lot of their core returning. The real questions: Who gets the No. 2 seed and a home playoff game? We think Walton-Verona will be much improved in Gary Pence’s second season, and St. Henry’s first varsity season brings excitement and a twist. With a six-team district, two teams will be on the outside looking in at the playoffs.

• Projected order: Beechwood, Bracken County, Walton-Verona, St. Henry, Owen County, Gallatin County.

Class 1A, 3rd District • Teams: Bellevue, Dayton, Newport, Newport Central Catholic.

• Outlook: NewCath has dominated this district. They’re 24-0 in district play (including playoffs) since rejoining Class 1A in 2019, outscoring district opponents 1,042-246 in those contests. That’s not likely to change much this year. Emmanuel Miles returns at quarterback and should progress in his second year as starter. Bell cow Kaleb Cole graduated, as did five of Miles’ top six targets at receiver and five of the top six tacklers. But, until someone can challenge the Thoroughbreds in district play, it’s hard to put anyone else there. Their closest games in this span since 2019 were 16-point victories over

Bellevue (2021 playoffs) and Newport in 2022 (42-26) and 2023 (22-6). The Wildcats are fresh off a region championship appearance, but their top quarterback, running back and receiver options graduated. The Wildcats should be stout defensively, with five of their top six tacklers expected back. Bellevue returns its entire roster outside of one senior graduated, but it did lose playmaker Jordan Pendleton to Simon Kenton via transfer. Dayton wasn’t quite so young, but it does return promising young pieces to its core.

• Projected order: Newport Central Catholic, Newport, Bellevue, Dayton.

Class 1A, 4th District • Teams: Bishop Brossart, Holy Cross (Covington), Ludlow, Trimble County.

• Outlook: This is the hardest district to predict. Ludlow is the defending champ, but it lost 12 seniors and career 3,000-yard rusher Dameyn Anness to Ryle via transfer. The Mustangs have a lot to replace with their entire backfield graduated and five of their top seven tacklers gone. They do return top two wide receivers. Holy Cross is our pick considering what it has returning – its top quarterback, running back, receivers and top four tacklers.

Trimble County went winless in 2024 and scored 40 points all season, outscored 491-40.

• Projected order of finish: Holy Cross, Bishop Brossart, Ludlow, Trimble County.

DIVISION I

DIVISION III

CASE NO.: 25-CI-00820

CASE NO.: 25-CI-00838

KENTUCKY HOUSING CORPORATION

FIFTH THIRD BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

VERSUS}

VERSUS}

SETH BRAZIER

STEVEN L. MORRIS, ET AL

By virtue of a judgment and order of sale of the Boone Circuit Court rendered JULY 15, 2025 the above case, I shall proceed to offer for sale at the Justice Center Building in Burlington, Kentucky, to the highest bidder, at public auction on THURSDAY, AUGUST 21, 2025 at the hour of 9:00 a.m. or thereabouts, the following described property to-wit:

By virtue of a judgment and order of sale of the Boone Circuit Court rendered JULY 23, 2025 the above case, I shall proceed to offer for sale at the Justice Center Building in Burlington, Kentucky, to the highest bidder, at public auction on THURSDAY, AUGUST 28, 2025 at the hour of 9:00 a.m. or thereabouts, the following described property to-wit:

ADDRESS: 204 OLD NICHOLSON ROAD WALTON, KY 41094 PVA PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION NUMBER: 077.00-00-049.00 AMOUNT OF JUDGMENT: $176,965.28 GROUP NO.: 214

DIVISION III CASE NO.: 24-CI-02024 DARLINGTON FARM CONDOMINIUMS COUNCIL OF CO-OWNERS, INC. VERSUS} LINDA SUE CARTER, ET AL By virtue of a judgment and order of sale of the Boone Circuit Court rendered JULY 8, 2025 the above case, I shall proceed to offer for sale at the Justice Center Building in Burlington, Kentucky, to the highest bidder, at public auction on THURSDAY, AUGUST 21, 2025 at the hour of 9:00 a.m. or thereabouts, the following described property to-wit: ADDRESS: 2231 TEAL BRIAR LANE UNIT 101 BURLINGTON, KY 41005 PVA PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION NUMBER: 038.00-13-001.00 AMOUNT OF JUDGMENT: $30,365.40 GROUP NO.: 3459

MASTER COMMISSIONER’S SALE BOONE COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT

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

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

The purchaser shall be required to pay the sum of 10% of the bid amount in cash or certified check on the purchase at the time of sale.

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

The property shall be sold subject to ad valorem taxes for the year 2025 and all subsequent years thereafter; easements, restrictions and stipulations of record; assessments for public improvements levied against the property, if any; existing zoning ordinances, statutes, laws, or regulations; and any facts which an inspection and accurate survey of the property may disclose.

BIDDERS SHALL BE PREPARED TO COMPLY WITH THESE TERMS. All sales are “as is” and the Plaintiff, the Master Commissioner, and the Court shall not be deemed to have warranted title of the real estate to the purchaser.

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

ADDRESS: 10959 ARCARO LANE UNION, KY 41091 PVA PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION NUMBER: 064.04-07-233.00 AMOUNT OF JUDGMENT: $249,465.01 FIFTH THIRD BANK, $96,212.30 TOC, LLC GROUP NO.: 3727

DIVISION III CASE NO.: 25-CI-00024 SHERWOOD LAKES COUNCIL OF CO-OWNERS HOMEOWNERS’ ASSOCIATION, INC. VERSUS} FRANK BOVINO, ET AL By virtue of a judgment and order of sale of the Boone Circuit Court rendered JULY 16, 2025 the above case, I shall proceed to offer for sale at the Justice Center Building in Burlington, Kentucky, to the highest bidder, at public auction on THURSDAY, AUGUST 21, 2025 at the hour of 9:00 a.m. or thereabouts, the following described property to-wit: ADDRESS: 10136 CARNATION COURT UNIT 12 FLORENCE, KY 41042 PVA PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION NUMBER: 074.00-12-006.12 & 074.01-12-015.00 AMOUNT OF JUDGMENT: $5,082.00 GROUP NO.: 3614

AUGUST 8, 2025 13

real estate

Taylor Mill home with exceptional amenities Address: 5402 Pride Parkway, Taylor Mill Price: $1,200,000 Bedrooms: Three Bathrooms: Three (plus one half bath) Square footage: 3,500 School district: Kenton County County: Kenton Special features: This home on 1.89 acres features a high-end kitchen with dual islands, a finished walkout basement with a kitchenette and a solarium leading to a screened porch and outdoor living space.

Backyard includes a pool with decking, a pergola with a fireplace, a gazebo with a grill, a greenhouse, a chicken coop, raised gardens and a treehouse. The property includes a detached garage, workshop and flexible interior spaces with potential for a fourth bedroom and multiple laundry areas.

The exterior of this Taylor Mill home. Photos provided | Cindy Cahill with Cahill Real Estate Services

A look at this home’s kitchen and dining space.

A look at this home’s back deck and pool.

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

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

PUBLIC NOTICE City of Lakeside Park, KY is accepting bids until August 28, 2025, 11 AM, for the 2025 Joint & Crack Seal Program. Visit https://lakesideparkky.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/LegalAd.pdf to view the ad. Bid documents can be ordered at https://bids.verdantas.com.

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

14 AUGUST 8, 2025

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

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

SUDOKU

Edited

by Margie E. Burke The Weekly Crossword

Difficulty: Medium

ACROSS

6 4 5 5

3

3/25 - 6/29/25

1

HOW TO SOLVE: 1 Colbert and

9 8

1 7

8 9 5 3 4 1

3

6 2 1 4 8

Edited by Margie E. Burke

HOW TO SOLVE:

Each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9; each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9; and each set of 3 by 3 boxes must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

Answer to Previous Sudoku:

2

6 2 1 8

2

3 5 6 9 8 7 2 1 4 7 1 8 6 4 2 3 5 9 4 2 9 3 1 5 7 6 8 1 9 4 7 6 3 8 2 5 8 3 7 2 5 1 4 9 6 2 6 5 4 9 8 1 3 7 9 4 3 1 7 6 5 8 2 6 8 2 5 3 4 9 7 1 5 7 1 8 2 9 6 4 3

3

4

5

DOWN 1 Door part

7

8

9

10

15

13

29

30

31

52

53

22

24

25

27

28 34 38

42

49

12

19

21

35

36

39 43

47

46

11

16

18

26

3 5 16 6 Shell 9 8competitor 7 2 132 433 17 Sherpa's land 7 1 18 8 Tampa 6 4 Bay 2 3 537 9 4 2 20 9 hockey 3 1 team 5 7 641 8 Iris' cousin 1 9 22 4 Obliterates 7 6 3 8 245 5 8 3 23 7 Ireland 2 5 alias 1 4 9 6 24 1945 summit site 2 6 26 5 Religious 4 9 8 1 354 755 1 7 6 5 859 2 9 4 3 recluse 28 One of the 6 8 2 Osmonds 5 3 4 9 762 1 5 7 32 1 Director's 8 2 9cry 6 465 3 34 "Friday the 13th" setting 36 Memorable time 37 Paint diluter 39 Removes, as some text 41 Sun shade?

42 Math course, briefly 44 Gender-biased 45 Kind of iron 47 Like Boston's rock 49 On the way 51 Backtalk 54 Simple shelter 57 "Who's on first?" comic 59 Entrance fee 61 Kind of personality 62 ___ Nam 63 "Anything ___?"

64 Played on stage 65 Craftsy etailer 66 Iditarod vehicle 67 Salon colorists

6

14

mostly

Copyright 2025 by The Puzzle Syndicate

1 7

2

Each row must contain the Kimmel numbers 61 to each column 17 must Ali 9; ___ contain10the numbers 1 to 9; and Bells' sound 20 each 14 set ____-America: of 3 by 3 boxes must contain Latin the numbers 9.

America,1 to 23

Answer to Previous Sudoku: 15 Away from port

6 8 1 7

1

by Margie E. Burke

40 44

48

50

51 57

56 60

58 61

63

64

66

67

Copyright 2025 by The Puzzle Syndicate

2 Manuscript marks 3 Preparing laundry 4 Exchanges for a new car 5 Songs for one 6 Voting slip 7 Like some elephants 8 Seek change?

9 Oohed and ____ 10 Straw hat 11 Goddess of discord 12 Skin malady 13 Fireplace fodder 19 Flattens underfoot 21 First game of the season 25 Large amount 27 Table of ____ 29 Netlike 30 Gets one's goat 31 Seat anagram 32 "___ boy!"

33 Jackie of "Rush Hour" 35 Bungles, with "up" 38 Puerto ___ 40 Urgent need 43 Blood sugar 46 Mercifulness 48 Made up (for) 50 Valentine's gift

52 Snoopy, in his dreams 53 Bronco and Mustang 54 Take a bath 55 Blue-pencil 56 Iowa college town 58 Pond dweller 60 Ind. neighbor

Answers to Previous Crossword: A M O S A J A R H I D E R D A D A A D E L E N O P E T R E A S U R E D V O L E S P I P E L I N E E N D A L L N O T A T I O N V A T A M M E T E R S O R E F O A M R E G I S T E R E D A N O D E T I D E A R G O R E I N S T A T E S R E I N S E M I A S S I S T S E N S O L I T E H A T A C R E A G E S V I V A C E L I B E R A T O R S T A I R M E A L L O C I N O T R E A R T Y S P A N T R E E D

AUGUST 8, 2025 15

2025 COMMUNITY

CONVERSATION SERIES: OCTOBER 9 – Education DECEMBER 4 – Workforce 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.

Our December Community Conversation event will be held at a different location: The new SparkHaus Entrepreneurial Hub at 727 Madison Avenue in Covington.

What a better place to talk about workforce? We’ll see you there!

Scan the QR code to register

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