LINK Kenton Reader - Volume 3, Issue 41 - September 12, 2025
3 Pillars brings fitness to your doorstep
By Kenton Hornbeck
As a mother of two young children, Emily Hildebrand believed she was too busy to pursue her fitness goals. That is, until she met John Waters.
Waters, the founder of Florence-based 3 Pillars Fitness, is both a personal trainer and business owner who meets clients wherever they are, whether at home or in a training facility.
‘The fact that he could come there while my youngest was 2, so she would take a nap, and it was just timed out perfectly,” said Hildebrand. “Had that not happened, if he hadn’t come to my house, I wouldn’t be able to do it, because I didn’t have much family help, and my husband works a lot of hours.”
Waters started 3 Pillars Fitness when he was fresh out of the United States Marine Corps, an experience he said helped him develop a love of fitness. During his time in the Marines, Waters was responsible for managing the Body Composition Program,
Continues on page 3
Outbursts, arrest as Ludlow council votes on settlement
By Nathan Granger
“I
t’s very obvious to everybody in this room that you guys are not on the same page. I don’t know how this city will ever move forward if we don’t have a group of people who are willing to come together for the betterment of the town.”
So said Ludlow resident and Board of Education member Melanie Hazelwood during the Aug. 28 city council meeting, during which a former member was arrested.
Attendees saw firsthand the fractured dynamic over whether the city should settle potential lawsuits with City Administrator Scott Smith. Taking place only a day after Mayor Chris Wright resigned, the meeting
was punctuated by mutual recrimination, disorder and an expletive-laden outburst that led to the arrest of former Council Member Lori Davenport.
Much of the conflict stems from the fact that Smith had served previously as the city’s police chief and the city administrator at the same time.
Public employees pay into a public pension system, which pays out benefits upon retirement. Police officers and firefighters, due to the higher risk of their jobs, get extra benefits called hazard pay. Administrative workers, like city administrators, do not get hazard pay.
The settlement aimed to avoid a lawsuit
Continues on page 4
Lori Davenport is handcuffed Aug. 28 outside Ludlow City Council chambers. Photo by Nathan Granger | LINK nky
John Waters, far left, with a group of his clients. Photo by Kenton Hornbeck | LINK nky
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Continued from page 1
a physical fitness initiative designed to help soldiers who were out of shape meet the service’s demanding standards.
Motivating Marines became a calling card for Waters. As he delved into different fitness programs in the Marines, Waters told LINK nky that he found helping people reach their potential to be deeply fulfilling.
“I really enjoyed that aspect of just being out there, encouraging Marines to give it their all,” he said. “You could really tell what someone’s about to give out of gas, and you just say the right thing or do the right thing, and it helps them just give a little bit more to help their time.”
Waters said his company’s three namesake pillars for fitness are mind, body and spirit, which are meant to help clients build strength, endurance, resilience and inner balance. On the business side, his pillars are communication, creativity and vision. Each of Waters’ pillars is derived from his personal experiences in the Marines, as well as incorporating holistic wellness principles.
Waters, who appreciates Eastern wellness philosophy, integrates several of its principles into his training programs. His signature offering, Thrive and Vibe, combines high-intensity interval training, or HIIT, and strength circuits with yoga. The aim is to foster a sense of community among participants.
“The three pillars are a double-edged
sword,” he said. “There’s one side – there’s mind, body and spirit, which is what I really try to focus on with my clients – and then it’s the other side in terms of what it means to me to actually try to do what it is we’re doing and try to hopefully create something meaningful.”
Waters’ versatility enables him to reach a broader customer base. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Waters created a training model that allows him to meet customers where they are, allowing for greater convenience, privacy and flexibility. This model appealed to clients such as Hildebrand, who said she has grown to value Waters’ motivational prowess and fitness expertise.
“Whatever your goal is, you just tell him very specifically, like, this is what I am after, and he will figure it out and help you get there,” Hildebrand said.
Waters, aiming to stay at the forefront, said he intends to integrate the newest technology and training methods into his business to facilitate growth.
“[What] we’re thinking is there’s going to come a point in time where just having the information on hand won’t be enough, and a lot of that is going to really come down to your ability to create community,” he said.
For more information about 3 Pillars Fitness, visit facebook.com/stayfocused3p.
John Waters works with one of his clients at her home. Photo by Kenton Hornbeck | LINK nky
from Smith. City Attorney Patrick Grote said the city had been returned about $42,000 from the pensions authority that Smith had been overpaid for his nonhazardous duties as city administrator. The problem was, Grote said, numerous city workers and officials could testify that Smith had been led to believe his benefit payout would not be affected by his dual roles; essentially, he had been told by people in positions of power that he could keep the money.
Some council members were skeptical this could be proven, but Grote thought it would be easier to pay Smith the money back than risk tying up the city in litigation, which would likely incur greater expense.
“Kentucky Public Pension Authority has indicated that they are going to split hazard pay for Mr. Smith directly down the middle from the time that he served as both city administrator and police chief,” Grote said. “As the city attorney, I do not believe that that is litigation we can win.”
Hired to two jobs – twice
Smith was first hired as chief of police in 2015 and assumed the role of city administrator in 2019. Mayors and other elected officials usually do not serve in their roles full-time, so, even under Ludlow’s strong mayoral government, the council may appoint a full-time city administrator to manage the city’s day-to-day affairs.
Although executive power, including the power to hire and fire city workers, still rests with the mayor, the administrator picks up the administrative slack in the absence of a full time executive. Many cities in Northern Kentucky hire city administrators, even if they aren’t required to.
Scott took on the role after the preceding administrator, Elishia Chamberlain, was terminated. There was tension around Chamberlain’s dismissal. As reported by the Cincinnati Enquirer before LINK nky was launched, former Mayor Josh Boone fired both Chamberlain and former City Attorney Fred Johnson shortly after taking office.
The city was in the midst of a nearly $200,000 budget shortfall, and conflicts among Chamberlain, other city staff and
elected officials seem to have been brewing for a long while.
Smith, who has a master’s degree in public administration, took on the role while also serving as the police chief. He was paid for his administrative duties, although the exact amount is unclear.
Previous meeting minutes indicate that Wright, while still in office, viewed doubling up Smith’s duties as a cost-saving measure, because Smith was not receiving a full-time salary for his administrative duties.
Smith’s position has been a source of conflict among council members. Davenport –who lost a bid for reelection in November before being arrested this week – took issue with Smith’s simultaneous occupancy of two appointed positions, and she filed a complaint with the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, which opened an investigation into the matter.
This prompted Smith to resign from the additional administrative duties in early March 2024. Smith’s quick return to police work exclusively ended the investigation before the attorney general could make a determination: A March 13, 2024, opinion from the AG’s office said Smith’s resignation made the office’s inquiry “moot.”
After that, the city began a search for an-
other city administrator. Smith retired as police chief in September 2024, and the city had even identified someone else, Brian Hallahan, to take on the city administrator role. After more conflicts among council members, Smith was hired as a full time city administrator in November.
Davenport and Council Member Abigail Miller did not attend the meeting at which the rest of the council voted to affirm Smith’s appointment. The only council member who voted against Smith’s appointment was David Ziegler.
At the time, Ziegler went so far as to accuse city staffers of trying to influence Wright’s decision because they knew and liked Smith, having worked with him for nearly a decade, and not because of his specific qualifications for the job.
Smith later leveled a harassment complaint against Miller for licking his hand. At a public hearing in April of this year, Ziegler cast the only vote not to remove Miller from the council; a city legislator can be removed from office only through a unanimous vote by the rest of the council members.
State investigates concerns
Comments at the Aug. 28 meeting suggest the city could have risked another lawsuit that would have escalated the harassment
claims, as well, had the city not settled.
Documents attesting to the clawback by the pensions authority were not immediately available at the meeting, but pensions authority documents obtained by LINK nky suggest that Smith had been overpaid and that the pensions authority had returned money to the city.
The documents LINK nky received, however, were incomplete, and the pensions authority, when contacted, declined to confirm or deny their authenticity.
The newly executive-less city council had to appoint a council member to serve as chair for the meeting. They voted Sarah Thompson to serve in this role, but in practice managing the meeting largely fell to Grote, the city attorney.
The meeting itself was preceded by conflicts in the Ludlow community groups on social media. Davenport posted what appears to be correspondence between the AG’s office, as well as what appears to be a 14-page memo from the Kentucky Public Pensions Authority dated April 14.
LINK nky made its own records request to the pensions authority to ascertain the document’s authenticity. The pension board sent LINK the same document Davenport posted, which can be read at bit.ly/ smith-pensions.
Attendees at the Aug. 28 Ludlow City Council meeting. Photo by Nathan Granger | LINK nky
The memo details a complaint sent by Ziegler to the pension authority, alleging that Smith had pushed for a pre-arranged deal with the city to get hired last year as the new city administrator. A pension authority investigator interviewed the mayor, Smith and council members, conversations that at times included information about what went on in closed session. Although the authority did not think the matter warranted additional investigation, it did corroborate some of the points of contention that had come up.
Key points include the following:
• All the interviews “confirmed that Mayor Wright decided to repost the Ludlow City Administrator position to give Scott Smith the opportunity to apply for the position.” Due to the timing of his retirement as police chief, Smith couldn’t legally submit a resume until Oct. 1, 2024.
• Smith corresponded regularly with the pension board to avoid running afoul of employment laws and pension regulations.
• Eleven candidates applied for the position of city administrator, and multiple interviews were held.
• The mayor made an initial offer to Hallahan for the position but later rescinded it to offer the job to Smith.
• A letter signed by 32 “city employees requesting that Mr. Smith be afforded the opportunity to apply for the Ludlow city administrator position” was sent to the mayor on July 10, 2024, giving credence to Wright’s statements that at least a portion of the city’s staff members wanted Smith to return.
• “No evidence was obtained during the investigation to suggest that Mr. Smith had conversations with anyone with hiring authority, such as the mayor or council members, prior to his retirement about the city administrator position, other than requesting the op-
portunity to apply for it.”
• Wright and Smith did not exchange emails between Aug. 8 and Nov. 18, 2024, the Monday after the council confirmed Smith’s appointment.
• Smith was paid for his duties as a parttime city administrator “for approximately six years, in addition to his Ludlow Chief of Police salary, which was not reported to the [pensions authority] for retirement purposes.”
Tempers flare
While several residents at the meeting were critical of Smith, chatter, commentary and applause from the crowd during the meeting indicated mixed opinions about the situation. Attendees frequently called out questions to council members.
Davenport took to the lectern early in the meeting. Tensions boiled over quickly.
Davenport described it as “unethical and immoral” for Smith to occupy the two positions. “And now he wants to cry because, you know, the pensions,” Davenport mocked. “It’s bull****.”
Council Member Julie Navarre began to speak, but Davenport interrupted.
“Shut up, Julie,” Davenport said.
Thompson asked Davenport to sit down.
“I’ll do what I want, Sarah,” Davenport said. “I pay your bills, b****.”
Davenport returned to her seat, then another attendee stood up, inquiring about the land parcel the city had purchased earlier this year. Thompson replied that was the subject of the caucus meeting scheduled for after the special meeting. (See related story on Page 7.)
Davenport spoke up again.
“Miss Davenport,” Grote responded. “This is your second warning; I will not issue you another one.”
“I don’t care if you kick me out!” Davenport said. “This is a bull**** meeting!”
A handful of attendees clapped.
At this point, Davenport got up to leave. Police arrested her outside the council chambers. She was charged with obstructing governmental operations.
The meeting continued without her.
Trading accusations
Residents gave their points of view on the settlement. Many didn’t have comments so much as questions about the situation.
Smith did not attend the Aug. 28 meeting and declined to comment on the potential litigation. However, he did discuss the broader dynamic on the council, describing his critics, both current and former council members, as “bullies.”
“It’s kind of sad, to be honest,” Smith said, adding that they were “willing to waste employee time and money” for their personal gripes with him.
Smith pointed to Davenport specifically, accusing her of flooding the city with records requests and then putting out incomplete information in an effort to mislead the public.
Back at the meeting, Ziegler made the same accusation of bullying about Smith.
“We need somebody that knows how to work with people, not somebody that chases people off,” Ziegler said. “That’s what
[Smith] does. If he doesn’t get along with you, he bullies, he intimidates and he retaliates. There are actually people that won’t come forward about him because he is scary.”
In the end, the council voted to settle with Smith. Stephen Chapman, Paula Graszus, Navarre and Thompson voted in favor of settling; Ziegler and Miller voted against.
After the vote, Thompson responded to a resident’s comment about her responses to Davenport on social media. Thompson described the situation as one in which misinformation had deliberately been sown to amplify the rancor on council.
“I love this town, and I’m tired of seeing it be maligned in a way that people are somehow doing something nefarious or behind the scenes, and that’s not the case,…” Thompson said. “I want people to have trust in their public officials and not have this back and forth of misinformation happening. We have that happening as a nation, on a national level. We don’t need it at a city level. We need to trust our public officials and what they say to us to be factual and truthful, not gossip.”
This statement elicited applause from much of the crowd.
The council was to take up whom to appoint as mayor at its meeting Sept. 11. Council members can nominate any Ludlow resident who’s lived in the city for a year and who’s at least 21 years old. Council members can nominate themselves, but they cannot vote for (or against) themselves if nominated. The council will then vote on the nominations.
Whomever the council votes in will serve out the remainder of the mayoral term, which ends Dec. 31, 2026.
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Covington eyes new strategies to keep small businesses thriving
By Nathan Granger
Covington’s commissioners voted Sept. 2 to chart a strategy for keeping businesses in the city.
The vote directs the city’s staff to make fresh recommendations on long-term business retention for Covington, augmenting the efforts it is already making to attract small businesses.
“We have a variety of different incentive programs to help make sure that we’re attracting and maintaining businesses,” said Commissioner Tim Downing, who brought the idea to the board. “I think this is one of those that seems obvious on the surface, but I would like to make sure that we, as a commission body and future commission bodies, have a kind of a longer term view.”
The city’s existing incentive programs include grants for building refurbishments,
aid for paying rent and performing historical preservation. They’re designed to encourage local entrepreneurs and small businesses to put down roots in the city, not just to bolster the community’s economic landscape, but also to cultivate the city’s cultural identity.
The board heard several proposals for specific incentives at the Sept. 2 meeting, all of which were placed on the consent agenda for the next week, meaning they were expected to pass. Those were:
• A $10,000 grant for facade improvements to Kathy Jones Aesthetics on Fifth Street.
• A $10,000 grant for facade improvement for a vacant building owned by the Center for Great Neighborhoods on Lee Street, which the center hopes to convert into an artist’s or photographer’s studio.
• A $6,000 rent subsidy for A Servant’s Heart on Pike Street, which provides
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medical training.
• A $6,000 rent subsidy for Dirty Dawgs Spa, a pet grooming center on Union Street in Latonia.
• A $6,000 rent subsidy for Liberty Tax, which provides tax preparation services, on Madison Avenue.
• A $10,000, 4-to-1 private-public match grant to aid in the restoration of the Village Theater marquee in Mainstrasse.
“That’s very exciting,” Mayor Ron Washington said of the theater restoration.
What the exact recommendations from city staff will be was undecided at LINK’s press deadline, but commissioners spoke highly of the city’s current efforts.
“The presentation today highlights that,” Downing said. “We have a lot of businesses we welcome into our community.”
One of the commissioners, Shannon Smith, was even a beneficiary of such incentives before winning office. She owns several businesses in the city, including Revival Vintage Bottle Shop.
“I started my business here,” Smith said. “The city matched my rent when I could barely afford it, and, since then, I’ve grown my business, obviously, started another, ran for office, and here I am. So I believe in the program, I believe in what we’re doing, and I firmly support it.”
The board will likely revisit the topic in coming months.
Downing presented the idea during the discussion time near the meeting’s conclusion, as it had not appeared on the meeting’s agenda, before asking for a motion from the commission. The vote to direct staff to develop something was unanimous.
Abandoned Truck
2009 Ford Ranger vin # 1ftyr10d29pa49786 belonging to Kristina Daily will be sold to pay for unpaid repair expense by Richwood Automotive 10510 Norbotten Dr , Florence Ky 41042 unless the debt is settled.
A lounge area at Revival Vintage Bottle Shop. Photo by Kenton Hornbeck | LINK nky
Shops and businesses along Madison Avenue in Covington. Photo by Hailey Roden | LINK nky
By Nathan Granger
LWhat should Ludlow do with its new property?
udlow residents shared this week what they would like to see the city do with land along the Ohio River it recently purchased.
City council voted in June to purchase the five-acre property on Elm Street for around $500,000 and had asked the community to attend its Aug. 28 caucus meeting to offer input.
Although opinions varied, most attendees agreed it should be something that fits well with the land itself, which has proven difficult to develop due to its proximity to the river, and with the overall character of Ludlow.
“My own personal preference for it is just that it’s done to fit Ludlow,” said resident Aleta Bergsman.
Councilmember Stephen Chapman said that the city purchased the land because two other potential buyers had expressed interest in purchasing it. “There were two companies that wanted to buy that property,” Chapman said.
“One of them was McGinnis,” he said. “McGinnis wanted to park barges there.” McGinnis Inc. specializes in the marine industry.
Another company that would have provided supplies for builders on the Brent Spence project has also expressed interest in the lot, Chapman said.
“We said, you know, probably the best
course of action is for the city to purchase it,” Chapman said, so that the city could have more control over what went in there.
Once the city identifies a use for the parcel, it could either sell the land or lease it, which would provide consistent revenue for the city.
Lydia Love, another resident, pitched the idea of a small ramp where pleasure craft, kayaks, canoes and the like could go into the river. Love thought this could serve as a small tourist attraction and would be good for the community’s overall health.
“We need to be a healthy community, mentally, physically,” said Love, “[and] encourage our children to get outside and play and kayak and paddle and canoe.”
Audrey Davis Roberts suggested a skating rink which could also “be used for events and summertime concerts,” she said. She said she preferred that the city try to keep the area green.
Beth Brackmann agreed with the suggestion for green space and pitched a dog park, which she argued would be “beneficial and cost-friendly.” She also recommended a miniature golf course.
Other suggestions included a water sports facility, a library branch and a drive-in movie theater.
No official action was taken at the meeting. Ludlow residents who were not able to attend can contact city council members by sending suggestions by email. Council members’ addresses can be found at ludlow.org/government/city-council.aspx.
Ludlow residents offered suggestions for the Elm Street property, outlined in blue on the map.
Ludlow voted in June to buy the property at 800 Elm St. Photos provided | Kenton County PVA’s Office
kenton county briefs
Erlanger awards bid for first construction on Eons Adventure Park
Erlanger will start the first phase of its highly anticipated Eons Adventure Park project after accepting a bid Sept. 2 to begin construction.
Phase I will include improvements to the intersection at Houston Road and Sycamore Tree Lane, as well as construction of an all-access drive, 36 new parking spaces, storm sewer improvements, a sidewalk and preparations for a dog park. That project is anticipated to be completed by mid-November.
According to newly sworn-in City Administrator Mark Collier, Jefferson Contracting’s winning bid of $484,144 was less than the city had budgeted.
The construction kicks off work on a mas-
DIVISION III
CASE NO.: 25-CI-00758
PINGORA LOAN SERVICING, LLC VERSUS}
DONALD GABBARD, ET AL
sive parks project slated for Northern Kentucky. Across more than 1,000 acres in Erlanger and other cities in the region, Eons Adventure Park will feature urban woodland, 20 miles of mountain biking trails, hiking trails, and amenities like playgrounds, classrooms and art experiences. According to the project website, Eons Park is expected to bring more than 1,000 jobs to Erlanger and increase local spending threefold.
Erlanger broke ground on the project in October 2024 after setting aside $900,000 for its early phases of development. Money came from the city’s property tax-funded parks fund. Council approved a measure to lower Erlanger’s property taxes for an 11th year in a row, effective Oct. 1; 12% of the revenues will continue to go towards the parks fund.
“Communities rally around common spaces for connection to one another and with their environment,” the website says. “Outdoor recreation has the potential to radically attract and expand the connection of inhabitants and visitors to the Northern Kentucky region.”
River Roots Festival announces music lineup for Smale Park stage
America’s River Roots Festival announced the full 12-act lineup of the River Roots Concert Series at Smale Park.
By virtue of a judgment and order of sale of the Boone Circuit Court rendered AUGUST 26, 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, OCTOBER 2, 2025 at the hour of 9:00 a.m. or thereabouts, the following described property to-wit:
MORTGAGE RESEARCH CENTER, LLC D/B/A VETERANS UNITED HOME LOANS, A MISSOURI LIMITED LIABILITY CORPORATION VERSUS}
TOBY HENDERSON, ET AL
By virtue of a judgment and order of sale of the Boone Circuit Court rendered JULY 18, 2023 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, OCTOBER 2, 2025 at the hour of 9:00 a.m. or thereabouts, the following described property to-wit:
AMOUNT OF JUDGMENT: $244,904.71 GROUP NO.: 4014/4842
As part of its inaugural celebration, set for Oct. 8 to 12 on the riverfronts of Cincinnati, Covington and Newport, the free five-day event is Ohio River’s largest music festival to date, featuring more than 100 acts that celebrate the energy and spirit flowing from the shared musical heritage of our region.
Each night of the concert series will feature a rising opening act, followed by a nationally known artist and then the headliner. The goal is to bring the “heart of rock, R&B and country to the banks of Greater Cincinnati,” according to a festival news release. The full main stage lineup:
• Oct. 10: Mt. Joy, Band of Horses, Dogs In A Pile.
• Oct. 11: Weezer, The Marvelous 3, Grace Bowers.
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 2024 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.
• Oct. 12: Maren Morris, Walker Hayes, Trousdale.
“This lineup reflects the energy, diversity and spirit of America’s river cities,” said Susan Fischer, the festival’s executive director, in the release. “From global icons to Americana standouts and stars on the rise, there’s truly something for every music fan.”
In addition to the ticketed shows at the ICON Festival Stage at Smale Park, the festival will feature more than 90 free performances, showcasing genres such as blues, jazz, country, R&B, Americana and Latin. These acts will perform across seven stages in Cincinnati, Newport and Covington, offering audiences a chance to discover local and regional talent in more intimate settings.
The festival’s riverside setting will also have bourbon tastings, riverboat cruises and cultural experiences celebrating the heritage of America’s waterways.
Fiscal court sets 35 mph speed limit on Hempfling, Pruett
Kenton County Fiscal Court on Aug. 26 approved an ordinance setting 35 mph speed limits on Hempfling and Pruett roads. The measure was introduced at a fiscal court meeting on Aug. 6.
DIVISION I CASE NO.: 25-CI-00712
VANDERBILT MORTGAGE AND FINANCE, INC., ASSIGNEE OF ASSOCIATES HOUSING FINANCE, LLC VERSUS}
UNKNOWN SPOUSE OF DOROTHY TINCHER, ET AL
By virtue of a judgment and order of sale of the Boone Circuit Court rendered AUGUST 5, 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, OCTOBER 2, 2025 at the hour of 9:00 a.m. or thereabouts, the following described property to-wit:
The subject real property shall be sold as a whole along with mobile home situated on the real property, described as a 2000 Fleetwood Mobile Home, VIN No. TNFLX26AB42158-HL12.
DIVISION
I
CASE NO.: 24-CI-01176
LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVICING, LLC VERSUS}
CHRISTOPHER L. HUTCHISON, ET AL
By virtue of a judgment and order of sale of the Boone Circuit Court rendered DECEMBER 17, 2024 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, OCTOBER 2, 2025 at the hour of 9:00 a.m. or thereabouts, the following described property to-wit:
A plane’s-eye view of the plan for Eons Adventure Park in Erlanger. Provided | City of Erlanger
For the best view of boats such as this BB Riverboat passing through the Ohio River, take a walk to the middle of the walkway on the Roebling Suspension Bridge. Hailey Roden | LINK nky
Pruett Road is southwest of Ryland Heights and is about half a mile long. The road connects Petty Road and Marshall Road. Hempfling Road, between the rural communities of Piner and Morning View, is nearly 5.5 miles long. Hempfling Road runs from Ky. 17, also known as Madison Pike, to Rich Road.
Kenton County Public Works Director Spencer Stork informed the court that the county’s engineering services department carried out a traffic analysis for both roads and concluded that preventive measures were needed to reduce speeds.
“This ordinance specifically is for establishing speed limits on two rural routes that currently do not have speed limits established,” he said. “That’s Pruett Road and Hempling Road, both of those. We did an analysis of the traffic conditions out there and we did sight distance requirements and that sort of thing, and determined that 35 miles an hour would be the appropriate speed to set for those.”
At the Aug. 6 fiscal court meeting, Stork said both Hempfling and Pruett roads were previously under the jurisdiction of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet before being incorporated into the county’s road system. Since there were no speed limit markers on Pruett Road, the speed limit defaulted to 55 miles per hour, as mandated by state law. The speed limit on Hempfling Road was previously 45 miles per hour.
According to the ordinance, this legislation is part of a broader initiative to standardize speed limits across unincorporated areas of Kenton County. These areas are primarily rural, unlike the urban and suburban regions in the northern part of the county.
Commissioner Beth Sewell said both roads had been flagged during earlier meetings of the South Kenton County Group.
“Those two specific roads that had come up several times at the south county review of roads,” she said. “We still have more on that list. I know you’ve looked into that and had (Kentucky) state police monitor them.”
Covington considers extending property tax deadline to Oct. 31
low residents more time to get their affairs in order.
“The turnaround is very tight to get the bills out to the public” under the current deadline, Gaffney said.
There was little discussion of the proposal among the commissioners, who put the item on the consent agenda for the next week’s meeting, meaning it will likely pass.
Fort Wright accountant named to Forbes list of top CPAs in 2025
Shilts joined Dean Dorton in 2023. Provided | Dean Dorton
Josh Shilts, an accountant for professional advising firm Dean Dorton, has been honored by Forbes as one of the top CPAs for valuations in 2025.
“It is an honor to be named to Forbes’ Top CPAs in Valuation,” said Shilts in a release. “This recognition reflects not just my work, but the guidance of mentors, the commitment and quality of our valuation team and the trust of clients who make it possible. Valuation is about more than analysis – it’s about delivering clarity and confidence when it matters most, and I look forward to shaping the future of this field with the outstanding team we have at Dean Dorton.”
Shilts serves as Dean Dorton’s director of forensic and valuation services. According to the company, Shilts serves as a key expert advisor on “high profile civil, commercial and criminal disputes, as well as cases identifying and quantifying fraudulent or disputed activities.” The firm has locations in Kentucky, Ohio and North Carolina,
Shilts has a master’s degree in accounting from Florida Atlantic University, where he also worked as an adjunct professor. He’s worked in private practice and joined Dean Dorton in 2023. He was honored as the business valuation volunteer of the year in 2022 by the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants.
“We are fortunate to have Josh’s expertise at our disposal,” said David Bundy, Dean Dorton’s president and CEO, in the release. “Josh’s prowess in the valuation sector represents a true competitive advantage for our clients.”
Covington commissioners make sidewalk improvement a priority for city manager
watching the fireworks at Riverfest over the weekend. As he was returning to his car after watching the fireworks, he said he witnessed someone in a wheelchair get stuck because a sidewalk slab had seemingly become raised due to root undergrowth. Unable to cross the slab, the person had to go out into the street.
“I’m going to ask that we put this on her priority list,” Downing said. “That way, we can find a way within our current budget constraints to address this issue. It is consistently a hot potato issue because we’re always in budget constraints.”
Reddy will examine available information from the city’s departments and present a plan at a future date yet to be determined.
BE NKY names leader to manage efforts in workforce development
BE NKY Growth Partnership, a Northern Kentucky economic development organi-
zation, announced the expansion of its team with the hiring of a new workforce development manager.
Lorraine O’Moore officially began work Aug. 18. Her main responsibilities include helping BE NKY better support existing businesses, community partners and companies looking to relocate to Northern Kentucky. O’Moore also will oversee BE NKY’s strategic investments in K-12 programs that help prepare the region’s future talent.
“O’Moore’s extensive experience in workforce development and strong relationships within the community and at the region’s corporations make her a highly valuable addition to our economic development team,” said Kimberly Rossetti, BE NKY’s vice president of economic development, in a release. “I look forward to working with her to ensure our region’s workforce has the skills, education and opportunities [it needs] to thrive in careers at companies in Northern Kentucky.”
O’Moore has over 30 years of experience in workforce development, most recently as director of work-based learning at NaviGo, a college and career readiness program based in Northern Kentucky.
Covington is considering extending its property tax deadline from Oct. 15 to Oct. 31.
The city’s commissioners heard a proposal from the city’s finance director, Bre Gaffney, at their caucus meeting Sept. 2. Gaffney said extending the deadline would al-
Covington’s commissioners voted unanimously Sept. 2 to have City Manager Sharmili Reddy create a proposal for sidewalk improvements that could be enacted within the city’s current budget. The idea was pitched by Commissioner Tim Downing, who near the end of the meeting said, “Sidewalks are a bit of an issue for me.”
He shared an experience he had after
Covington residents may get two additional weeks to pay property taxes. Provided | City of Covington
Josh
Lorraine O’Moore. Provided | BE NKY
This sidewalk at 719 Main St in Covington was undermined by the roots of a red maple tree. Photo by Kathleen Bryant | LINK nky
Sipping the good life in NKY’s beer gardens
By Joe Schutzman
Joe Schutzman is a Newport firefighter who loves Northern Kentucky’s culture and sense of place – and beer. He’ll offer a new column each month on the latest brewery opening, Joe’s seasonal favorites and more.
Have you ever asked your dog if he wants to take a walk? Have you ever proposed a trip to a nearby playground to a young child? Picture their reaction.
If you ever invite me to spend an afternoon in a beer garden, you’ll witness a very similar reaction.
Northern Kentucky is fortunate to have two really fantastic beer gardens, Hofbräuhaus in Newport and Tuba Baking Co. in Dayton.
The former has been one of my go-to places to meet friends on a nice day to catch up, relax and enjoy the good life. It is even the place where my brothers and I each celebrated our 21st birthdays. Some call it Hofbräuhaus. Some call it the biergarten. I call it my home away from home.
The latter, Tuba, is a place I only recently discovered thanks to a friend and travel companion of mine. It’s a place I plan to get to know better as I add it to my regular rotation of favorite spots.
Hofbräuhaus brews all its beer, with the exception of its Oktoberfest, which is shipped each September from the brewers in Munich, in-house according to the Reinheitsgebot, Germany’s beer purity law. In short, they are brewing here in Newport how they have been brewing it since the Bavarian monarchy and monastic breweries wrote
the rules in the early 1500s.
Tuba, on the other hand, is serving smallbatch beer straight from Germany itself. There you will find my absolute favorite beer in the world, Schneider-Weisse’s Tap 7. It also offers a fabulously varied selection of Bavarian beer, including some that are a little off the wall, such as Schlenkerla’s Rauchbier. This is a beer that harkens back to before the widespread use of kilns in brewing. The malt is instead roasted over an open flame, imparting a unique and intensely smoky flavor.
Tuba also offers the best in traditional, homemade Bavarian specialties, like pretzels and spätzle, and outside of Germany I contend that you simply will not find better. But that’s another discussion for another day. Today we are at the table to talk about good beers and better conversation.
It’s the simplicity of German beer that has me hooked. It’s only barley, hops and water at the end of the day. But please don’t misconstrue what I’m saying: I have endless amounts of respect for people who brew. These women and men pour their lifeblood into their craft, and I think to be a part of a trade that has been around literally since the inception of civilization – workers on Egypt’s pyramids drank beer made on site – is the epitome of cool. I am merely the avid reader sipping a beer like turning a page, while the brewers are the artists telling the story.
The focus at the beer garden really might not even be on the beer at all, though. Rather, it’s on the people gathered around the long, weathered wooden tables.
The beer garden table is both humble and
accommodating, intimate yet somehow vast. It has no problem welcoming you and a friend for a quick rendezvous, a stein of lager after work and an opportunity to take a pause, take a breath and say to a friend, “It’s good to see you. I’ve been thinking about you this week. Tell me how life is going.”
It is also an expert in handling you and a group of your 20 closest friends for an entire afternoon, and, with the help from a few strings of lights, can quickly grow into
an entire evening as well. The wooden tables among the greenery are like a field of geysers, each steaming with the buzz of conversation, some occasionally erupting with a burst of laughter promoted by a liter or two of loosening libations.
The beer garden is an all-inclusive, ever-welcoming gathering place for friends and strangers alike. To be in it, whether by yourself or your group, is to be welcomed into a microcosm of good vibes.
Enjoying a beer at the beer garden is a leisure pursuit where the conversation should last longer than the drink. Your stein is a prop, albeit one filled with the sudsy elixir of life, but it isn’t the crux. The people you’re with, the moments of life you are sharing is what makes the beer garden part of the good life. The simplicity, the table, the beer and the good weather are merely the facilitators to the greater meaning of the moment.
Hours: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday
Phone: 859-491-7200
Website: hofbrauhausnewport.com
Patrons are getting into the German spirit at Hofbrauhaus in Newport. Photo provided | Hofbrauhaus
Some of the beer selections on tap at Hofbrauhaus. Photo provided | Hofbrauhaus
Tuba’s storefront. Provided | Tuba Baking Co.
How local businesses can give back
This Community Voices column is written by Marcus O’Malley, who shares ways you can get involved and give back to your community in NKY. Email him at marcus@caringexcellenceathome.com.
In Northern Kentucky, small and midsized businesses do more than just offer products and services: They help shape our communities.
These businesses are often owned and staffed by our neighbors, serving the same communities where their children attend school and their families gather on weekends. Giving back isn’t limited to large corporate grants or media-worthy donations. In fact, some of the most meaningful acts of service are small-scale, hands-on efforts that come from the heart.
When I previously ran a web development business, we organized “site-in-a-night” events – rallying our team to build a professional website for a local nonprofit in just one evening, free of charge. A close friend of mine launched a “paint it forward” tradition, each year donating materials and labor to repaint and refresh a home for someone in need.
These acts may not make national headlines, but they profoundly impact the lives of individuals and uplift the neighborhoods
we all share. It’s this spirit of genuine service that continues to define what it means to do business in NKY.
Here are some examples of local companies making a clear difference in the region:
• Pay It Forward Board: In Florence, Poseidon’s Pizza created a pay-it-forward board, allowing customers to buy a meal for someone in need. The restaurant matches every donation.
• Local outreach: CTI Clinical Trial & Consulting Services in Covington recently used its employee-directed fund at Horizon Community Funds to raise awareness and funds for Network for Hope, a local transplant-support nonprofit.
CASE NUMBER 25-CI-00373 DIVISION 1
ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC
F/K/A QUICKEN LOANS, LLC F/K/A QUICKEN LOANS INC. VS.
THERESA FERGUSON, ET AL.
BY VIRTUE OF A JUDGMENT RENDERED 7/18/2025 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.
To the highest or best bidder at public auction on 9/16/2025 at 3:00pm, the following property, to-wit: 11499 Maple Street, California, Kentucky 41007
Group No: 60095/Z
PIDN: 999-99-28-666.00
BIDDERS MUST BE PREPARED TO COMPLY WITH THESE
JOSEPH F. GRIMME, MASTER COMMISSIONER 859-291-9075
THE COSTS OF THE
• The Scurry for Mental Health: Erlanger-based TiER1 Performance hosts The Scurry, an annual “Amazing Race”-style fundraiser that blends fun with purpose. Since its launch in 2010, the event has raised over $400,000 for mental health organizations such as the Lindner Center of HOPE, Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky and the Adapt for Life program at Cincinnati Children’s.
How to make a difference
Here are some ideas for how your small business can make a difference for the community:
• Host a “site-in-a-night” or “paint it forward”: Invite volunteers to dedicate
COMMISSIONER’S SALE
CAMPBELL COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT
CASE NUMBER 23-CI-00339 DIVISION 2
FIFTH THIRD BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION VS.
JILL FROMMEYER, ET AL.
BY VIRTUE OF A JUDGMENT RENDERED 11/9/2023 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 9/16/2025 at 3:00pm, the following property, to-wit: 2445 Alexandria Pike, Southgate, Kentucky 41071
Group No: 20084/A1
PIDN: 999-99-10-750.00
a day to a nonprofit or underserved individuals in the community.
• Launch a “pay it forward” board: Enable customers to donate meals or products for neighbors in need, matched by your business.
• Support local causes: Use employee-directed funds or matching donations to support nonprofits like Network for Hope.
• Partner with youth programs: Engage with local parks or scholarships – sponsor camps, lessons or neighborhood beautification projects.
• Invest in long-term community growth: Offer scholarships, trades training or mentorship to nurture local talent and future leaders.
When small and mid-sized businesses in Northern Kentucky step up – whether by painting homes, building websites, serving pizza with dignity or organizing wellness events – they do more than donate; they demonstrate leadership rooted in compassion. These efforts build a deeper sense of trust, connection and pride into the communities. Every thoughtful act, no matter how small, builds a stronger, more united Northern Kentucky.
If you have an idea for a Community Voices column, email Meghan Goth at mgoth@ linknky.com
CASE NUMBER 24-CI-00971
DIVISION 2
CITY OF DAYTON VS.
BRADEY KEMPE, ET AL.
BY VIRTUE OF A JUDGMENT RENDERED 8/8/2025 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 9/16/2025 at 3:00pm, the following property, to-wit: 507 Seventh Avenue, Dayton, Kentucky 41074
Group No: 41344/A3
PIDN: 999-99-09-343.00
A photo taken at The Scurry in 2022. TiER1 hosts the annual fundraiser. File photo | LINK nky
LINK, OrthoCincy join forces again, honor prep teams
& Sports Medicine for the highly popular Team of the Week and Team of the Season awards through the 2025-26 sports seasons.
Last season, OrthoCincy Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine and LINK nky expanded the Team of the Week program to include three Team of the Season winners and one overall winner for Team of the Year.
LINK is excited to partner once again with OrthoCincy Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine and announce the highly popular Team of the Week and Team of the Season awards are back for 2025-26 sports seasons!
Nominations and voting. Each week, a call for Team of the Week nominations will be announced via LINK nky’s online and printed editions, with links shared on all of LINK nky’s social media channels. The nomination and selection process will highlight the team’s achievements from the prior week with a supported photo of the team to represent it.
Voting instructions along with each nominated team’s accomplishment(s) will be published online every Monday and posted
in that week’s print edition. A link will be shared via social media as well. The voting process is open to the public through noon Friday each week, and the newest TOTW will be announced with a featured article on Friday and will be featured in the following week’s print edition.
Participants can vote multiple times a day and can vote every day leading up to the close of voting. All are encouraged to share voting links to help promote the team of their choice.
Team of the Season and Team of the Year. Again this year, the program will include Team of the Season and Team of the Year awards. Sports seasons are considered fall, winter and spring. At the conclusion of each season, a TOTS winner will be chosen from the TOTW winners for that season. The winning team’s school will receive a $500 scholarship to be presented to the athlete of its choice at the end of the school year.
The program culminates by selecting one TOTY from the three TOTS winners. Online and print articles will again be published, a large commemorative plaque will be presented and the school will receive an additional $500 scholarship to be presented to the athlete of its choice at the end of the school year.
The call for nominations, voting and winning announcement for each will follow the same format as the TOTW.
OrthoCincy Orthopeadics and Sports Med-
The weekly comic by Andrew Buchanan
icine and LINK nky are again proud to celebrate the remarkable achievements of our local high school athletes and teams.
Coaches acknowledge region’s strength in girls soccer poll
If there’s any doubt about how strong girls soccer is in Northern Kentucky, just turn to the Kentucky Girls High School Soccer Coaches Association first poll of the 2025 season.
Six from Northern Kentucky landed in the year’s initial top 25. Highest ranked is Notre Dame Academy at No. 4, with Simon Kenton at No. 6, Cooper No. 10, Bishop Brossart No. 12, Conner No. 13 and Highlands No. 23.
KHSAA announces Lexington stadium to host soccer finals
The KHSAA will hold its 2025 boys and girls soccer finals Nov. 1 at the Lexington Sporting Club’s recently completed stadium at 200 Shives Drive in Lexington. Working with Mayor Linda Gorton, the Urban County Council and the Lexington-Fayette County government, along with VisitLex and Bryan Brooks and the LSC staff, the association has been negotiating to hold its championships at the location for more than a year.
Lexington Sporting Club offers professional men’s and women’s teams as well as development clubs for high school and younger athletes, and it has worked diligently with local coaches to ensure a path exists for the appropriate opportunities for students to consider playing for the developmental club without sacrificing high school play. The commitment is evident by its hosting regular season games for high schools at the stadium, including August’s showdown between Henry Clay and Paul Laurence Dunbar.
Villa Madonna’s Kitchen wins 500th game
up her 500th win with the Vikings with a 2-0 (25-12, 25-12) win over Bellevue in the 9th Region All “A” tournament quarterfinals.
Kitchen is in her 31st season at Villa. In that time, she has amassed a record of 500-331.
Kitchen also doubles as the Campbell County softball coach, spending 13 seasons in Claryville with a 232-122 record with the Camels and guiding them to the 10th Region championship game last year and seven straight 37th District titles.
Kitchen is a 1979 Campbell County and 1984 Northern Kentucky University graduate. She played volleyball, basketball and slow-pitch softball at Campbell County and NKU, and she was a graduate assistant on NKU’s first fast-pitch team in 1985.
She was McNicholas’ volleyball coach from 1984-93, and from 1984-88 she was Newport Central Catholic’s girls basketball coach. Cumulatively Kitchen has over 800 career wins.
Thomas More with 25 from NKY on the roster
Thomas More University is now officially official for Division II play. The provisional waiting period is over, meaning the Saints are now eligible for postseason play as a member of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.
Thomas More got its 2025 football season underway Aug. 30 at Southern Illinois. The team’s first four games are on the road. Next up are Dayton and then conference foes Northwood and Findlay. The home opener will be Oct. 4 against Lake Erie College.
The Saints are coming off a 5-6 season in 2024.
The team’s roster this year includes 25 players from Northern Kentucky’s Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties. Those local players are:
Kel Hawkins, Max Neal and Tyler Morehead (Dixie Heights); Ben Fay, Adam Duncan, Alex Castrucci, Emmanuel Ekpe and Elian Ruzindana (Conner); Logan Verax and Jackson Belk (Ryle); Drew Warth, Eli White and Jaidan Combs (Cooper); Preston Agee and Ryan Urti (Covington Catholic); Chase Crone, Jake Putthoff and Aven Bohms (Simon Kenton); Demetrick Welch, Kolton Smith and Chad Atkins (Newport Central Catholic); Davis Burleigh (Highlands); Xavier Campbell (Beechwood); Luke Iden (Scott); and Rob Sanders (Newport).
LINK nky is once again partnering with OrthoCincy Orthopaedics
Villa Madonna volleyball coach Sandi Kitchen picked up her 500th career victory Aug. 25 over Bellevue. Provided | Villa Madonna Academy
Notre Dame is ranked No. 4 in the initial KGHSSCA top 25. Provided | Charles Bolton
Thomas More’s Luke Iden enters his senior year with the Saints. Provided | Thomas More Athletics
Villa Madonna Academy volleyball coach Sandi Kitchen has reached another milestone. The Vikings coach on Aug. 25 picked
By Haley Parnell
“There’s a culture among veterans,” said Doug Witt, a veteran and peer support specialist at NorthKey Community Care. “I reach out to veterans all the time, and a lot of times the veteran will say, ‘No, I don’t need help because I want to make room for the next veteran.’ Because that’s how we’re taught, we put mission first, we put country first, we put our buddies first, and that’s how we survive.”
September is National Suicide Prevention Month. The Northern Kentucky Service Members, Veterans, and Families Suicide Prevention Coalition planted 660 flags adjacent to the veterans memorial in Tower Park in Fort Thomas in honor of the number of veterans who die by suicide in the United States each month.
The flags will stay planted all month.
Along with those flags, a ceremony was held on Sept. 3 in Tower Park where veterans and family members spoke about their personal experiences and the help available for struggling veterans and their families.
One of the speakers was Matt Smolecki, who retired from the U.S. Army Military Police after 20 years of leadership in and around Germany, Fort Leavenworth, Fort Bragg and elsewhere.
“It seems that every story has far too many similar comments,” Smolecki said. “What a great person they were. Best supervisor ever, best friend. They were so funny. They had a great sense of humor. No one ever thought. You just never know. They left behind a family, a wife, husband, kids.”
After serving 20 years in the military, Smolecki retired in 1998. He said that, by the grace of God, he never deployed to combat, so when he retired, he thought he was perfectly fine.
He thought that all of his anxiety, anger, frustration and lashing out was normal.
“After prompting by my doctor, I agreed to talk to a psychologist who, 10 minutes into
the call, said, ‘Have you gone to the VA [Veterans Affairs]?’” Smolecki said. “And I said, ‘Well, why? I never deployed?’ And he said, ‘You’ve got it bad.’”
The VA asked him what was causing his post-traumatic stress and had him write a statement. He said that the statement took him three months to write, because he broke down a lot. It ended up being 17 pages long.
“A lot of things happen, and I saw a lot of things, and when these things happen, we as service members take it personally,” he said. “We see it as something we did wrong, a failure, a mistake, something stupid, something that could have been prevented. Common thoughts, ‘If only I’d been there. It should have been me.’ I had those thoughts, no self-worth. I considered that my family would be better off without me. The world would be better off without me, and I wonder why did I survive?”
The Department of Veteran Affairs published a suicide prevention report last year, which tracked the data on veteran suicide and compared it to suicide more broadly. The data compiled is based on numbers from 2022.
Fort Thomas City Administrator Matt Kremer was in attendance on Sept. 3 on
behalf of the city. Kremer is an Army combat veteran. He served two tours in Iraq and retired in 2018 as the 478th Engineer Battalion executive officer after 20 years of service.
Kremer presented a proclamation during the event, which proclaimed Sept. 3, as Veteran Suicide Prevention Day to remind citizens that the day serves as a solemn tribute to veterans who have died by suicide.
“Whoever served any time in the military has dealt with friends, colleagues, who have succumbed to suicide because of the burdens that we do carry from the battlefield here, a lot of them unseen,” Kremer said. “The families deal with this just as bad as those that we’ve lost in battle, sometimes before, sometimes during and definitely after.”
One of those family members of a veteran who spoke at the event was Deb Winkler. Winkler is a member of the NKY Veterans Coalition who lost her son Matthew, a Marine Corps veteran, who died by suicide on Sept. 16, 2016.
Matthew served two tours overseas before returning home in 2014. Winkler said her son had a difficult time reintegrating into society as a civilian.
“Matthew could not stay here, is what he told me in his letter,” Winkler said. “He didn’t know the way to take care of the demons.”
Since then, Winkler has become an advocate, speaking wherever she can.
“We hear you,” Winkler said. “We want you to stay. You are important. You do have a purpose here. Those were all the things my son said he did not have. Believe me, you do. Believe me, there are people here who want to help you. You’re not alone.”
James Boyd, an Army veteran with 14 years of service who deployed in support of Operations Spartan Shield and Inherent Resolve, part of the Global War on Terrorism, spoke at the Fort Thomas event.
Boyd said when someone puts on a uniform, they gain a powerful sense of belonging. They know the mission and their role. They know the person next to them will never let them down. When they leave the military, that belonging can fade, and veterans feel lost.
“Many carry invisible wounds, combat trauma, stress, memories that don’t fade when the uniform comes off,” Boyd said. “They follow us home, to our families, to our work, to our private moments at home when we are just alone with our thoughts. The cost is heartbreaking. Every day, 22 veterans are lost to suicide.”
Boyd said to put that number into perspective, 22 lives is like wiping out an entire Major League Baseball team every single day. Witt works at NorthKey Community Care’s Covington location. He works with individual clients as a peer. Witt said as far as advocacy goes, getting the word out on the 988 hotline is important. Anyone can call that number and speak with someone at any time of day or night.
“If you have a veteran in your life, reach out to them. Sit with them. Listen to their stories. Talk to them,” Witt said. “Veterans suffer in silence way too often. So when you reach out, make a connection with a veteran, get them the help they need; it might be saving a life.”
Flags planted in Fort Thomas in memory of veterans who have died by suicide. Photo by Haley Parnell | LINK nky
Historic church property in downtown Covington
Address: 12 W. Fifth St, Covington
Price: $599,900
Bedrooms: Zero
Bathrooms: Zero
Square footage: 14,700
School district: Covington Independent
County: Kenton
Special features: Built in 1853 and rebuilt in 1894, this nearly 15,000-square-foot property includes the former First Christian Church of Covington building, the parsonage and three rear parking spaces, and you could live in it. Features include original stained-glass windows, quartersawn timber details, an elevator, production kitchen, classrooms and an upper-level sanctuary. Situated in Covington’s downtown corridor near new development, with potential for additional parking arrangements through the adjacent city lot.
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
CITY OF FLORENCE, KENTUCKY NOTICE OF INTERNET WEBSITE PUBLICATION
Notice is hereby given that the City of Florence, Kentucky, will receive bids Thursday, September 25, 2025, at 10:00 am. local time at the Florence Government Center, Office of the City Clerk, 8100 Ewing Boulevard, Florence, KY, 41042 for one (1) Fire/EMS Staff Motor Vehicle. This Notice was published by posting in full on the City of Florence, Kentucky Internet Website, www.florence-ky.gov. The address where the full posting may be directly viewed is https://florence-ky.gov/publication-of-bid-solicitations-enacted-ordinances/. The public has the right to inspect and obtain a copy of any document associated with the posting by contacting the City Clerk of the City of Florence, Kentucky, 8100 Ewing Boulevard, Florence, KY, 41042, Telephone no. 859-647-8177. This advertisement was paid for by the City of Florence, Kentucky, using taxpayer dollars in the amount of $________.
/s/Melissa Kramer
MELISSA KRAMER, CITY CLERK CITY OF FLORENCE, KENTUCKY
• 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
The exterior of this Covington church for sale. Photos provided | Rebecca Weber and Shawn Masters with Comey & Shepherd
A look at this church’s main chapel.
This church was originally built in 1853.
7/21/25 - 7/27/25
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. 6 3
Answer to Previous Sudoku:
Edited by Margie E. Burke
The Weekly Crossword
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:
2025 COMMUNITY CONVERSATION SERIES:
OCTOBER 9: K-12 Education Solutions
Event will be held at the Erlanger Branch of the Kenton County Public Library from 6-7:30 p.m.
It will also be live-streamed on LINK nky’s Facebook page.
What a better place to talk about workforce? We’ll see you there!
ON THE PANEL MODERATOR
Hannah Mayle Kindergarten teacher Newport Primary School
Mary Kay Connolly Director of Read Ready Covington
April Draine Education Advocate & Host of The Parent Camp Podcast
Jenny Watson VP of Early Learning & Family Power at EducateNKY
