LINK Kenton Reader - Volume 4, Edition 11 - February 6, 2026

KENTON

VOLUME 4, ISSUE 11 — FEBRUARY 6, 2026

THE VOICE OF NKY

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Roll(ing) Tide Roll: Nichols to play wheelchair basketball at Alabama

By Ray Schaefer

S

ean Nichols grew up watching older brother Andrew play basketball at Villa Madonna Academy.

On Jan. 23, Sean did something Andrew never did — he signed a national letter of intent to play wheelchair basketball at the University of Alabama.

“They were active in talking to me throughout the recruitment process, which I started last year,” Sean said. “And, through talking with them and learning more about not only the program, but also the opportunities offered at Alabama for the field that I’m interested in going into, I decided that that was gonna be the best place for me to take the next step and not only my athletic but academic journey.”

Sean, 18, of Edgewood, plays for the Cincinnati Dragons. He has transverse myelitis, which, according to the Mayo Clinic, is “an Continues on page 3

Villa Madonna senior Sean Nichols signed with Alabama on Jan. 23, 2026. With him are, from left, Cincinnati Dragons coach Jake Counts, his mom, Nicole Kuzmin-Nichols and his father, Tann Nichols. Photo provided | Villa Madonna Academy

Three takeaways from the annual ‘State of NKY’ forum

By Kenton Hornbeck

D

iscussions on infrastructure, voter turnout, public participation in the political process and the importance of local control were among the biggest takeaways from the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce’s annual State of Northern Kentucky forum.

Voter turnout was a topic of discussion at the forum. Photo provided | Element5 Digital

Every January, judges/executive Gary Moore of Boone County, Kris Knochelmann of Kenton County and Steve Pendery of Campbell County take center stage at Erlanger’s Receptions Event Center, where they comment on the current political and economic landscape of Northern Kentucky.

In Kentucky, the judge/executive serves as the elected chief executive of a county’s government, overseeing daily operations,

preparing the budget, managing personnel and presiding over the fiscal court, the county’s primary legislative body.

Each of the three judges/executives in NKY has over six decades of combined experience in their roles. Pendery and Moore were elected in 1998, while Knochelmann assumed office in 2015. As such, the trio has presided over continuous economic growth throughout their respective countries.

Today, the governments of Kenton, Campbell and Boone counties are addressing enduring issues such as roadway development, the regional housing supply and civic engagement. At the State of Northern Kentucky Forum, these leaders have an annual opportunity to relay their challenges

A Bellevue native was inducted into the Sports Broadcasting HOF p5 What does the future look like for TANK? p7 He’s turning parking fees into an economic development tool p10

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inflammation of both sides of one section of the spinal cord.”

PRESIDENT & CEO Lacy Starling EXECUTIVE EDITOR Meghan Goth

“This neurological disorder often damages the insulating material covering nerve cell fibers (myelin),” the Mayo Clinic states.

“Transverse myelitis interrupts the messages that the spinal cord nerves send throughout the body. This can cause pain, muscle weakness, paralysis, sensory problems or bladder and bowel dysfunction.”

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Sean’s mom, Nicole Kuzmin-Nichols, took Sean to a summer family camp at the Center for Courageous Kids in Scottsville, Kentucky. It was the first time Sean could play with kids who also had transverse myelitis.

“And one of them mentioned wheelchair basketball,” Kuzmin-Nichols said. “He was really excited … And they had a huge gym and basketball hoops in the gym. And there were some kids who were there who were playing in wheelchairs, shooting baskets and stuff like that. And he seemed to have a great time shooting baskets while sitting in his chair.”

Sean has been a Dragon since 2015, a year after the program started. His coach, Jake Counts, remembers the 8-year-old boy’s first time on the court.

“Just real, real smart,” Counts said. “I could explain a concept to Sean, like once, even as a little kid, and just kind of see him get it.”

According to the National Wheelchair Basketball Association , 12 colleges award men’s scholarships: Alabama, Arizona, Auburn, City University of New York, Eastern Washington, Pennsylvania West (Edinboro), Illinois, Missouri, Michigan, Southwest Minnesota State, Texas-Arlington and Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Alabama, Arizona, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Texas-Arlington and Wisconsin-Whitewater also offer women’s scholarships.

Like standing basketball, each wheelchair team has five players who play four 10-minute quarters and shoot at a 10-foot-goal.

The NWBA classifies them on a 1.0 (severest disability) to 4.5 (least) scale based on their physical capabilities, and teams cannot exceed 14 points. (Sean is rated a 1.5.)

Players carrying the ball are allowed to push their wheelchair twice with their hands per possession; they dribble by tossing the ball in front of them and chasing.

“That’s one way to do it,” Nichols said. “For me, what I do is I take a push, I bounce the ball, I push again, and then I’m able to catch the ball with my palm up. There’s no such thing as a carry in wheelchair basketball.

“And then I’m able to repeat that motion in order to dribble. You are allowed, though, to take a push, flip it out in front of you and then push to catch it.”

Littles and bigs Wheelchair players are usually grouped into two categories: littles and bigs. The

Nichols has been a member of the Dragons since 2015. Photo provided | Cincinnati Dragons

littles (with NWBA rankings of 1.0 to 2.5) are the guards who typically bring the ball up court, set picks and play perimeter defense, while the bigs (3.0-4.5) are the forwards and centers who focus on rebounding, scoring in the paint and defending the basket.

“We play a drastically different defensive style than most standing teams just due to the fact that we’re able to actually fully block off space,” Nichols said. “We can stop … someone from actually moving entirely instead of just being able to control the direction they’re going. Also, besides stuff

like fast breaks, our offense is a lot more out looking for the completely open shot rather than, ‘Can I get a little bit of space on this one person and then take the shot?’”

Nichols wants to study computer science at Alabama, and he’s not ruling out trying out for the USA Paralympic team that will compete in Los Angeles in 2028 or Brisbane, Australia in 2032.

“So maybe a bit optimistic dream would be to make it to 2028,” he said. “ But the goal would be to make it to 2032.”

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Continued from page 1

differentiate themselves rhetorically and ideologically. Furthermore, primary voters tend to be more engaged partisans who, in a smaller-scale election, are more motivated by ideological differences, as indicated by a 2007 study published in Legislative Studies Quarterly.

and solutions to the region’s business, civic and nonprofit communities.

Following the 2026 forum, LINK nky has identified three key takeaways.

Infrastructure

With election day on May 19 only months away, Knochelmann and Pendery implored the forum audience to get engaged in local elections.

Similar to 2025, the ongoing development of State Route 536 was a core topic. State Route 536 is a state-owned road running east to west from western Boone County to Alexandria, serving as a vital link among the three counties.

All three judges/executive stressed the importance of advancing the State Route 536 project, noting its significance for the local economy both as a commuter route and as a catalyst for industrial and residential development.

“As a matter of fact, this is a route that traverses the three counties from east to west and west to east, and ties the whole place together,” Pendery said. “Other than (Interstate) 275, there isn’t an east-west connector of this quality or this size, and we need it particularly to serve the airport and the

The ongoing development of State Route 536 was a major topic of discussion at the State of Northern Kentucky forum. Photo provided | Cphotos via Unsplash

The 2026 State of Northern Kentucky forum. Pictured from left to right: Steve Pendery, Gary Moore, Kris Knochelmann and Tami Wilson. Photo by Kenton Hornbeck | LINK nky

Northern Kentucky Industrial Park, which employs a huge number of Northern Kentuckians and people from the surrounding areas.”

ress of several major regional initiatives.

“I’m saying that, as part of our call out to our legislators to say, we believe those dollars need to be funded so that these guys and gals can get the work done to maintain the roads that are already built, while we’re continuing to have to expand and build what needs to be built in the future,” Knochelmann said.

Backing Pendery’s thoughts on the State Route 536 project, Moore and Knochelmann each reinforced the importance of the project.

Discussions about expanding State Route 536 date back over a quarter century, with construction on portions of the project beginning in late 2016. Currently, some portions of the project are under construction, while others remain in the planning phase.

Voter turnout and community engagement Voter turnout in NKY is generally low, a fact not lost on either of the three judges/executive.

Besides State Route 536, Moore touted the importance of the Transportation Improvement District, or TID, in Boone County ­— a special-purpose governmental entity created to coordinate and fund transportation-related projects within a specific geographic area. Boone County rubber-stamped its TID in February 2024, with Kenton and Campbell counties following suit later that year.

While Knochelmann is not competing against a Republican primary challenger this year — effectively ensuring his reelection due to the absence of a Democrat in the race — Pendery faces a contest from Alexandria Mayor Andy Schabell, while Moore faces a challenge from Commissioner Chet Hand.

Moore said that the TID would enable Boone County to obtain state funding for infrastructure projects while allowing the county to choose which project to finance.

“We would love to have an allocation from the legislature directly to the Transportation Improvement District,” Moore said.

In NKY, Republican primaries typically decide races for powerful positions such as judge/executive or county commissioner, either because the general election is not numerically competitive or because no Democrat is running. With more registered Republicans than Democrats or Independents, GOP primaries effectively become a battleground for political influence.

Knochelmann reiterated the need for NKY counties to continue lobbying for local infrastructure projects to secure state funding, which he considers crucial to the prog-

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“Get engaged, show up and make sure you’re just putting your time and effort into the candidate that you think really matters,” Knochelmann said.

Local control All three judges/executive framed “local control” as a key driver for operation and financial success among the three counties.

Moore, specifically, shared that he felt local governments best understand how to solve problems in their communities.

“One of the things that is always concerning is infringement on local control, and it doesn’t matter what the issue is, but I believe that the best decisions are made closest to the people closest to you. You know the community. We know the community, and by working together, we can usually come up with the best solution.”

Moore said he felt that NKY performs best when the state government allows counties and cities flexibility to govern based on local conditions, a sentiment that was echoed by Knochelmann and Pendery.

Furthermore, Moore cautioned that NKY should stay alert to legislation introduced in Frankfort that could erode local control.

Pendery likened each NKY county and municipal jurisdiction to a ‘laboratory for democracy,’ enabling public entities to test various ideas and proposals.

“Local control is a thing that we really like a lot, because when we work together, we have access to all the best brains in our community,” Pendery said. “We’re going to come up with something, and it may or may not work, but we’re laboratories of democracy, so to speak, all that all the little cities and counties are trying to come up with a better way to do things.”

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Bellevue native inducted into Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame

By Haley Parnell

ter a while, the station started taking him to the ballparks, where he would stage-manage Reds and Bengals games.

M

arc Herklotz, a Bellevue native, was inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame Class of 2025 after a paramount career as a technical director.

Herklotz said that experience was an eye-opener.

“They would put you up in the booth, and the director and the producer would give you a stack of cards that you would hand to the announcers throughout the show,” he said. “You’d be on headset with the producers, ‘give this card for a promo,’ and so you hand it off to Harry Kalas, [Hall of Fame broadcaster for the Philadelphia Phillies, ] for instance, and he’d read it. You would count them in and out of breaks. So, you were rubbing shoulders with famous people.”

Herklotz was inducted into the Hall of Fame in December 2025 in a class with folks like Lee Corso, Greg Gumbel and Pam Oliver.

His 30-plus-year career as a technical director had him working at ESPN and ABC from 1989 through 2019, technical-directing Sunday Night Baseball, Sunday Night Football and Monday Night Football. It led him to work events like the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics on NBC, the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics on CBS and the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics on NBC. “I didn’t believe it at first,” Herklotz said of when he received the call that he was being inducted into the hall of fame. “It took me to my knees because it was the cherry on top of my career. It can’t get any better than that.”

Though you may not be familiar with the term “technical director,” the position controls what you see on the big screen every time you watch a sports game. Technical directors operate the video switcher in the control room, executing the director’s vision by cutting between cameras, graphics and replays in real time to create the on-air product.

Growing up in Bellevue, Herklotz is one of six siblings who all attended Bellevue Independent Schools. Though Herklotz said he has always been a steadfast Reds fan — which he got from his grandfather, who used to carry a little pocket TV schedule around his back pocket — he said that as a kid, he never had a fleeting thought of working in sports or television.

Marc Herklotz was inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame Class of 2025. Photo provided | Marc Herklotz

He grew up musically inclined and initially went to college to study music. Herklotz took piano lessons on Overton Street in Newport and said some of his fondest memories were marching with the Bellevue High School band.

After two years of studying music at the university, Herklotz changed his major to radio/TV journalism.

Herklotz said he wanted to be a band director, which is why he attended Morehead State University for its music program. As he was attending school at Morehead, he took a tour of a news station where his sister’s roommate worked.

Fast forward to January 1982, and Herklotz was freshly graduated and on the job hunt.

After trying to get a position at three Cincinnati TV stations with no luck, he landed a job at WLWT, Channel 5, the fourth station he tried. He was hired at the end of January, when the Bengals were headed to Super Bowl XVI, where they ultimately lost to the San Francisco 49ers.

“That was eye-opening,” he said. “She took us into a control room, and I saw the video switcher, and I just lit up. I just remember seeing that for the first time and saying, ‘that’s what I want to do.’”

His first gig at Channel 5 was in the prop and floor department working on The Bob Braun Show. Then he moved on to ripping script for the evening news, running the teleprompter and stage management. Af-

That experience led Herklotz to “pulling cable” (the physical installation and deployment of cables from one point to another to connect cameras, audio equipment and production trucks for live events or studio productions), which he said was real low level and the first step to get into running camera, running audio, master control, video tape and, ultimately for Herklotz, technical directing.

His first technical directing job was for Channel 5 with Jerry Springer and Norma Rashid. Eventually, that turned into technical directing of Reds games and Bengals games.

Then, in 1989, he got his first call from ESPN. They wanted him to technical direct an Ohio State basketball game in Columbus. The director at the time, Kenny Fouts, who contacted Herklotz, liked his work and kept calling.

“He kept on asking for me to do his games, because a director and a technical director Continues on page 6

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Continued from page 5

are like the tightest bond on that broadcast crew,” Herklotz said. “The director really, really depends on the technical director to perform his commands. It’s the director calling the shots.”

Herklotz started doing more and more shows for ESPN while still working at Channel 5, so he picked up gigs on his days off.

“I was working all my days off,” he said. “I would just trade days off, usually try to get somebody who had weekends off when most sports happen to go out and work a college football game. ESPN got Major League Baseball in ’90, and then Kenny started doing Wednesday Night Baseball for ESPN. So, he wanted me to come along to do his games, and so I did Wednesday baseball with him.”

Herklotz worked the night shift at the station, so sometimes he would sign off at 3 a.m., catch a flight to a Wednesday game, come back to Cincinnati, and rinse and repeat.

It got to a point in his career where he started to enjoy technical directing games more than what he was doing at the news station. He took the leap and left Channel 5 on his birthday in December 1990.

“I was doing Thursday night football for ESPN, college football, and then I would go out and do an NFL game on the weekend,” he said. “I was working every day.”

When technical directing, Herklotz said, you can’t hit the wrong button; you can’t make a mistake, because thousands, or even millions, of people watching the game will see it.

“It’s a complicated gig,” he said. “It’s very complicated; if you think about it too hard, it could paralyze you, because there’s a lot of advertising that goes through your fingers too.”

Herklotz’s younger brother and Fort Thomas resident, Karl Herklotz, said that when he would catch a game on TV that his brother was technical directing, it was always in the back of his mind.

Marc Herklotz was inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame Class of 2025. Photos provided | Marc Herklotz

One moment in Herklotz’s career that his brother recalled as a particularly cool moment was a segment featuring Herklotz on Monday Night Football. Karl Herklotz said that when the Bengals had a night game in town, and Herklotz was working the broadcast, he would host a party at his house for the crew after the game.

“One night, he arranged for the crew to film a segment at his house for ESPN, which was special because they usually don’t recognize the behind-the-scenes staff,” Karl Herklotz said. “That time, they did the filming and showed them [Herklotz and the crew] opening the front door and capturing everyone inside before transitioning into a story about my brother. This was during the period when Mike Tirico was still broadcasting Monday Night Football.”

Even in retirement, Herklotz said he keeps up with the business. He said he has always been fascinated by the technology, but he is also immensely interested in broadcast history. He even has a museum in his basement of old broadcast equipment.

The call from ESPN to let Herklotz know he was being inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame, he said, came out of the blue in the summer of 2025. He said it was completely unexpected.

Thinking about the likes of people such as John Madden, or his fellow Fort Thomas resident Cris Collinsworth or Al Michaels, who Herklotz said he worshipped as a kid, he couldn’t believe he would be joining them in the hall of fame.

“I was looking at the resumes and going like, well, I know I had a pretty fabulous career,” Herklotz said. “Did a lot of work, it was a charmed life, to put it that way, but probably half of them [inductees] are announcers. They’re all famous announcers. They’re all recognizable in front of the camera, but it’s nice that they also include those of us behind the camera.”

“Whenever I was watching the Monday Night Football game, I knew my brother

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What does the future look like for TANK?

By Nathan Granger

T

he Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky, or TANK, revealed preliminary plans for changes to its route and service structure at a special virtual meeting on Jan. 28.

The meeting followed roughly six months of public input, and although the changes on display had not been finalized, it provided a window into how TANK services may change in the future.

Although some routes will likely see reductions or even disappear entirely, the presenters wanted to emphasize one point: “Almost all customers will continue to have service.”

Those remarks were delivered by Thomas Wittmann, a transportation planner from Nelson\Nygaard, a transit consulting firm based in Boston that’s working with TANK to develop feasible revisions given TANK’s budgetary constraints.

way to bolster its revenue. In July 2025, it launched a project to assess its current service structure and gather public input about what the community needed.

the river. Instead, commuters would need to connect to routes 1, 25 or 3 at the Covington Transit Center if they wanted to travel to Cincinnati.

The public input included public information-gathering sessions, both in person and virtually; an online survey, which, according to the presenters, received over 1,000 responses; and the distribution of literature at key transit sites throughout the region.

Routes 16, 39X and 40X would be consolidated into other routes. In a worst-case scenario, routes 25X, 30X, and the Southbank Shuttle would have to be eliminated entirely, but the presenters emphasized that none of these changes had been finalized yet. The earliest any of them would occur would be 2027, and even then there would be new rounds of public outreach and input before any changes took effect.

The public input came away with several key insights: • Regular busing, not TANK’s curb-tocurb services, are still what people want most • People were concerned about loss of service, especially in Dayton and Bellevue along TANK Route 12 • The community strongly supports continued services of the Southbank Shuttle People didn’t want more service cuts

TANK was forthright with its issues at the meeting. Essentially, the cost of running services exceeds the amount of money it’s bringing in. Help from the federal government is declining, and over the past 10 years, it has been working to ensure it remains financially sustainable while providing as much service to the region as possible.

Current projections indicate that as much as a 10% service reduction might be required if the agency is unable to find a

So what may or may not change?

TANK did not request any changes to operating times, and many routes would remain unchanged. However, one key change that would likely occur is the reduction in the number of routes that would travel across the river directly to Cincinnati, namely routes 5, 7 and 8.

Those routes would not be eliminated altogether, but they would no longer go across

TANK staff will present its preliminary plan to its Board of Directors this month.

The presenters opened up the meeting to questions after their presentation. Many of the questions concerned specific routes, but some people asked about ways to bolster TANK’s finances.

One attendee, for instance, asked if TANK could ask for a sales tax levy like those that have been approved by voters in Hamilton County across the river.

Nope, said TANK General Manager Gina Douthat. Compared to Ohio, Kentucky communities are constrained in raising sales taxes.

“We legally cannot go out and ask for a sales tax in Northern Kentucky, [or] the entire state,” Douthat said. “The counties would have to do that on our behalf,… which is not a very popular thing right now.”

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TANK gets funding from state appropriations via the county fiscal courts. Every county in the commonwealth competes for funding allocations, so agencies like TANK are in many ways at the mercy of the General Assembly. Cities are not allowed to levy sales taxes at all, and the likelihood of raising taxes at the county level is dependent upon the political will of county elected representatives and their constituents.

It’s worth noting that increased transportation options are a desired community priority that frequently arises in county comprehensive planning processes.

Another attendee asked if TANK staff was attempting to rally support for itself among local leadership. Douthat said that currently, TANK is mostly in a planning phase and is spending most of its time gathering information from the public. However, she did encourage the attendees to advocate on behalf of TANK if they felt its services were essential.

“What you can do is make sure that the people in your community that are in leadership positions understand how important TANK is to you,” Douthat said, “and that TANK is your link to a job or your link to getting to school for education purposes or to getting to the doctor or however you use TANK. Ensuring that other people understand that it’s important to you is really helpful to us when we’re talking to those elected officials.”

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kenton county briefs Kenton County, Covington residents continue to urge against ICE cooperation

Michael Staverman speaking at the Kenton County Fiscal Court meeting on Jan. 27, 2026. Photo by Haley Parnell | LINK nky

Residents have attended the Kenton County Fiscal Court meetings since December 2025 to call for an end to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, cooperation. A candidate for the new Covington City Council is also calling for explicit policies establishing legal guardrails against ICE agents in the city.

This is not the first time that Northern Kentucky residents have shown up to their county fiscal court to ask them to end their agreements with ICE. Several residents attended the Kenton County Fiscal Court meeting on Jan. 13 and the Campbell County Fiscal Court meeting on Jan. 21.

Covington City Council Candidate Tom Hull, who has spoken about policing and other issues before the board of commissioners in the past, pitched a handful of policies at the board meeting on Jan. 13 that the city could enact to ensure the city had immigrant residents’ backs: • Establish clear training for local police on how to interact with ICE agents and what the legal limits of those agents’ authority are.

• Help residents identify the difference between local police and federal enforcers by teaching how to identify distinct uniforms and other markings that set the two institutions apart.

• Inform residents of their rights and obligations when it comes to dealing with both local police and federal agents.

• Disallow the use of masks by enforcers within the city.

They called upon the county to terminate the 287(g) agreement, a designation derived from Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows ICE to delegate enforcement functions to local police departments.

“Kenton County should pull back entirely from 287(g),” said Kenton County resident Kayla Reed. “Do not house people with no criminal record. Do not turn local police into federal immigration agents. Keep police local and accountable. Focus on real crime, not traumatizing children and families. Pull me over if I roll through a stop sign in Villa Hills. I’m sure I do it often, but I refuse to stay silent when my tax dollars and my police are used to terrorize human beings.”

All three detention centers in NKY have contracts with the U.S. Marshals to house ICE detainees; on paper, ICE agreements are subcontracts with the U.S. Marshals.

Kenton County is a comparative latecomer to such agreements, only beginning to house ICE detainees in the middle of last year. In contrast, Boone County Jail’s contract with ICE goes back to 2005.

8 FEBRUARY 6, 2026

From pandemic hobby to Main Street dream: How Luci Smith built Calina’s in Ludlow

“The city has an obligation and should want to let the people know how they can stay safe and what the city is going to do to keep them safe in the event that we do have federal law enforcement here,” Hull said. “No one wants violent incidents on the street.”

Notre Dame Academy awards $31K in scholarships for 2030 class

Pictured from left to right: Principal Lisa Timmerding, scholarship winners and President Lauren Hitron. Photo provided | Notre Dame Academy

Notre Dame Academy, a private, all-girls Catholic school in Park Hills, announced Jan. 26 that it had doled out $31,000 in scholarship money to incoming freshmen in its 2030 class. The recipients were awarded for their high scores on the High School Placement Test, which is required for admission into Catholic high schools.

“Each of these young women has demonstrated strong academic ability and a readiness to embrace the challenges of a Notre Dame Academy education,” said Principal Lisa Timmerding in a press release. “At [Notre Dame Academy], we form young women to lead with faith, confidence and purpose, and we are proud to support students whose gifts will enrich our community.”

14 students from eight primary schools across the region, listed below, were awarded scholarships: • Ashlinn Dwyer, St. Pius • Lillian Wooton, St. Catherine of Siena • Lucy Miller, St. Pius • Della Crossen, Blessed Sacrament • Diana Jiradamkerng, Villa Madonna

music and history, and make it like an experience, or more than just walking in.”

Calina’s offers a carefully curated selection of budget-friendly vintage items, with over 150 pieces from a collection of more than 500 priced at $15 or less. The store prides itself on inclusive sizing, offering options in both masculine and feminine styles.

For Smith, curating her items is one of the most important aspects of running her store. Smith said she travels across Ohio and Kentucky to find pieces she believes will best fit her collection.

“I do a lot of yard sales, and I try to mix in some estate sales too,” she said. “I try to be really careful with how I source the pieces, because I try to find places I’m going to be able to give back to the local community, and also just get items at a good price, so that it’s accessible for people.”

Hull reiterated his remarks on Jan. 27.

“We’ve been here since early December,” Michael Staverman said at the Jan. 27 Kenton County Fiscal Court meeting. “It’s clear we’re going to keep coming back.”

The meeting was well attended, with six speakers during public comment asking the fiscal court to reconsider an intergovernmental agreement to cooperate with ICE and house ICE detainees in the county detention center.

• Maevy McCormack, St. Agnes • Claire Malone, Mary Queen of Heaven • Athena Andress, St. Joseph, Crescent Springs • Nollie Kirkwood-Mullikin, Blessed Sacrament • Julia Zumbiel, St. Joseph, Crescent Springs

Luci Smith sitting on the stairs of Calina's Cafe, Candles & Collectables. Photo provided | Luci Smith

What began as a hobby for Luci Smith during the pandemic developed into a fulltime passion.

Smith, the owner of Calina’s Cafe, Candles & Collectables at 326 Elm St. in Ludlow, began experimenting with making candles from upcycled containers. She started from scratch and, over time, became confident enough in her craftsmanship to post videos of her candles online. After a single TikTok post about a handmade jelly candle garnered over 4 million views, she realized she had gained significant momentum.

“I completely picked it up during the pandemic,” she said. “I thought, ‘what’s kind of a fun side hustle vibe that I can do?’ I just went out to the store, got a few candle supplies and I was trying to think of a way to make it eco-friendly.”

These videos laid the groundwork for another burgeoning hobby — vintage clothing. While searching for unique containers for her candles, Smith developed an appreciation for sustainability. After becoming dissatisfied with her corporate job, Smith decided to take a leap of faith, combining her candlemaking and vintage clothing hobbies into a single store: Calina’s Cafe, Candles & Collectables.

Calina’s is located inside the former Circus Mojo building along Elm Street. Prior to its closure, Smith said the building served as apartments for traveling circus performers who would visit the next-door venue.

When designing the interior of her store, Smith wanted to maintain the “homely” vibe to make the space feel welcoming to customers. The store’s interior showcases distinctive displays that double as art, such as a staircase with vintage vinyl records on its risers.

“I wanted to keep the homey feel of it so people could come in and have a welcoming space,” she said. “And also, I wanted to try and tie in some of the cooler aspects of

Smith said Ludlow was an obvious choice for opening because of the city’s eclectic collection of artsy stores and boutiques.

Ludlow Mayor Sarah Thompson welcomed the store with open arms.

“Their passion for creativity, upcycling and vintage style brings something truly special to our community,” she said in a news release.

Besides the vintage store, which opened on Dec. 6, 2025, Smith plans to open a cafe on the building’s first floor. If all goes as planned, it will open in late summer.

“For me, personally, I think a lot of people will relate to this as well — you want to have a girls’ trip, you go get an iced coffee and walk around the thrift or the antique mall and it’s just a fun vibe,” she said.

How to prevent frozen pipes, avoid water damage in extreme cold

An icy pipe. Photo provided | Raimond Klavins via Unsplash

In the aftermath of Winter Storm Fern, the cold temperatures that have followed, coupled with severe wind chills, can cause vulnerable water supply pipes to freeze and burst.

When pipes freeze, pressure builds inside as water expands, which can cause pipes to burst regardless of whether they are made of plastic, copper or steel. Even a small crack can release more than 200 gallons of water in a single day, resulting in substantial property damage.

Roto-Rooter, a plumbing repair company based in Cincinnati, has shared a list of

kenton county briefs tips to help people prevent frozen pipes and learn how to handle them if they are already frozen.

“It’s the thawing pipes that really get our phones ringing,” Roto-Rooter spokesman Paul Abrams said in a news release. “Leaking and spewing pipes cause lots of water damage.”

Tips to prevent frozen pipes Roto-Rooter recommends the following steps to help prevent frozen and burst pipes during extreme cold: • Disconnect outdoor water hoses and cover outside faucets with Styrofoam insulation kits.

• Repair dripping or leaking outdoor faucets before freezing temperatures arrive.

• If a washing machine is located in an unheated garage, turn off the water supply lines and disconnect hoses when temperatures are expected to fall well below freezing.

• Allow a slow trickle of both hot and cold water to run overnight in sinks and bathtubs.

• Open kitchen and bathroom cabinets beneath sinks to allow warm air to circulate around uninsulated pipes.

• Insulate pipes in unheated areas such as garages and crawl spaces, and install thermostat-controlled heat cables on the most exposed pipes.

• Ensure the furnace is operating and set to no lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

said BE NKY Vice President of Economic Development Kimberly Rossetti in a press release. “We are entering the new year with incredible momentum, and our team looks forward to bringing even more prosperity to our region in 2026.”

What to do if your pipes are frozen If pipes are suspected or confirmed to be frozen, the following actions should be taken immediately: • Shut off the main water valve and open indoor faucets to reduce pressure and minimize flooding if a pipe bursts.

• If the frozen pipe is exposed and accessible, thaw it using a hair dryer or space heater. Do not use an open flame.

• Inspect exposed pipes for leaks once thawed. Even with the water main turned off, remaining pressure may reveal damage.

• Contact a licensed plumber equipped with pipe-thawing equipment to restore water flow and make necessary repairs.

• Even if no leaks are visible, pipes that experienced a hard freeze should be professionally inspected, as stretching and material fatigue may increase the risk of future failure.

BE NKY releases annual projects report BE NKY Growth Partnership, a regional economic development company, has re-

2025 also saw the openings of SparkHaus and the OneNKY Center, two flagship projects of BE NKY, the buildings of which are both owned by the Port Authority.

OneNKY Center in Covington. Photo provided | BE NKY Growth Partnership.

leased its annual projects report for 2025.

The annual report measures the economic impact of projects connected to the company for the preceding year.

Highlights from the report include 1,914 jobs announced (106% of the company’s annual goal), $425.5 million in capital investment and an average annual total compensation of $73,433.

Most of the new economic projects highlighted in the report — 11 out of 15 — came from companies already located in the Northern Kentucky region. Unlike the jobs figures, the 15 projects represent 75% of the company’s annual goal. The advanced manufacturing sector saw the highest amount of capital investments.

“I am so proud our team surpassed our jobs metric by 6% and came incredibly close to hitting our targets in a year of uncertainty,”

COMMISSIONER’S SALE CAMPBELL COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT

CASE NUMBER 25-CI-01015

CASE NUMBER 25-CI-00488

DIVISION 2

DIVISION 2

FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION

HEARTLAND BANK, SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO VICTORY COMMUNITY BANK

VS. JOSEPH M. HUTCHINS, ET AL.

BY VIRTUE OF A JUDGMENT RENDERED 1/13/2026 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 2/17/2026 at 3:00pm, the following property, to-wit: 148 Ridgewood Drive, Alexandria, Kentucky 41001 Group No: 70266/H2 PIDN: 999-99-25-275.92

VS. OHIO VALLEY SOLID SURFACE LLC, ET AL.

BY VIRTUE OF A JUDGMENT RENDERED 9/15/2025 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 2/17/2026 at 3:00pm, the following property, to-wit: 103 Center Street, Wilder, Kentucky 41071 Group No: 30950/A8 & A9 PIDN: 999-99-17-607.00

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

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

FEBRUARY 6, 2026 9

Proximity founder is turning parking payments into an economic development tool

By Kenton Hornbeck

P

roximity founder Grant Murray is turning parking payments into a prime economic development opportunity.

His Covington-based tech company, Proximity, has two intertwined functions: Providing municipalities with a streamlined

parking management platform and leveraging location technology to connect small businesses with customers through hyperlocal, location-based promotions.

place, and it’s a forced visible entry point to those consumers. These local businesses now have the opportunity to use parking to their advantage.”

On the parking side, Proximity offers a full-service parking management platform for public and private operators. The system includes automated payment processing, tools for issuing residential and monthly permits, violation tracking and enforcement capabilities, and reporting dashboards that provide insight into transactions and parking revenue.

The app is piquing interest among cities across Kentucky and Ohio. In January, the City of Covington and Proximity inked an agreement for the company to manage the city’s parking payment systems. For Covington, not only is the city supporting a local startup, but it’s also seizing an advertising opportunity to bolster local small businesses amid the Fourth Street Bridge closure.

For businesses, Proximity enables them to promote discounts and specials to customers while they’re paying for parking. This can include everything from happy hour deals at local bars to discounts on goods offered by nearby shops.

From Murray’s perspective, Proximity seeks to turn a mundane activity, such as paying for parking, into a strategic marketing and economic development opportunity. Through Proximity, local businesses can reach customers with real-time promotions when they are actively in the area and spending money — a moment when they would be theoretically most receptive to visiting a local business.

Proximity founder Grant Murray. Photo by Kenton Hornbeck | LINK nky

10 FEBRUARY 6, 2026

“We want to try to put those businesses that are in any local community that we operate in front of real consumers,” he told LINK nky. “So you have to pay to park when you go down any downtown, now it’s a common

“As we navigate the bridge construction, our focus remains on supporting our local businesses and ensuring our community thrives,” Mayor Ron Washington said in a news release. “Having a local company that shares our mission of strengthening the local economy makes this solution even more powerful. Proximity will drive customers to our downtown businesses and help us showcase what makes Covington a great place to live, work and play in.”

Lexington was the first city to give Proximity a chance when the Lexington & Fayette County Parking Authority partnered with it in October 2025. It was a homecoming of sorts for Murray, who is a graduate of the University of Kentucky.

“From both of those cities’ perspectives, they want parking to be a catalyst for growth in the city,” Murray said. “It might

seem counterintuitive, but the whole point of it is to make sure people don’t leave their cars in a spot all day and [then] people can’t get into a local business. That’s really the whole point of paid parking.”

Murray founded Proximity in 2023 after leaving his corporate accounting career to pursue his entrepreneurial ambitions.

What began as an idea has grown into a company of five employees working to expand.

However much his company grows, Murray said he wants Proximity to remain true to Northern Kentucky. A native of Fort Thomas, Murray acknowledged the NKY entrepreneurial community’s impact on Proximity. Covington-based venture capital firm Connetic Ventures was Proximity’s lead investor. Proximity currently operates out of SparkHaus, the capital building of NKY’s entrepreneurial community.

Looking ahead, Murray’s focus is on entering new agreements with municipalities to expand the company’s footprint. Despite the personal challenges of entrepreneurship, Murray’s motivation stems from pure belief in his idea.

“I like a challenge,” he said. “I think it’s a great idea. The North Star of what this really could be, I think it’s what keeps you driving there.”

NKY on Tap: Fantasy and folklore at Fabled Brew Works

By Joe Schutzman

right out front of the entrance.

Joe Schutzman is a Newport firefighter who loves Northern Kentucky’s culture, sense of place — and beer. Come back each month for a new column on the latest brewery opening, Joe’s seasonal favorites, and more. Find Joe’s previous columns and more on NKY dining at linknky.com.

I can’t get over just how much I enjoyed sampling these different beers, but the real adventure began on my second flight. I had dipped my toes in the water, and now it was time to dive in head first. I tried some of their flavored beers, and one of the standouts was “Plum-p Up the Jam,” a sour ale with plums and vanilla. I also did a flight of meads, amongst which was their “Batman,” a mead with raspberry and blackberry, their “Robin” with strawberry, and their “Bizarro Batman” with raspberries, blackberries, maple syrup, and vanilla bean. And again, I highly recommend doing yourself a favor by sampling these together to really get the full enjoyment and appreciation of the nuances.

I

opened the door and was immediately enamored. A group of folks were gathered around a table. They were in the middle of a Dungeons and Dragons campaign. Across the room, there were five other friends playing a board game, and next to them, a family of four was playing Uno while the mom and dad enjoyed their beers. Before even savouring a single sip, I knew Fabled Brew Works was my kind of place.

The taproom was set up to resemble a medieval town square, the bar being the apothecary, evoking a Tolkienesque theme throughout the space. The ceiling was lit up like a mythical night sky and even had clouds hanging from the ceiling with occasional flashes of lightning running across them. And while the decor and theme were playful, the one thing clearly taken very seriously at Fabled was the craft of brewing.

Despite my unfortunate penchant for drinking the same style of beers on repeat, Fabled offered so many intriguing and original selections that it was delightfully impossible not to venture out of my thirst’s comfort zone.

The folks behind the bar were happy to help

Fabled Brew Works in Erlanger. Photo provided | Fabled Brew Works on Facebook

a newbie like me navigate their vast menu.

They even used my personal preference in beer as a jumping-off point. “The traditional style beers start on the left side of the menu. I’d begin there,” said one of the staff members. “As you move right on the menu, we start adding stuff and things get weirder the further across the menu you go.” I was immediately hooked, on board, and excited for the ride. Fabled had quite intentionally thrown down the gauntlet and bestowed an overt call-to-adventure to anyone entering the door.

Fabled does the basics super well. Their American lager, which they call Paul Bunyan, was straightforward, crisp, and simple. I was also thoroughly impressed with their Kolsch, “A Walk in the Woods” as well as their Czech dark lager, “Czech Ubetcha.” This might have been my personal favorite beer of the evening. They also offer the same beer as a version that has been aged on amburana oak spirals. I highly, highly recommend sampling both versions in succession to fully appreciate the differences.

And as anyone can tell you, when you’re at a brewery that’s new to you, the move is to always go with flights of beers. Courting as many different beers as you can responsibly do throughout an evening is often how you find that one special beer that becomes the love of your life. And as they say, when you fall in love, you simply want to tell the world (I knew I could find a way to mention Schneider Weisse in another article!).

I also absolutely have to mention their Mexican lager “Unlitigated Sea Monster.”

It had the loveliest touch of lime and is one of the most interesting Mexican lagers I’ve tried. It’s definitely a beer I need to experience with street tacos. And that is certainly an option, as Fabled allows patrons to bring their own food into the taproom. Fabled has also partnered with the mobile burger trailer, Gobblin’ Goblin, which is parked

This was my first foray into meads, and I have to say, it’s something I will be returning to when I go back. First of all, it’s ridiculously fitting that this type of brewery would offer mead. Secondly, why aren’t more places doing this? It was an awesome experience.

Located somewhere between fantasy and adventure, Fabled Brew Works delivers all around, from their product to their ambiance to their hospitality. It’s everything I’m looking for in a good local brewery: killer beer and a place that is clearly community-oriented. Next time you’re looking for a fabulous casual evening with friends and family, don’t even think about it, just make a quest to Fabled Brew Works.

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FEBRUARY 6, 2026 11

sports Golsby returns home to lead Holmes football

Hopkins, who announced his retirement late last year after serving in the role on an interim basis.

Holmes is coming off a 2-8 season under Hopkins with 39 players on the KHSAA roster, a step in the right direction for a program that went winless the prior two seasons and snapped a 26-game losing streak.

The Bulldogs have one more year to continue to build the program up in their current two-year opt out period from district play and ineligible for the postseason.

All four NKY programs advance to All “A” semifinals New Holmes Head Football Coach Emanuel Goldsby. Photo provided | Covington Independent Public Schools

Emanuel Golsby has been named as the new head football coach at Holmes High School.

Golsby is a graduate and former player for the Bulldogs.

“I am excited,” said Golsby in a school press release. “It’s home. I’ve always held that school near and dear to my heart.”

Golsby has held several coaching roles throughout the last decade. He served as co-offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach, wide receivers coach and special teams coordinator at Dixie Heights High School. Most recently, he served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Purcell Marian High School in Cincinnati’s East Walnut Hills neighborhood.

He’s also held coaching positions at Turpin High School, New Richmond High School and both Holmes High School and Holmes Middle School.

As a Bulldog, Golsby played wide receiver, running back and defensive back. He graduated from Holmes in 2005.

“He has built a reputation for developing strong relationships with student-athletes, parents and staff while emphasizing discipline, accountability and academic success,” Holmes Athletic Director Ken Ellis said. “He brings a comprehensive understanding of the game, with experience coaching both offense and defense and a strong commitment to preparation, film study and effective communication.”

Golsby will take the reins from Jonathan

It will have to wait a week, but there’s potential for an All-NKY boys and girls final in the All ” A” state tournament.

The Walton-Verona and Newport boys and the Bishop Brossart and Holy Cross girls took care of business in the quarterfinals on Jan. 23 to advance to next week’s semifinals, postponed a week due to the winter storm that hit the state. All four are on opposite sides of the bracket, setting up the potential for two title tilts between NKY schools. The semifinals will be played Feb. 1 with the championship games later in the day back at the Owensboro Sportscenter.

The Feb. 1 schedule is as follows: Sunday, February 1 (Central Time) Girls’ Semifinals • Owensboro Catholic (15-5) vs Bishop Brossart (20-1), 8:00 a.m.

• Lexington Christian Academy (15-5) vs Holy Cross (16-2), 9:30 a.m.

Boys’ Semifinals • Caverna (14-5) vs Walton-Verona (137), 11:00 a.m.

• Newport (13-4) vs Lyon County (15-5), 12:30 p.m.

Girls’ Championship: 3:00 p.m.

Boys’ Championship: 4:30 p.m.

BOYS Walton-Verona 66, Martin County 59 The Bearcats knocked down 12 three-pointers as they took down the Cardinals in the Jan. 23 quarterfinal.

Clay Shearer (20 points), Adam Gutman (18 points) and Wyatt Shearer (17 points) combined for 55 points in the victory as the team distributed the ball with 16 assists on 26 made baskets. Wyatt Shearer

led with eight assists, adding 11 rebounds along with Tatum Thornberry. Cole Dryden pulled down nine rebounds, Clay Shearer with eight as they dominated the rebounding battle 42-22.

Walton-Verona (13-7) held Martin County standout Braxton Keathley to 9-of-23 shooting from the field with 22 points.

The Bearcats overcame another slow start, trailing by 10 in the first and fell behind 1812 after one. They regrouped quickly to trail 32-31 at the half before taking a 48-43 lead into the fourth. Walton-Verona led by as much as 11 in the fourth before closing the contest out despite going 2-of-11 from the free throw line on the night.

Newport 55, Harlan 54 The cardiac ‘Cats were back at it again on Jan. 23 as they pulled out another one-possession victory in overtime against Harlan.

Trailing by six with under three minutes remaining, Newport (13-4) answered with an 8-0 run to get the game to overtime where they survived with a one-point victory. It comes a day after Amontae Lowe beat the buzzer in a first round win over Lexington Christian and also follows a three-point victory over Holy Cross in the 9th Region All “A” championship game.

Irvan Nichols led Newport with 15 points and seven rebounds, hitting 7-of-9 shots from the field. Amontae Lowe followed with 12 points while Keegan Farrell and DeMarco Jackson added nine, Davae Andrews-Glover rounding out the balanced attack with eight points.

Newport won the rebounding battle 36-27 and a 18-6 edge in second chance points.

The Wildcats started strong with a 11-6 lead after one and 21-14 by halftime. Harlan rallied in the third to trim the deficit to 33-30 after three and took a 44-38 lead late into the fourth before the Wildcats comeback.

Jai Johnson led Holy Cross with 18 points in their quarterfinal victory over Lyon County. File photo | Charles Bolton

seven rebounds and three steals.

Lyon County opened with the game’s first four points before the mammoth Holy Cross run and eventually taking a 39-24 lead into the half. Lyon County got within 10 in the third, but could inch no closer from there.

Holy Cross had 14 assists on 19 made baskets.

Bishop Brossart 63, Danville Christian 34 The Lady ‘Stangs raced out to a 36-19 halftime lead and never looked back in picking up their 20th win of the season (20-1).

They eventually got the game to a running clock in the fourth as they were paced by Kylie Smith’s 21 point, seven steal effort.

Greylee Kramer added 20 points as she hit 4-of-6 attempts from deep while Hadley Eviston added 15 points with five rebounds.

Lilee Meyers and Rachel Shewmaker combined for 12 assists.

Brossart held a 27-3 advantage in points off turnovers and outscored DCA 30-10 in the paint.

GIRLS Holy Cross 59, Lyon County 47 Holy Cross used a 29-0 run from the first into the second quarter to build a comfortable lead and advance to next week’s semifinals.

Sponsored by

Jai Johnson led the way with 18 points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals while Alyssa Arlinghaus and Riley Eberhard also stuffed the stat sheet. Arlinghaus had 17 points with five rebounds and two assists while Eberhard had 13 points to go with

THE WEEKLY COMIC by Andrew Buchanan

The LINK nky Team of the Week for January 12-18 presented by Ortho Cincy is the Highlands team. Photo provided | KHSAA

HIGHLANDS DANCE/POM 12 FEBRUARY 6, 2026

Boone County orders demolition of Point Pleasant home deemed unsafe

By Kenton Hornbeck

risk if it remained unoccupied.

B

oone County has ordered for the demolition of a dilapidated house off Point Pleasant Road with a deteriorated foundation.

“I guess the pictures and the GIS make it seem pretty close, obviously, to other properties, but just regarding this process, I mean, if no one accesses the building, it’s not really a risk,” he said.

On Jan. 29, Boone County Code Enforcement officials informed the fiscal court that a home at 3079 Point Pleasant Road in Hebron had received an anonymous complaint from a resident last October, alleging that the property had deteriorated to the point that a code enforcement inspection was warranted.

Code enforcement officers inspected the property in October 2025 and found that the home violated local regulations due to a detached wall and foundation issues.

After the inspection, they contacted the property owner.

The property owner later acknowledged the home’s unsafe conditions in correspondence with code enforcement officials. The owner does not reside at the address. Boone County property records show that he purchased the property for $30,000 in August 2001. On Oct. 14, 2025, the homeowner contacted Boone County to inform them that he did not have the financial resources to fund the demolition at that time.

Under Boone County’s regulations, the county may step in to demolish or repair an unsafe property if an owner fails to comply

However, officials responded by saying the building was too far gone to justify investing resources in stabilizing the structure.

Boone County Judge/Executive Gary Moore outlined the next steps for the property owner.

3079 Point Pleasant Road in Hebron. Photo provided | Boone County

with a hearing board order. Boone County may perform the work itself or hire a contractor, and all related costs, including fines and repair and demolition costs, become a lien on the property.

If a structure poses an immediate danger, the county can proceed with demolition and impose a lien for all related expenses.

Proceeds from salvaged materials are used first to cover these costs, with any remaining funds returned to the owner.

The Boone County Code Enforcement Board held a hearing on Nov. 20, 2025, at which it determined the property to be a public safety concern and approved proceeding with demolition, along with the removal of all materials and debris from the property.

Ultimately, the fiscal court approved a resolution supporting the code enforcement board’s ruling. Boone County will cover the upfront costs from the general fund and invoice the owner, with the option to place a lien if payment is not made. Code enforcement officials said the property owner is aware that he will be invoiced for the full cost of the demolition.

Code enforcement officials shared photos of the building showing a fully collapsed wall and a foundation beginning to cave in.

Moreover, its location on the plot, approximately 20 feet from Point Pleasant Road, raised concerns that the building could spill onto the road if it fully collapsed.

Commissioner Chet Hand asked whether the structure truly posed a public safety

“So what takes place next, the cost — you’ll get quotes, and the cost of this, if you can’t pay the invoice, then there will be a lien put on the property, so then whatever the property would be liquidated, or whatever might happen, or if he chooses to pay off the lien later, he could,” Moore said.

Moore stated that although he is a proponent of personal property rights and protections, he believed the information available in this particular case justified the decision.

“I’m a strong proponent of personal property rights, and I don’t like government going onto someone’s private property and doing something like this, but you’ve well documented the response from the owner, and he’s not objecting — ­ it sounds like he’s wanting us to clean it up, but he can’t afford to do it, so that would cause me to support it,” Moore said.

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FEBRUARY 6, 2026 13

real estate

Crescent Springs home with lake view Address: 2084 Lakelyn Court, Crescent Springs Price: $479,900 Bedrooms: Four Bathrooms: Two (plus one half-bath) Square footage: 2,370 School district: Kenton County County: Kenton Special features: This lakefront home sits on a quiet cul-de-sac in Crescent Springs with lake views. The main level features include a kitchen with newer granite countertops, hardwood floors, ample storage and a bay window overlooking the water, plus a living room with deck access and first-floor laundry. The walkout lower level provides direct access to the lake. A fully paid-off solar panel system offers energy efficiency and reduced electric costs.

The exterior of this Crescent Springs home. Photos provided | Liz Jacobs with Coldwell Banker Realty FM

The lakeview from this home’s back deck.

A view of this home’s kitchen.

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

LEGAL NOTICE – INVITATION TO BID

CITY OF INDEPENDENCE, KENTUCKY KENTON COUNTY LEGAL NOTICE The CITY OF INDEPENDENCE, Kentucky is accepting bids for the MEMORIAL PARK SPLASH PAD. Bids will be received until THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2026, at 2:00 PM. Please visit https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/cityofindependence.

Publishing Date: JANUARY 29, 2026

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

14 FEBRUARY 6, 2026

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• 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 Margie E.Crossword Burke Theby Weekly

Difficulty: Medium

1

4 9 5 8 7 1 9 4/25 - 11/30/25 6 7 1 7 8 4 8 7 4 1 6 2 5 3

Edited by Margie E. Burke

Copyright 2025 by The Puzzle Syndicate

HOW TO SOLVE:

Each row must contain the 1 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 3

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

2 3

by Margie E. Burke

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 ACROSS HOW TO SOLVE: 1 Highest point 15 16 14 5 row Sandler orcontain Scott the Each must 18 19 17 must numbers 1 to 9; each 9 Bodies of column contain organisms the numbers 1 to 9; and 22 21 each of 3ofbythe 3 boxes 20 must 14set Heart contain the numbers 1 23 to 9.

24 25 matter 15 Runner's 26 27 28 29 30 Answer to Previous Sudoku: distance 16 Music exec 34 35 36 3 8 5Davis 4 9 7 131 6 322 33 38 mineral 9 2176Softest 3 8 1 437 5 7 41 40 1 418 7Supporter 5 2 6 339 9 8 20 Over again 43 44 6 1223Plaza 7 Hotel 4 5girl 242 8 9 of kid-lit 48 49 50 51 7 9234Nostalgia2 6 8 5 1 3 45 46 47 54 55 8 5 2inducing 9 1 3 752 4 536 58 57 5 724 1Means 8 of 3 entry 9 656 2 4 26 Media event, 4 6 9informally 1 7 2 859 3 5 60 61 2 328 8Tiny6amount 5 4 962 7 1 63 64 31 Most expansive 34 Grand theft, e.g.

Copyright 2025 by The Puzzle Syndicate 37 Objective 38 Movie Guy? 4 Selected, as 36 Reason for a 49 Skin problem 39 Bugs Bunny from text result 50 Pop a bottle top creator Freleng 5 Shots, for short 40 Before, before 51 Range tops?

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Rita L O O S E S A S S E S S E S 64 Puppy noises 25 Hair raiser?

H E S S E O V A 27 Female hormone L A W T H E M E S DOWN 29 Ending to avoid? S A N D B A N K S A O F A S T E N E R S 1 Someone in a 30 Like Easter eggs E N T E R S A S T I R cast 31 Caesar's eight D A R L E N E R E D U C E D 2 "Frasier" 32 Standards org.

E R O D E A V O I D A B L E surname 33 Evacuation G L E E R E N E W P O K E 3 Punish with a route, often S E E P D E N Y T R E S fine 35 Took a breather

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