LINK Kenton Reader - Volume 4, Edition 21 - April 17, 2026

KENTON

VOLUME 4, ISSUE 21 — APRIL 17, 2026

THE VOICE OF NKY

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The Charlie Kirk Memorial Highway is likely coming to Boone County

By Kenton Hornbeck

L

egislation that would rename a stretch of highway in Boone County after the late conservative influencer Charlie Kirk is currently sitting on the governor’s desk.

Although Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, could veto the legislation, it’s anticipated that the Republican supermajority in the Kentucky General Assembly would likely override the decision.

In January, GOP State Rep. TJ Roberts introduced House Joint Resolution 12 to rename a stretch of State Route 18 in honor of Kirk.

Roberts, who represents northwestern Boone County, was a public supporter of Kirk, describing the influencer as “the preeminent voice of a generation” within the resolution.

Roberts’ legislation calls for the redesignation of over 11 miles of Route 18, from its Continues on page 3

Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk speaks during a campaign rally, Oct. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. Photo provided | AP Photo/John Locher

Ohio advances drag restriction bill, similar efforts stalled in Kentucky

By Haley Parnell

A

s Ohio advances a bill to ban drag performances in public, Kentucky’s recent history shows that similar legislation has already been tried and failed. ​ he Ohio House members approved House T Bill 249 on March 25, which would prohibit drag performances in the presence of minors, placing them under the same restrictions as other adult-oriented entertainment. The bill now moves to the state Senate for consideration. If approved there, it would go to the governor’s desk for a signature.

Molly Mormen. Photo provided | Molly Mormen

​Could a similar bill come to Kentucky? Well,

similar legislation was tried in Kentucky in 2023 with Senate Bill 115 and in 2024 with SB 147, but both ultimately failed. ​ B 115 originally focused on banning drag S shows and other so-called explicit performances from taking place within 1,000 feet of residences, parks, schools and other locations. The bill then shifted to a new version focused on banning performers from public performances where kids could be present, such as at libraries and public parks.

That bill’s primary sponsor, Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, said to the Senate Veterans Military, Public Affairs and Public Protection Committee in 2023. “For some reason, people want this type of content Continues on page 5

McConnell touts $18.5M in NKY funding during visit p6 Independence clears the way for a new retail project p7 KY scientist says a cheek swab could change schizophrenia diagnosis p11

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Community members come together to hold a vigil for Charlie Kirk in Burlington. Photo provided | Rob Stone Photography Continued from page 1

intersection with Route 338 at mile point 0 to the Route 237 underpass at mile point 11.776.

The specific stretch of roadway runs southwest through Burlington — the administrative seat of Boone County — into rural farmland, then continues into the small, unincorporated communities of Belleview and McVille along the Ohio River. These roads are state routes managed by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

Kirk, a prominent conservative activist and media figure, was assassinated on Sept. 10, 2025. A single shot was fired from a distant rooftop, striking him in the neck during his “American Comeback Tour” speaking engagement at Utah Valley University. In addition to his viral college campus debates, Kirk founded the campus activist group Turning Point USA. NPR has called Kirk “arguably the most influential voice in young conservatism” and said he “played a pivotal role in President (Donald) Trump’s return to the White House.”

In the days following the shooting, Roberts hosted a candlelight vigil at Burlington Commons, located at the corner of Route 18 and Jefferson Street, in memory of Kirk.

Roberts told LINK nky that part of the reason he selected the 11-mile stretch of road was because of its involvement with the vigil.

“The place where this road designation is, that’s where I hosted a vigil to honor Charlie, where over 1,000 people came together, united, specifically in condemning political violence and promoting free speech and civil discourse,” he said. “They prayed for this nation, and it is a fitting spot to have that designation.”

The current legislation on the governor’s desk is Senate Joint Resolution 139, originally introduced to rename part of a state highway in Jefferson County after the late police officer Peter Grignon of the Louisville Metro Police Department.

yond its original single designation of Officer Grignon into a broader “omnibus” resolution. At that stage, the legislation served as a vehicle for several highway namings, including the addition of the “Charlie Kirk Memorial Highway” as Section 22 on the resolution. Roberts’ original resolution was officially absorbed into SJR 139.

Section 22 was formally incorporated into the broader bridge and highway naming bill, which was intended to memorialize other notable figures, such as deceased police officers, military veterans, coaches and community leaders.

However, not every lawmaker was on board with the addition of the “Charlie Kirk Memorial Highway” section. Democrat State Rep. Matt Lehman of Newport — the lone Democratic representative in Northern Kentucky — introduced Amendment 1, which called for the removal of Section 22 that referenced Kirk.

During a Kentucky House of Representa-

In March, the resolution was expanded be-

Continues on page 4

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Continued from page 1

tives legislative session on April 1, Lehman explained his reasoning, arguing that his proposed amendment was more about consistency in who Kentucky chooses to honor through renaming roads and bridges, rather than Charlie Kirk himself.

“My argument here is not about the content of what Mr. Kirk may or may not have talked about,” Lehman said. “It’s not a statement about how horrific his murder was, or his rights to speak as he did. I’d also like to note, we have a lot of Kentuckians, we have presidents — Zachary Taylor — has no honorary road naming in this state. We have a lot of high-profile, national figures that we have not made honorary highway or bridge namings for.”

Furthermore, Lehman questioned the need to dedicate a portion of state-owned infrastructure after Kirk, who was neither a native Kentuckian nor appeared to have any clear ties to the Bluegrass State. Kirk grew up in Arlington Heights, Ill., and was living in Scottsdale, Ariz., at the time of his death.

Charlie Kirk speaking with attendees at the 2025 Young Women's Leadership Summit at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas. Photo provided | Wikimedia Commons

“Last year, I think all of us became aware of the brutal and unwarranted assassination of Mr. Charlie Kirk,” Lehman said. “I’d like to think I speak for all of us here that none of us condone any type of violence, and especially any type of political violence. But the simple fact is that Mr. Kirk is not a Ken-

tuckian. I was not really aware of who he was before this tragedy last September. I’ve learned since that time he appears to have been an engaging young man, engaging in his rights to free speech, trying to debate people on college campuses. He’s also quite controversial. Some of what he’s said was clearly divisive.”

Lehman’s amendment was ultimately defeated in a 73-18 vote.

Roberts criticized Democrats who opposed his “Charlie Kirk Memorial Highway” effort in comments to LINK nky.

“Every Democrat in the legislature who was seated at the time, voted against a resolution that was designed to commemorate an assassination victim who was 31 years old and a father of two who was killed for speaking ideas that other people disagreed with, and that is an indictment of the party,” he said. “That is not an indictment of my resolution.”

In early 2025, Roberts proposed a resolution to rename a similar section of highway in rural Boone County after Trump, arguing the then-president-elect was worthy of recognition. Roberts has been a longtime supporter of Trump. Although the resolution generated media buzz, it failed to pass.

This is a developing story. For the latest updates head to linknky.com.

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Continued from page 1

the love of children,” Williams said after the Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee, where SB 115 passed in 2023.

in front of children, and I would dare ask, ‘Why, why do we need to sexualize our children? ‘” Similar language appears in Ohio’s HB 249.

It would prohibit “adult cabaret performances” outside of designated adult venues. The bill would ban such performances in locations where minors could be present, including Pride events, parks and libraries.

Mormen said drag performers have existed before these bills, and they will still be here even if the bills pass.

“The idea of those who are performing in genders that they are not necessarily assigned at birth has been around for millennia,” Mormen said. “You look at Shakespeare, you look at Kabuki, you look at these cultures that existed for hundreds, if not thousands, of years, before our country even was on the map.”

Michael Wilson, who performs as Molly Mormen across Ohio and Kentucky, has been a drag performer for nearly 14 years.

Mormen moved to the area from Utah, where she grew up Mormon, hence the name. After coming out and losing contact with her parents for five-and-a-half years, Mormen came to Northern Kentucky in search of community and found drag.

Mormen said the minute people start worrying about what people wear outside the character of their person, how they learn, how they carry themselves day to day, it tells her more about society than it does about the people these bills are trying to target.

She performed exclusively for charity for a couple of years before building a following and getting booked at local bars and other venues as a paid performer.

On the practical side of things, while Mormen holds a master’s degree and has a successful career outside of drag, she said the world is very expensive, between student loans, bills and the cost of living. Drag allows her to express herself, but it also helps bring in extra cash on the side.

Aside from performances in NKY and Cincinnati, Mormen has performed in places like Monroe, Ohio; Toledo, Cleveland, Lexington and Louisville. She also hosts NKY Pride and is hosting Boone County Pride this year.

“What I will say is kind of different between the Northern Kentucky scene and the Cincinnati side of the river is that, I think there’s a little bit more of an eagerness to welcome entertainers from all different areas and surrounding areas, (in NKY) and to really celebrate those who maybe aren’t as local and specific to the area,” Mormen said. “We’re here to celebrate all of us and to give voices in ways that really celebrate the diversity of our community. I’m not saying that doesn’t happen on the Cincinnati side, but I feel like there’s a little bit more of an openness to bring kind of that southern hospitality that maybe ends at the river.”

SB 115 in Kentucky would have empowered the state’s attorney general, as well as county attorneys and individual citizens, to bring suit against a business that operates in violation of the law. It would also apply the same treatment to other enterprises it views as harmful to children, including adult cabarets, escort services, adult movie

Molly Mormen performs at an event. Photo provided | Molly Mormen

theaters and shops selling sexually explicit materials.

the parent’s responsibility to manage that with their child.

Under the proposed legislation across the river with HB 249, individuals found in violation of restrictions on performances deemed “harmful to minors” could face up to 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. The offense would be classified as a first-degree misdemeanor, but could rise to a felony for repeat offenders.

“I can promise you that if you look at what is happening now and the sheer quantity and volumes of predators and people who assault others, especially children and other vulnerable communities, it is not drag queens,” Mormen said. “Let’s look at the folks who are actually committing those crimes and being charged with those charges.”

Mormen said a bar venue is already limited to those age 18 or 21-plus, and she questioned what exactly these bills were trying to stop from happening other than public displays, which would mean canceling drag performances at things like Pride festivals.

Mormen further said that if a parent doesn’t want their child to be somewhere, then it is

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After the Senate passed the bill in 2023, NKY Sen. Gex Williams, R-Verona, said on the Senate floor that the bill was about love for children, a sentiment he expressed earlier in the session.

“I think if you look at this bill, you see it’s for

“It’s a part of who I am, but it’s also that career that helps me live as a person,” she said. “It helps pay for my bill. So having this constant fear year after year after year of whether or not I’m going to be able to continue to survive and live and pay my bills based on the model that’s been established for me can be very, very terrifying.”

After SB 115 passed the Senate, it was sent to the Kentucky House and referred to the House Committee on Committees. It was then returned to the Committee on Committees and stalled there.

In 2024, Tichenor had a reworked version of SB 115 with SB 147. The focus of the bill was regulating “adult-oriented businesses” and sexually explicit performances. The bill once again passed the Senate and advanced in the House, but stalled and died before becoming law.

Mark Payne and Noah Jones’ reporting contributed to this story.

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McConnell touts $18.5M in NKY funding during Erlanger visit

By Haley Parnell

​ he Life Learning Center is a nonprofit orT ganization dedicated to helping at-risk individuals overcome barriers like poverty, addiction or incarceration to achieve stable employment and a better quality of life.

U

.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell stopped in Erlanger on April 7 to talk about his securing of approximately $18.5 million in federal funding for Northern Kentucky projects.

​ife Learning Center’s vice president of L operations, Tony Josselyn, spoke about the funding at the press conference.

First announced in February, the money will support transportation, infrastructure, defense and education projects in the region. The funding for the projects was included in the congressionally approved federal appropriations bill. “​ I’m finishing up 42 years, and my attitude about this has remained the same no matter who was in the White House,” McConnell said. “My job was to help our medium-sized state punch above its weight to be able to compete against California, New York and other big states, and to designate where that funding should go.”

The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport will receive $7.5 million to reconstruct a portion of Taxiway M critical to cargo flight operations, followed by another $2 million to reconstruct an apron serving all 21 gates at Concourse A. “These are really critical infrastructure projects,” said CVG Airport CEO Larry Krauter. “The pavement at the concourse, an apron, as an example, is over 40 years old, well beyond its useful life, and it’s obviously time to take all that pavement out and replace it with new pavement that will have a very good extension of life all around our gate areas.”

J​osselyn said the funding will help replicate its Covington model at other sites at Moorhead, Ky., Somerset, Ky. and Bowling Green, Ky.

U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, CVG Airport CEO Larry Krauter, Covington Mayor Ron Washington and Life Learning Center VP of Operations Tony Josselyn speak at a press conference in Erlanger on April 7, 2026.

Photo by Haley Parnell | LINK nky

​ urthermore, Krauter said Taxiway M is F still asphalt, and the funding will help pave it with concrete. That taxiway, he said, is used by heavy, wide-body aircraft, from the airport’s air cargo carriers like DHL and Amazon.

​ ovington Mayor Ron Washington said the C Covington Central Riverfront Project is a cornerstone of the city’s long-term redevelopment strategy. The project includes turning 23 acres of former vacant commercial land into a mixed-use neighborhood.

“​ Even more importantly, I think, is that these projects, and leader McConnell knows, are more than just about concrete,” Krauter said. “They’re about people, and they’re about long-term growth and economic prosperity.”

“​ That park will be more than just a green space,” Washington said. “It will be a place where families from across Covington can gather and connect, and more residents and visitors alike can take in some of the most beautiful views of the Ohio River and the Cincinnati skyline.”

​ he city of Covington will receive $4.5 milT lion for the Covington Central Riverfront Podium and Land Bridge Infrastructure project, which includes a parking garage with more than 600 spaces, a riverfront podium and a land bridge at the former IRS site.

​ ovington’s Life Learning Center will reC ceive $2.7 million. The funds will support life skills training, career readiness programs, job placement and recovery services for individuals impacted by substance abuse and the opioid epidemic.

I​n 2025, Josselyn said the Life Learning Center had 389 graduates, an increase of more than 100 from 2024. To successfully graduate from the program, individuals have to be “meaningfully employed” or pursuing post-secondary education. “​ The Life Learning Center, we’re not enablers,” Josselyn said. “We provide resources, but we make sure that people work for those resources.” ​ urlington’s Kentucky National Guard faB cility will also receive $1.875 million. The funds will be used to furnish the Kentucky National Guard’s vehicle maintenance shop in Burlington. ​ cConnell said that in his 42 years, he has M secured $65 billion in funding for Kentucky. “​ Why does this community stand out?” McConnell said. “Great airport, major metropolitan area, one of the biggest growth centers in the commonwealth.”

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Independence approves development plan for new Goodwill store

By Nathan Granger

A

new Goodwill store is likely coming to Independence at the intersection of State Route 17 and McCullum Pike.

The new store will replace the current store off Route 16 (Taylor Mill Road) when Goodwill’s lease expires in October. The new store is set to open early next year, according to Ohio Valley Goodwill CEO Mark Hiemstra, hopefully in January or February, depending on when they can finalize the purchase of the land.

“Think of a more purpose-built facility,” Hiemstra said of the new building before the Independence City Council on April 6.

The east side of the proposed Goodwill store at the intersection of State Route 17 and McCullum Pike.

Rendering provided | The City of Independence

The store is set to go into a site of 2.4 acres of vacant land at the aforementioned intersection. Zoning for the area had been approved back in the early 2010s, so the company’s development plan had to get the green light from the city council but not from the county planning commission.

Two council members, Greg Steffen and Greg Waite, voted against approving the plan. The rest of the council voted in favor of it.

and 2012, when a steering committee of community members met 19 times and held two public meetings over a roughly 18-month period to collect public feedback on what ought to go there. The results of the process were presented to the city council at the time, which later enacted the creation of a special zone called a GMU. The land itself, as well as several surrounding areas, was rezoned as GMU by the end of 2012.

City documents show attempts to meaningfully develop the land date back to 2011

The city revised its zoning regulations in 2022. The land was re-zoned to a new

planned unit development zone, or PUD, but development conditions set forth in the previous GMU zone were kept. Several senior, multi-family housing developments are standing on adjacent lots, and comments at the April 6 meeting suggested the plans developed in 2011 and 2012 had deteriorated over time; what was left resembles any other mixed-used development.

“It just sort of strikes me that this was a bad idea a long time ago, and we’re just left to deal with the remnants of it,” Steffen said.

Mayor Chris Reinersman said a previous council had “deviated from that plan.”

“It’s not the end of the world,” Reinersman said. “It’s just it’s not what we initially envisioned there.”

A map showing the area slated for development. Map provided | Kenton County Planning and Development Services

The new store’s development plan calls for 17,855 square feet and would contain a retail area, loading bay and a stockroom.

Existing detention basins on the site will be landscaped. Although the store will feature a drive-up donation drop area, people will not be able to drop off donations after hours. Kenton County planning professionals, who had reviewed the plan, recommended adding a sidewalk along Route 17.

Some of the council members expressed worries about the building’s appearance.

Waite and Council Member Carol Franzen both commented that the renderings made the building look like a warehouse. Reinersman said the windows, which will be facing Route 17, on the building were meant to offset that appearance.

“Our intention is to look like the rest of the community,” Heimstra said.

After some more discussion, the council cast its 4-2 vote in favor.

Goodwill was founded in 1916. The company operates around 4,200 store locations in 14 countries. Earlier this month, the organization opened its 22nd store in the Ohio Valley region.

A site plan for the proposed Goodwill in Independence. Drawing produced by Erpenbeck Consulting Engineers, Inc. Drawing provided | The City of Independence.

APRIL 17, 2026 7

kenton county briefs Global Business Solutions considers relocating to Covington

Board of Commissioners before the commissioners’ meeting suggest the company would have to invest about $6.8 million in capital to make the move. If it does finalize the move, the city expects the company to bring in about $4 million per year in new payroll and $1.1 million (or about $840,000, after incentives) over the course of 10 years.

“This is an investment of about 3:1 for the city,” said Covington Business Attraction Manager Susan Smith.

A Global Business Solutions worker. Photo provided | Global Business Solutions

Global Business Solutions, or GBS, an integrated IT company currently located in Newport, is considering moving its headquarters to the former Wadsworth Electric Manufacturing building in Covington, possibly bringing 57 jobs with it.

GBS provides integrated IT services, which entails both normal workplace computer infrastructure as well as security measures, for several cities in the region, including Florence and Covington. The company has provided managed IT services for Covington City Hall since 2021 and will be installing the IT infrastructure at the new City Hall building on Scott Street.

Property records indicate that GBS founder and President Gaby Batshoun purchased the building in late March (through an LLC) for $5.4 million. Additionally, the City of Covington is set to offer a business incentive to the company to encourage it to move; the incentive appeared on the consent agenda for the Covington Board of Commissioners earlier this month. In spite of this, Batshoun emphasized to LINK nky that the move hadn’t been finalized yet and that it’s still up in the air.

“We’re exploring,” Batshoun said, adding that the company had been looking at other properties, including ones in Newport, since about 2021. “This location presented itself, and we’re going to see if it works out.”

Documents from the city’s Department of Economic Development submitted to the

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The incentive is a 1.25% reimbursement of payroll taxes per year over the course of five years. The company will have to successfully generate at least the aforementioned $4 million per year in order to qualify for reimbursement, for which it will need to submit an application to the city. Ideally, the company would bring in more jobs over the course of 10 years than the initial 57 slated for the first year of its relocation.

The city’s Economic Development Department put the base salary of the new jobs at $70,600, or $88,300 with benefits.

Mayor Ron Washington pointed out at the commissioners’ meeting that the company would be moving from a neighboring city, Newport, to relocate to Covington. He asked if there was an explicit policy about this.

“We do not actively go out and recruit businesses to move from another community to Covington…,” said Economic Development Director Tom West. “They approached us; we don’t go poaching.”

“I thought that was important that we get

The Wadsworth Electric building, circa 2017, located at 20 W. 11th St. in Covington, where Global Business Solutions hopes to relocate. Photo provided | Kenton County Property Valuation Administrator

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that on the record for our sister city,” Washington said.

The commissioner will cast a final vote on the business incentive later this month.

Dixie Highway conversion still draws concerns from residents

Dixie Highway. Photo provided | WCPO

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 6, or KYTC, came out to Elsmere on the night of April 7 to present on a now-paused traffic conversion of a portion of U.S. Route 25, also known as Dixie Highway, which drew outcry from both local residents and elected leaders earlier this year.

One thing was clear at the meeting: Concerns persist, even if cabinet representatives emphasized the project was still up in the air.

“The decision to do this or not do this has not been made,” KYTC District 6 Chief Engineer Bob Yeager told attendees, who had expressed many of the same concerns that came up when the project first made waves in February.

The meeting was the first in a series of public info sessions about the conversion; meetings have also been scheduled in Florence and Erlanger later this spring and summer. The plan for the conversion struck a chord earlier this year after local (and some state) leaders from Elsmere, Erlanger and Florence took to social media to oppose the plan, which they characterized as being implemented without public knowledge or input.

“We didn’t consider it a secret,” said Yeager at an Erlanger City Council meeting in February. “We just didn’t tell anybody.”

The outcry led the cabinet to pause the project to allow for more public input.

“After we get all the input from the cities and the residents, we’ll get together with the central office in Frankfort and make some kind of determination as to what the next steps are,” said Mike Bezold, project manager with the cabinet.

and Commonwealth Avenue. The proposed reconfiguration affects three cities through which it runs: Florence, Erlanger and Elsmere, The road serves as a primary thoroughfare through those cities.

The proposed reconfiguration would turn the road’s current structure of four lanes (two in each direction separated by yellow lines) to three lanes (one in each direction with a shared left-turn lane in the middle).

Configurations like this have been dubbed as “road diets” and are purportedly safer than older four-lane configurations.

Other proposed changes include the addition of a four-foot safety buffer between the sidewalk and the vehicle lanes, a resurfacing of the road between Turfway and Commonwealth, the installation of radar traffic detectors, drainage improvements, curb repairs and other quality-of-life improvements.

The cabinet hopes the reconfiguration will improve safety.

“You’ve heard us talk about safe streets for all … including pedestrians,” Yeager said.

“I realize that we’re not going to improve congestion. That’s not the point of this. The point is to make that road safer.”

“Over the past five years, there have been 640 crashes within this corridor,” according to KYTC’s website. “This number is two times higher than comparable corridors across Kentucky. Following other roadway reconfigurations across the state, there has been a 19% to 47% reduction in crashes, reduced vehicle speed differential and improved mobility and access for all road users.”

LINK nky cross-referenced this figure with collision data from the Kentucky State Police, which collects data from local departments. From the beginning of January 2020 to the end of March 2026, there were 808 collisions on Dixie Highway in the area of the road reconfiguration, according to the Kentucky State Police. That includes fatal and non-fatal crashes.

Many of the residents at the meeting worried about the effect the conversion would have on traffic flow, congestion, emergency access and impact to the retail businesses along the corridor.

“I’m on the road all day long,” said Phil Wieland. “I just think it’s stupid. When traffic is on 75 backed up from an accident, this is backed up.”

Bezold added that if the project were to occur, the cabinet would like to have it completed before winter. Finally, Bezold informed LINK nky that pothole repair on the corridor has already begun, and the road will be resurfaced, regardless of if the conversion takes place.

Dixie Highway is a federal road (that runs through multiple states) maintained by the commonwealth. The area in question falls between the intersections at Turfway Road

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 6 Chief Engineer Bob Yeager speaks at the open house on April 7, 2026. Photo by Nathan Granger | LINK nky

kenton county briefs • Erlanger open house: Tuesday, May 5, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Erlanger City Building on Commonwealth Avenue.

Catholic Charities’ Cassba fundraiser returns in August A map showing the parts of U.S. Route 25 (Dixie Highway) affected by the proposed conversion.

Map provided | Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, District 6

The event is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 23, from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Drees Pavilion in Devou Park. More details about the event, including ticketing information, will be released later this year, but the organization is encouraging attendees to mark their calendars now.

“If there’s a way to make it bigger, that would be the way I would go,” said Larry Weis, whose wife owns a business on the corridor. “Make it bigger, not smaller.”

Jeff Niceley, a local business owner who’s running for Kenton county commissioner, was one of the few people at the meeting who seemed open to the conversion.

“I think something needs to be done,” Niceley said. “I don’t have any better ideas without widening the road.”

“This special afternoon will bring the community together in support of the vital ministries of Catholic Charities and the people we serve,” reads a press release from the organization. “Attendees can look forward to great music, delicious food, silent and live auctions, raffles and more, all set against the scenic backdrop of Devou Park.”

Attendees at a previous Cassba event. Photo provided | Catholic Charities, Diocese of Covington

The cabinet will host similar open houses in late April and early May. Time and location information for those open houses is below. You can get more information about the project at the cabinet’s project webpage.

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Covington’s annual Cassba fundraising event will return in August. This year’s theme will be “Stars & Service: Honoring America at 250 and Catholic Charities at 95 Years of Love and Action.” It will celebrate both the 250th anniversary of the United States and 95 years of service from the organization.

• Florence open house: Thursday, April 23, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Florence Government Center on Ewing Boulevard

The event serves as one of the organization’s flagship fundraising events, and any money raised will go to support the organization’s service efforts.

Those interested in sponsorship opportunities should contact Ellen Wira by emailing her at ewira@covingtoncharities.org or calling her at 859-669-3635. Stay up to date with announcements about the event at Catholic Charities’ dedicated webpage.

which is not part of the Riverwalk, will also close. Trail users will have to detour onto a temporary route along Rivercenter Boulevard, West Third Street and Highway/Crescent Avenue, or State Route 8. Signs will be installed to direct trail users to the detour.

The detour will be open to both cyclists and pedestrians. Rivercenter Boulevard will undergo re-striping to allow for a 10-foot, two-way bike lane inside the existing roadway. Pedestrians will have to use the sidewalk.

On Highway/Crescent Avenue, the northside sidewalk will be widened to accommodate a shared-use path for both cyclists and pedestrians. A concrete barrier will be installed to separate trail users from vehicle traffic.

Covington Riverwalk detour begins next month The Covington Riverwalk will undergo a detour beginning May 1 as construction on the Brent Spence replacement bridge project begins.

A map showing the Riverwalk detour. Map provided | Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 6

Specifically, roughly half a mile between Wright Street and Rivercenter Boulevard will close. The nearby ABM Parking Lot,

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APRIL 17, 2026 9

If more Northern Kentuckians knew how much primaries matter, would more of them vote?

By Meghan Goth

A

n average of 11% of people voted in the primary election in Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties in 2024.

Eleven percent.

Even though races you’ll be voting for on May 19 won’t necessarily be as sexy as a presidential or gubernatorial race, they’ll have a lot more impact on your daily life.

Voters will get the chance to weigh in on U.S. Senate and Congressional races, but it’s the local city and county races that Shane Noem, a lobbyist and the chair of the Kenton County Republican Party, said will have the biggest immediate impact on your life.

First, make sure you’re aware of the hyper-local issues, because those are the ones most likely to affect your everyday lives, Noem said.

“Cities and school boards raise taxes higher and faster and lower them faster than any other body of government,” Noem said.

Healthcare and education are two of the biggest issues that are on Kentuckians’ minds right now, Noem said.

“A lot of our elections are going to be focused on who can right the ship in a big way,” Noem said. “And the issues that matter the most to Kentuckians right now are health and education.”

So if you are focused on how those two things directly affect your family or those around you, this is a great way to make your voice heard.

Another thing to keep in mind in Northern Kentucky is just how many elected bodies there are. In just LINK nky’s coverage area, there are three counties, 13 school districts and 36 cities and municipalities.

Because of that fragmentation, one key is making sure that the people we elect into office in May work well together, said Trey

Grayson, an attorney and former Kentucky secretary of state.

Blevins has published two books about social media’s effect on the nation’s political landscape.

When it comes to things like housing, transportation and workforce, Grayson said, decisions about who is leading the county could have the biggest impact locally. “I think that regionalism is going to kind of be on the ballot,” Grayson said.

He said that as the country has become increasingly politicized, national politics have started to predominate everything.

Combine that with social media, which allows politicians to directly reach their constituents without “receipts,” as Blevins said, and the need for local discourse on local TV and in local newspapers has been seen as largely unnecessary.

Things like housing or transportation can’t be solved within city limits, so Grayson’s recommendation for voters is to pay attention to whether candidates prioritize regionalism and working together — or not.

“Look at what’s happening nationally as well,” Blevins said. “There has been an ongoing discourse about how the elections are rigged and illegal (immigrants) are voting.”

“Housing doesn’t stop at a city or a county line,” Grayson said.

Right now, Grayson said, NKY has elected officials who work together pretty well to solve regional problems. If that is something voters want to continue, they will need to be aware of the priorities of who they are voting for.

On the other hand, if you’re interested in keeping counties more separate, that’s something to keep in mind at the polls as well.

“Making sure we are communicating that to the candidates, and then choosing candidates who prioritize those things,” Grayson said.

Then there’s AI. Yes, how you vote next year will affect that, too.

With U.S. Senate and Congressional races happening this year, along with state legislative seats up for grabs, whoever is voted into office is going to be creating the policies that regulate AI in the years to come.

Because AI has been relatively ubiquitous thus far, Grayson said, there aren’t policies that currently exist. But they will need to be made in the coming years.

“Whoever wins these races, they’re going to be in the position to set some of these initial policies that have never existed before,” Grayson said.

The exterior of the Tower Park Mess Hall during Election Day 2024. Photo by Maggy McDonel | LINK nky

Whose responsibility is it to get people to the polls?

Given the voter turnout by county in the 2024 primary (Campbell was 10.4%, Boone was 12.6% and Kenton was 9.7%, according to Kentucky’s State Board of Elections), what actually motivates people to go to the polls, and whose responsibility is it to get them there?

“Voters are typically motivated to turnout in higher numbers when things aren’t working,” Noem said. “In Kentucky, voters are quite happy with the Republican-led transformation of our state and region.”

So maybe people aren’t voting because they’re happy with how things are.

But could it also be because NKY residents aren’t aware of how important local races can be to voters’ everyday lives?

Maybe that’s the point, said University of Cincinnati professor of public and international affairs, Jeff Blevins.

“If you’re an incumbent, do you need voter turnout?” Blevins said.

So, Blevins said, it might make sense to create less awareness for people who are less likely to vote for you. All of that is happening in an increasingly polarized world in which there is a sense of preordainment as to the results of elections, he said.

To that end, people aren’t just fed vetted information about elections the way they were before social media became what it is. Because they get the information they want fed to them through algorithms, Blevins said there’s not as much of a recognized need to go seek the information out from sources directly.

But, Noem said, that’s an oversimplification of what’s happening in NKY. “It’s worth noting that NKY has inflated voter rolls due to the thriving transient nature of our region,” Noem said. “Due to proximity to Cincinnati and CVG more people moving in and moving out at any moment, it takes time for voter registration to catch up with where they are.”

That, he said, skews the registration data several points each election compared to other regions around the state.

“We are likely on par or greater than the state average if you adjust for that transience that Louisville and Lexington don’t experience,” Noem said.

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Could cheek swabs someday diagnose schizophrenia?

Kentucky scientist believes so

By Sarah Ladd | Kentucky Lantern

A

University of Kentucky scientist has found two markers that can be collected through a cheek swab and indicate the presence of schizophrenia.

Bonnie L. Firestein, a professor and chair in the Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences at the UK College of Medicine, published her findings in early March in Science Advances after about a decade working on the concept.

She hopes to expand her research in the coming years with the goal of having an easy-to-use test available to patients within a decade.

Diagnosing schizophrenia now includes multiple steps — physical and mental health exams, tests and screens and potentially blood work to test which medication is best for that person, according to the Mayo Clinic.

People who have schizophrenia may experience “delusions (false beliefs), hallucina-

tions (seeing or hearing things that don’t exist), unusual physical behavior and disorganized thinking and speech,” according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Antipsychotic medications and therapy can help manage these symptoms.

About 1% of the U.S. population is on the schizophrenia spectrum, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Firestein believes having a test like the one she is working toward would make for objective testing and help decrease stigma around the mental health condition.

“I think that it’s getting better. People are recognizing that mental illness is exactly that: It’s an illness. It’s nothing to be ashamed of,” Firestein said. “It’s like having cancer. I think that if we can show that there is a biological basis, people are much more accepting.”

The study For her study, Firestein had 27 patients with diagnosed schizophrenia who had no

other neurological or psychiatric disorder and 27 control patients who had no diagnoses of neurological or psychiatric disorders. All participants were between 18 and 65 years old.

The participants who had diagnosed schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder took their medicines during the study and though most had at least one previous hospitalization for psychosis, none were in an inpatient program during the study.

The research revealed two markers, Sp4 mRNA and the HSP60 protein, can be collected through a cheek swab in one minute and indicate the person has schizophrenia.

It’s a long way from working independent of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Firestein said. These two biomarkers are a great start, she said, but “I don’t think two biomarkers is enough” to definitively diagnose at this point.

She wants to expand the research to a larger population, study any differences in patients based on their race or gender and study patients in their first episode, which

Bonnie L. Firestein is a professor and chair of the UK College of Medicine’s Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences. Photo provided | Kentucky Lantern

“refers to when a person first shows signs of losing contact with reality,” according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI. “We have to figure out how many biomarkers would be definitive,” she explained. “I’d say, at the beginning, in the early stages, you’d use the DSM with this to confirm.”

UK is licensing the technology from this research, “ensuring that future research and clinical expansion will continue in Lexington,” the university said in a March release about the study.

“The more research we do in this area, the better we’ll be able to home in on exactly what type of disorder patients have,” Firestein said, “and also what the underlying mechanism is.”

Resources There are resources available for Kentuckians who have a schizophrenia diagnosis:

About 1% of the U.S. population is on the schizophrenia spectrum, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Photo provided | Getty Images

• For urgent help, call or text the 988 Suicide Prevention Lifeline • The Medicaid program RISE offers home and community-based services • The iHOPE program through New Vista helps people with the diagnosis and their families understand schizophrenia and access resources. The program has a 24-hour helpline, which is 1-800-928-8000

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sports KY-OH All-Star game features eight from NKY

Hill resigns at Holmes after two seasons

inated as an idea to help the Ronald McDonald House charity, by organizing an All-Star Basketball Game between senior boys and girls.

The game was organized in 1991, with the first games being played between boys and girls occurring in April of 1992 at the James A. Rhodes Athletic Center on the campus of Shawnee State University in downtown Portsmouth, Ohio. The game has been played at Thomas More since 2002.

Lloyd Memorial High School’s Anthony Blaackar is one of three from Northern Kentucky on the Kentucky roster in the Kentucky-Ohio All-Star game.

Photo provided | Charles Bolton

The 33rd annual Kentucky-Ohio high school All-Star basketball games taking place at Thomas More will have quite a few from Northern Kentucky in it.

Teams are picked by a committee of people that have played a big part in organizing and strategizing the event over the years.

The rosters released last have three boys from NKY on the Kentucky roster and five girls from NKY on the Kentucky roster.

Covington Catholic’s Athens McGillis and Donovan Bradshaw and Lloyd Memorial’s Anthony Blaackar will represent the Kentucky boys looking to get the series back on their side after a 110-109 thrilling loss to Ohio last season.

Holy Cross alum Jacob Meyer, Lloyd Memorial alum EJ Walker and Newport alum DeShaun Jackson have all announced their intentions to hit the transfer portal and potentially play for a new college basketball program next season.

Simon Kenton’s duo of Haylie Webb and Anna Kelch along with Notre Dame’s Emma Holtzapfel, Cooper’s Addyson Brissey and Campbell County’s Isabella Jayasuriya will represent on the Kentucky girls roster.

Meyer has already made his presence felt in college, scoring his 1,000th career point this past season for the University of Ala-

A slam dunk competition, 1-on-1, 2-on3 and a 3-point shootout will all kick off the event. All games and contests will be streamed on 859 Sports Radio.

Ohio leads the Kentucky boys in the series, 19-13.

Kentucky’s girls lead the all-time series, 1714.

Jacob Meyer announced he is entering the transfer portal. Photo provided | UAB athletics

THE WEEKLY COMIC

by Andrew Buchanan

Deshaun Jackson played in 58 games in two seasons for Mercyhurst University. Photo provided | Mercyhurst Athletics

She took over a young team in 2024 with six of the nine players on the roster freshman or sophomores as they worked their way up to playing varsity basketball for the 2025-26 season. They won nine games this past year and posted a 9-13 record, a season after opting out of varsity play with so much youth on the roster.

bama-Birmingham. After starting his career at Coastal Carolina for one season, Meyer transferred to DePaul for a year before landing at UAB. Next year will mark his fourth school in four years. He has 1,127 points in the three seasons and is coming off a year at UAB where he averaged 12.4 points per game on 45% shooting from the field. He holds the 9th Region scoring record with 3,233 points.

This past year’s team had just one senior on the roster mixed in with two juniors, a sophomore, seven freshman and eight middle schoolers. They were led by senior Jayda Hill’s 11.3 points per game while eighth graders Brooklyn Brown and Aubrey Wilson put up 7.7 and 6.7 points per game, respectively. Freshman Lunden Scott posted 6.8 points per game and junior Carlie Riley with 5.2 points per game.

Walker was initially going to take a redshirt season at South Carolina, but impressed and eventually worked his way into the starting lineup for the Gamecocks. He appeared in 22 games in his freshman season, receiving valuable playing time in one of the nation’s premier conferences in the SEC. He averaged 16 minutes of playing time, scoring 2.9 points per game with 2.7 rebounds a contest. Walker is Lloyd Memorial’s all-time scoring leader.

Hill previously coached the seventh grade girls basketball team at Holmes Middle School. She began her high school basketball career at Holmes and played for the Bulldogs as a sophomore. She concluded her career at Boone County where she played alongside area great Sydney Moss for legendary coach Nell Fookes. Hill was a Northern Kentucky Girls Basketball Coaches Association East-West senior all-star for Boone County in 2012. Hill earned all-9th Region and all-33rd District recognition at Boone County.

Jackson has played in 58 games in two seasons for Mercyhurst, his production level nearly doubling from his freshman to sophomore year. He went from 3.3 to 6.0 points per game, 12.7 to 22.4 minutes per game, 1.5 to 3.0 assists per game and 1.4 to 3.0 rebounds per game. He helped guide Newport to the 9th Region championship in 2024 and was named the All “A” state tournament MVP that season in the Wildcats first ever All “A” title.

While the official transfer portal didn’t open until April 7, many across the nation have already announced their intentions to enter the portal. As of March 31, according to Jeff Goodman of Field of 68, over 800 players had already announced they were entering the portal. The total number last year was 2,300.

The new state of college basketball? Not a single player in Michigan’s starting five, one of two competing for the national championship, started their college career at Michigan.

12 APRIL 17, 2026

Zuri Hill resigned as the Holmes High School girls basketball coach after two seasons with the team.

Photo provided

After two seasons at post of the Holmes girls basketball team, Zuri Hill has resigned.

Former NKY prep standouts hitting transfer portal One will be headed to his fourth school in four years while the other two are hitting the transfer portal for the first time in their college careers.

The Kentucky-Ohio All-Star Game orig-

EJ Walker will be departing from the University of South Carolina after one season. Photo provided | USC Athletics

Hill, from Covington, finished her college basketball career at Lincoln University. She began her college career at Volunteer State Community College, earning first team all-conference honors. She then played at St. Louis Community College where she earned first team all-region and all-conference recognition.

Hill replaced Tracy Pope, who parted ways with the program after two seasons.Her departure creates four head coach openings in Northern Kentucky, the other three at Cooper, Dayton and St. Henry.

The coach opening has been posted to the Covington Independent Schools website.

KY man challenges constitutionality of child sex doll ban.

AG pushes back.

Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman speaks at child abuse prevention rally to kick off Child Abuse Prevention Month at at Family & Children’s Place in Louisville on April 2, 2026. Photo by Sarah Ladd | Kentucky Lantern

By Sarah Ladd | Kentucky Lantern

A

Union County man is challenging — with pushback from Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman — a 2024 law that criminalized the possession of child sex dolls.

Kenneth Moore, 50, was charged in August last year, according to court records, with a total of 16 counts of possession or viewing matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor, promoting a sexual performance by a minor less than 16 years of age and one count of trafficking a child sex doll — all felonies.

In February, Moore asked the Union Circuit Court to declare House Bill 207 unconstitutional and dismiss the charges against him related to that law.

According to Moore’s petition, the doll in question was “homemade, essentially pa-

pier-mached out of different materials with the head of some sort of doll attached.”

“There is nothing to indicate what differentiates features of a minor from those with features of an adult,” says the petition filed

by Moore’s lawyer. “So, what some may assume is a child sex doll, could really in fact be an adult sex doll. Or what some may view as resembling a child, could in fact be resembling an adult.”

It also reports police officers who were executing a search warrant in Moore’s apartment saw “homemade sex dolls that they believed resembled children.” They also found “dozens of photographs and videos” of allegedly “computer-generated images of child pornography.”

“At no point was any child abused,” Moore’s petition states.

The petition also argues owning a child sex doll is a form of expression protected by the First Amendment, saying it is “both an act of expression and a masturbatory tool.”

In a legal response filed April 8, Coleman, the attorney general, defended HB 207 saying it does “not infringe on Moore’s constitutional rights to speech, expression or due process. His motion should be denied.”

Kenneth Moore. Photo provided | Kentucky Attorney General

Coleman also wrote that “child sex dolls are not a form of protected speech or expression” saying this type of doll is “a particularly harmful sexual device. And sexual devices aren’t protected under the First Amendment.”

HB 207 as ‘unconstitutionally vague’ HB 207, which had bipartisan support and was signed into law by Gov. Andy Beshear, made it a felony to own, sell or otherwise traffic child sex dolls. The law also criminalized the use of artificial intelligence to create child pornography or to create fake images that use real children as the source.

Moore’s petition to dismiss the charges against him argues that the law is “unconstitutional on its face” for several reasons, including the definition of “child sex doll” being “unconstitutionally vague and given to arbitrary enforcement.”

The law defines it this way: “‘Child sex doll’ means an anatomically correct or anatomically precise doll, mannequin or robot that may consist of an entire body, pelvis or any other body part, with features of, or with features that resemble, those of a minor and intended for use in sexual acts.”

Moore, in his motion to dismiss, argues: “There is no evidence that possession of a sex doll, even one which is built to resemble a minor, which in this case has been construed to merely be a petite female, causes harm to any other person.”

A ‘fundamental duty to protect children’ In Coleman’s April 8 filing, the attorney general called the arguments for dismissal “absurd.”

ed for that particular use,” Coleman wrote.

“Moore’s statement that a child sex doll is ‘a masturbatory tool’ acknowledges the intended use for such a doll.”

And, Coleman added: “The child sex dolls seized from Moore weren’t the sort of harmless toys he mentions in his motion.”

As HB 207 made its way through the legislative process, experts testified that people who have deep fake porn or child sex dolls are often real-life perpetrators — or will go on to be.

Jeremy Murrell, the deputy commissioner for counter exploitation in the attorney general’s office, testified in January 2024 that people who “utilize or abuse these dolls also go on to be hands-on offenders, if they haven’t done so already.”

Rep. Stephanie Dietz, R-Edgewood, sponsored HB 207. She said in a statement provided to the Lantern that her law “reflects our fundamental duty to protect children.”

“Dolls manufactured to look like children for the purpose of sexual gratification are not protected speech,” Dietz said. “They normalize and reinforce harmful sexual interests toward minors, and the state has every right to act before that harm manifests into action. House Bill 207 was a measured, lawful use of our authority to safeguard the well-being of children and our communities.”

“It’s easily understandable that to be a child sex doll, the object must be intendAPRIL 17, 2026 13

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Penthouse on the river Address: 100 W Rivercenter Blvd., #Penthouse 3b, Covington Price: $1.88 million Bedrooms: Two Bathrooms: Two (plus one half bath) Square footage: 4,415 School district: Covington Independent School District County: Kenton Special features: A luxury penthouse in Covington’s exclusive Domaine de la Rive, this two-bedroom condo features an open-concept layout, an Auer-designed gourmet kitchen with a large island and butler’s pantry, a spa-like primary suite and a cozy den, along with three covered patios offering sweeping river and skyline views in a secure, amenity-rich building.

The exterior of this Covington condo building. Photos provided | Carl Tuke, Sibcy Cline

The kitchen in this luxury penthouse Covington condo.

The spa-style bathroom inside this exclusive penthouse suit.

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 CRESTVIEW, KENTUCKY SOLICITATION FOR BIDS FOR STREET REPAIR AND RESTORATION The City of Crestview hereby advertises and solicits bids for repair and restoration of concrete streets within the City of Crestview.

Bids must be in accordance with drawings and specifications and on forms available from Cardinal Engineering (mbogen@cardinalengineering.net) or City Clerk (clerk@crestviewky.gov). Bids should be submitted in a sealed envelope addressed to City of Crestview ATTN: City Clerk Road Bid, 14 Circle Drive, Crestview, KY 41076 via mail. The envelope must be clearly marked with the bid title. Proposals must be received by the Clerk of the City of Crestview no later than Thursday, April 30, 2026, at 5:00 PM. Questions may be directed to the project engineer Matt Bogen with Cardinal Engineering at 859-392-3673.

Bids will be opened on May 5, 2026, meeting of the City of Crestview.

The City of Crestview reserves the right to waive irregularities and to reject any or all bids.

CAMPBELL COUNTY

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

14 APRIL 17, 2026

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+Based on 6/12 pitch vs. hood-style competitors. *Promotional offer includes 15% off plus an additional 10% off for qualified veterans and/or seniors. Cannot be combined with any other offers. One coupon per household. No obligation estimate valid for 1 year. See representative for full warranty details. AR 366920925, AZ ROC 344027, CA 1035795, CT HIC.0671520, DC 4.20223E+11, FL CBC056678, IA C127230, ID RCE-51604, LA 559544, MA 213292, MD MHIC111225, HIC164488, MI 262300331, 262300330, 262300329, 262300328, 262300318, 262300173, MN IR810524, MT 2661922, ND 47304, NE 50145-24, 50145-23, NJ 13VH13285000, NM 408693, NV 86990, OR 218294, PA PA179643, RI GC-41354, TN 10981, UT 10783658-5501, VA 2705169445, VT 174.0000871, WA LEAFFLH-763PG, WI No. 537-DCFRR WV WV056912.

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