LINK Kenton Reader - Volume 4, Edition 24 - May 8, 2026

KENTON

VOLUME 4, ISSUE 24 — MAY 8, 2026

THE VOICE OF NKY

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Boone County native, NASA engineer reflects on Artemis II’s emotional return to Earth

By Kenton Hornbeck

A

s NASA’s Orion spacecraft splashed down in the choppy waters far off the San Diego coast, Dr. Taylor Schlotman anxiously awaited the four-person crew’s return to Earth after a harrowing 10-day journey around the moon.

“It’s tears of joy, tears of excitement, tears of just nervousness,” she told LINK nky. “It’s a lot of years of hard work coming together in this moment.”

Schlotman, a Boone County native, was at Halsey Field, a U.S. Navy installation on the Coronado Peninsula in San Diego, to welcome the Orion crew at the rally point after U.S. Navy rescue divers pulled the four astronauts from the ocean.

She currently works as a human performance engineer at NASA, a role focused on how the human body responds to the exContinues on page 3

Boone County High School graduate Dr. Taylor Schlotman shaking the hand of Artemis II astronaut Jeremy Hansen after the crew safely returned to Earth.

Photo provided | Boone County High School

How Katie Meyer made Covington what it is today ‘She’s just changed all of us for the better…’

By Nathan Granger

K

atie Meyer, a Covington community leader, professional and activist, died April 16 after a twoyear battle with colorectal cancer.

Outpourings of sympathy from the broader community followed, and for good reason: If you live in Covington, Katie left an indelible impact on your life in the city, even if your paths never crossed.

“She’s just changed all of us for the better, certainly me, as well,” said Dr. Bonnie Meyer, Katie’s wife and co-founder of the NKY Pride Center.

Katie Meyer gives a presentation. Photo provided | Jim Guthrie

Katie’s work as a community leader served as a template for the shape of the city to-

day, especially downtown. Her fingerprints are everywhere — from the revitalization of Madison Avenue and Pike Street to the city’s free Wi-Fi system (which she piloted in the city’s Central Business District) to the Covington Farmers Market to the Pride Center and more than we have room to mention.

“She was just so dedicated and just so passionate about Covington, about the downtown area and all of those things that she brought to it,” said Tom West, Covington’s economic development director.

West did subcontracting work with Katie when she was the executive director of Renaissance Covington. Renaissance Covington was a local version of the Kentucky Main Street program, which aims to

A family legacy continues in Burlington fire district p6 Why did Ludlow refuse to vote on a new city administrator? p7 “Blood money” headed to Kentucky organizations p11

Continues on page 4

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The crew return to the N.A.S. North Island Field. Photo provided | NASA/Keegan Barber Continued from page 1

treme environments of outer space. Schlotman said her career is rooted in a lifelong interest in pushing human limits, with the ultimate goal of working at NASA. After graduating from Boone County High School in 2009, she studied biomedical engineering at the University of Tennessee and eventually earned a Ph.D. Upon finishing graduate school, Schlotman completed a postdoctoral role with the U.S. Army at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, where she led a human physiology research lab and collaborated with NASA. She was hired by the agency in 2020.

“I’ve always had NASA in mind,” she said. “It was always a dream and a goal of mine. Everything I was ever working on was flavored with something that could lead me here.”

Now based at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, Schlotman specializes in testing spacesuits for upcoming lunar and Martian missions. This involves replicating harsh spacewalking conditions, such as microgravity, as well as environments like the moon or Mars. Some of her tests involve placing astronauts in pressurized spacesuits to perform tasks similar to those they would perform during a real spacewalk.

Her skill set aligned with the goals of NA-

SA’s ambitious Artemis initiative, an organized series of missions aimed at returning humans to the moon’s surface and establishing a permanent lunar base.

The recent Artemis II mission, which took place from April 1 to 11, was the agency’s inaugural crewed mission in the program, with Americans Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Jeremy Hansen, successfully flying around the moon and back. The flight was the first human lunar mission since 1972, in addition to being the furthest distance humans have ever traveled from Earth.

Eventually, Schlotman said, NASA’s goal is to undertake an official mission to Mars.

“A lot of what we do is looking at not just current spacesuits, but thinking about improvements to spacesuits that we could make down the line, especially as we’re going throughout the Artemis missions, we’re going to go back to the moon many times, all in preparation for getting us to Mars,” she said.

Through her work, Schlotman came to know the Artemis II crew on a personal level. This deepened the mission’s emotional impact because she was experiencing it not only as a scientist but also as someone watching her colleagues and friends

undertake a potentially life-threatening mission. She described the splashdown day as one when she experienced an array of emotions, from pride to anxiety and many “hold-your-breath moments.”

“You start to know these folks more than this mythical celebrity astronaut kind of person,” she said. “You know them on a really human level, a friend level, a coworker level. Going into Artemis II, that automatically changes the emotion. It takes everything to the next level. You’re watching your friends and coworkers complete something that’s very scary.”

Schlotman credited her upbringing with instilling her with the curiosity and confidence to pursue a career at NASA. Her father, Tim Schlotman, previously served as the principal of Boone County High School.

Coincidentally, Tim was Taylor’s principal while she was in high school.

Schlotman expressed her pride in the widespread support she received throughout Northern Kentucky for her contributions to the Artemis mission.

“I’m really touched about the reception back home of people reaching out, saying they’re proud of me,” she said. “I’m just one small person in this giant Artemis team, so that’s been really touching. I’ve heard from people from all phases of my life, sending me photos of their kids watching the live stream. It’s been really touching.”

NASA’s upcoming Artemis III mission is planned for mid-2027, where the agency will conduct crewed rendezvous and docking tests in Earth’s orbit. Artemis IV will occur the following year, when NASA will attempt the first American crewed lunar landing since Apollo 17 in December 1972.

Schlotman expects to contribute to each of these missions, in addition to future agency endeavors.

“I’ve been at NASA for six years, working every single day on that goal — getting us back to the moon,” she said.

A NASA jet. Photo provided | NASA/Keegan Barber

MAY 8, 2026 3

Continued from page 1

the goats back under control. The incident made international headlines.

“I told her that was a ridiculous idea,” Bonnie said. “You think you are going to get baby goats, and you’re going to take a bunch of city folks — no offense to city folks — but if you haven’t grown up around goats, they can be jerks.”

help communities revitalize and reinvest in downtown areas that have experienced economic downturns. It’s modeled after a national program called Main Street America, based out of Chicago. Katie was executive director of Renaissance Covington from 2010 to 2019. The organization began as an initiative within City Hall but later spun off into its own independent nonprofit.

Stressful as the event was, it later became part of the city’s identity. A goat stands on top of the city’s Authenti-CITY Award trophy, and Renaissance held (less stressful) Runnings of the Goats in subsequent years.

Renaissance had been around prior to Katie’s tenure, but Jim Guthrie, architect and former board president of Renaissance, said Katie represented a shift in how the organization functioned. In time, the shift would be felt throughout the community.

Renaissance was honored with a Great American Main Street Award in 2017. Although the whole organization was honored, said Covington Vice Mayor and attorney Shannon Smith, who provided legal services for Renaissance at one point, “it was Katie who did the work every single day.”

“At the time, everybody was kind of down on Covington,” said Guthrie.

Many of the landmarks on Madison Avenue and Pike Street today, including most of the restaurants, Hotel Covington and the Duveneck Square apartments, weren’t there at the time. Additionally, the city had a lot of vacant storefronts. But Katie, Guthrie said, found ways to generate “excitement about the city.”

Unused parking spots throughout the city were refurbished into areas for outdoor activities and games. Night markets were held throughout the year. The area where Duveneck Square apartments now stand, which used to be a parking lot, was converted into a performance and gathering space when it wasn’t being used for parking. The area was dubbed “the mad lot.”

Dr. Bonnie Meyer (left) and Katie Meyer (right) in San Diego in December 2025. It was their last trip together. Photo provided | Dr. Bonnie Meyer

“We had movie nights there,” Guthrie said.

“We had performances. I think we had Shakespeare there once.”

To deal with the storefronts, Renaissance held a symposium inviting development professionals from around the country to consult with community leaders about how to bring temporary pop-up shops to the empty buildings. After that, Renaissance would invite a local business to set up shop in a storefront between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

“That became proof of concept for other permanent retailers to come in and devel-

op those spaces,” Guthrie said.

The most well-known event from her time at Renaissance was hands-down the Running of the Goats in 2016. The event coincided with the seasonal opening of the Covington Farmers Market. The idea was to march the goats from Third Street, where the Farmers Market was, to their home in Goebel Park. Think the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain (but, you know, less dangerous).

The goats had other ideas. They made a break for it, and people had to scramble over the course of the next 24 hours to get

Katie first got involved with LGBTQ+ organizing when she was in college. She had first connected with her soon-to-be wife Bonnie online in 2011 while Bonnie was a doctoral student at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. The same year, Bonnie had come down to Covington for an organizing event.

“Katie and I saw each other, and truly it was love at first sight,” Bonnie said.

Later that night, after Bonnie had made it back to Oxford, she got a text from Katie: “You’re unreasonably beautiful.”

“That was it,” Bonnie said. She moved to

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Covington before the end of the year.

Bonnie and Katie got married on Sept. 2, 2012, at the Ladies Pavilion in Central Park.

New York legalized gay marriage in 2011; gay marriage wasn’t legalized nationally until 2015.

The two opened a bar together in March 2012 called Pike Street Lounge. Katie’s brother, Chris Meyer, contributed a sculpture for the interior. Bonnie said they wanted it to be a place “to celebrate the queer community,” as well as local culture generally: “local art, local music, local beer.”

Both were working at the time, however,

and managing a bar on top of their other jobs proved difficult to manage. As a result, the lounge only operated for about two years.

The Northern Kentucky Pride Center has been out of its current building since 2020, although Pride events had been going on for years prior. Katie’s role was largely behind the scenes, keeping the organization’s machinery running smoothly.

“She was our 501(c)3 expert,” Bonnie said.

“She was the one that was going to keep us on task in meetings. She was always thinking ahead about all of the things that we didn’t even know we probably needed to have done two weeks ago.”

During her time at the Pride Center, Katie helped in the creation of the NKY Pride Awards, the coordination of PrideFest, as well as organizing the annual Pride Parade.

“She really just had this gift to just make people feel not just that you belong here but… this is going to be what you do and (what) you’re going to empower,” said Drew Boehmker, the Pride Center’s communications director. “She just had such a remarkable talent for that.”

Katie resigned from Renaissance Covington in 2019 to take a job with Cincinnati Bell (now altafiber), where she led the UniCity initiative, which worked to expand internet access in communities in Ohio and NKY.

An escaped goat in 2016. Photographer unknown.

LINK nky file photo | LINK nky archives

In 2023, she became the CEO of Downtown Dayton Partnership, an organization sim-

Katie Meyer at her “Walking Cincinnati” book launch in 2015. Photo provided | Dr. Bonnie Meyer

ilar to Renaissance Covington, in Dayton, Ohio, where she was instrumental in preparing the city for the 2025 spring NATO Parliamentary Assembly. The assembly marked 30 years since the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement, which ended the Bosnian War.

society like Katie has,” said Covington Mayor Ron Washington.

“Without Bonnie and Katie, I very well probably would not be here in Northern Kentucky anymore,” Boehmker said.

“She was such an inspiration,” said West.

Although her illness and death were somewhat sudden, her legacy can be felt throughout the community.

“Very seldom do we get to be around people that have contributed so much to our

“She loved her life,” Bonnie said. “She told me that all the time. She told me that just days before she died; she told me, ‘I love my life…’ She really embodied that, I think, for all of us.”

MAY 8, 2026 5

Burlington Fire District taps longtime firefighter as chief, continuing family legacy

By Kenton Hornbeck

N

ewly minted Burlington Fire Protection District Chief Chad Eha, a Boone County native, is following in his father’s footsteps.

“I actually grew up in a fire station,” Eha reminisced with LINK nky.

His father, Phil, served as a fire chief in Crescent Springs, in addition to volunteering for many years as a firefighter in Burlington. Phil started his career in fire safety in 1964, amassing over 60 years of experience.

Eha said it was Phil’s grit and inclination to serve the community that motivated him to join the Burlington Fire Protection District as a 14-year-old cadet back in 1995.

Now, more than 30 years later, Eha continues to carry on his family’s legacy.

“He monitored my career very closely, and if he knew I was working, there were times when he would just show up, just to see it and make sure I was okay,” Eha told LINK nky.

He was appointed as the chief of the Burlington Fire Protection District following a nationwide search conducted by the district’s governing body. Of over 60 applicants, Eha came out on top due to his local roots and his decades of experience at the fire station. He replaced outgoing Fire Chief Jeff Barlow, who retired last October.

Eha has worked essentially every job one could have at a fire station throughout his career, serving as a firefighter, EMT, lieutenant, captain and fire marshal.

“I’ve seen a lot of incidents,” Eha said. “I feel like I’ve got good relationships with the community.”

Eha described the role of chief as multifaceted, involving budget management, hiring, equipment decisions and general leadership responsibilities — all while ensuring both community safety and his firefighters’ well-being.

Andrea Lambert South, a member of the Burlington Fire Protection District board of

trustees, praised Eha’s hiring, touting his experience and familiarity with the community.

“For more than two decades, Chief Eha has been a trusted and dedicated leader within the Burlington Fire Protection District,” she told LINK nky in an email. “The board is incredibly enthusiastic about his leadership, his dedication to developing staff and his clear vision for the district moving forward.”

The move comes at a critical juncture for the Burlington Fire Protection District, as the agency is planning for a new fire station, increasing the staff’s headcount and managing growing service demands.

During Eha’s time in Burlington, he’s observed the station’s rapid expansion, driven by the district’s need to keep pace with explosive growth within the district’s coverage area. Eha said the number of runs made by firefighters in Burlington has nearly tripled since the beginning of his career.

“It’s kind of surreal to think about how much not only the department has changed, but the area around us has changed,” he said.

“We’ve seen very substantial growth in the Burlington response area over that 20-plus years; the run volume mirrors that growth, so the guys are a lot busier than they were back in 2000.”

In Boone County, fire and emergency medical services are primarily provided by fire protection districts rather than city-run departments. These districts are autonomous taxing entities governed by boards, established under state law to serve specific geographic regions, including both incorporated and unincorporated areas.

Burlington is one of seven fire protection districts in Boone County. The City of Florence operates its own municipal fire agency.

Eha expressed pride in his new role, viewing it as recognition of his dedication and loyalty.

“It’s a very humbling experience — very surreal, but I’m also very excited to see where we’re going,” he said.

Burlington Fire Protection District Chief Chad Eha on the job. Photo provided | Chad Eha

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Why did Ludlow refuse to vote on a new city administrator?

The microphone on the podium and the Ludlow city sign in the Ludlow City Council chambers. Photo by Nathan Granger | LINK nky

Ludlow Mayor Sarah Thompson at the meeting on April 23, 2026. Photo by Nathan Granger | LINK nky

By Nathan Granger

services, a department that directly aids cities in finding qualified administrators.

Thompson said they were deliberately removed from the hiring process by the district to avoid conflicts of interest; if the area development district were involved, Courtney’s current employer would essentially be helping him find work elsewhere.

T

he Ludlow City Council and Ludlow Mayor Sarah Thompson laid out their positions on the hiring process of Chris Courtney as a new city administrator at a special meeting April 23 — a week after a motion to appoint Courtney failed to even get a second, never mind a vote.

“Sounds like we’re at a stalemate,” said Council Member Stephen Chapman, who made the motion to appoint Courtney the previous week.

No official action was taken at the meeting, but it served as a forum for the council members and the mayor to publicly explain the rationale for their actions, which had not occurred at the previous meeting.

Thompson emphasized that she followed the process of recruiting and appointing a city administrator as it is laid out in Kentucky law, which grants mayors in mayor-council governments like Ludlow’s leeway in hiring and firing city administra-

tors. City council votes to affirm or deny appointments, but they have no explicit, legal responsibility in picking candidates, even if a mayor chooses to include them in the process as a matter of courtesy.

“I believe this delay is political,” Thompson said. “It slows progress and creates instability.”

Thompson argued that Courtney was well-qualified: He has a master’s degree in public administration and “he has direct municipal experience,” Thompson said.

“He has budgeting, grant and economic development experience. He’s a strong communicator.”

What’s more, Thompson said, is that they were at risk of losing him. The city administrator of Union, where Courtney currently lives, is planning to step down, and conceivably, there would be nothing stopping him from applying there.

Courtney currently works for the Northern Kentucky Area Development District as its associate director of local government

Council Member Julie Terry Navarre was the first to voice her concerns.

“I question that the process was followed in its entirety,” Terry Navarre said, pointing out that Courtney had actually met with city staff members on March 10 prior to the job posting going up on the city’s website and the website for the Kentucky League of Cities. Thompson confirmed with LINK nky that this meeting occurred.

“For me, this is not about the individual that’s being brought forward, and I don’t think hesitations make it political,” said Council Member Meagan Guthrie. “For me, this is about process and principle and public trust.”

“I would recommend that Ludlow pay the money and restart the search and do it through the (area development district),” Guthrie said later, “and I would really welcome the opportunity for Chris Courtney to reapply.”

Chapman was less committal than Guthrie and Terry Navarre, although he said he believed Courtney was a good candidate.

“I think the difference here is that other mayors have done it in different ways,” Chapman said. “And you’re doing it the way the (state law) says, and that’s fine. But it’s stalled the process.”

Council Members Abigail Miller and Dave Ziegler did not attend the meeting. Council Member Paula Graszus attended the meeting but did not participate in the discussion.

The Ludlow City Council will revisit the appointment at a future meeting.

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MAY 8, 2026

7

kenton county briefs NKY Nonprofit Coalition launches with 26 organizations

gion stays up to date on public policy issues affecting their organizations and the nonprofit sector at the local, state and federal levels. Members will have access to key insights into specific partnerships and funding opportunities and collectively advocate directly with Congress, state legislators and local elected officials.

Covington, Erlanger named 2025 Tree Cities USA

ing fellow artists to seek out this incredible opportunity in the future.”

Brother Maven, the headlining act for Erlanger’s Summer Sendoff in September. Photo provided | City of Erlanger

Kentucky Nonprofit Network Director of Regional Advocacy and Engagement Ryan Salzman at the event launch of the Northern Kentucky Nonprofit Coalition. Photo provided | Kentucky Nonprofit Network

Following the recent launch of the Northern Kentucky Nonprofit Coalition, members are working to create a more cohesive nonprofit sector in the region.

The coalition, unveiled on April 23, includes 26 nonprofits based in NKY. Together, they serve 682,066 people annually and employ 2,270 full-time and 1,918 part-time staff. The network comprises Kentucky Nonprofit Network member organizations.

Similar coalitions already exist to serve Louisville, Lexington and southeastern Kentucky.

The member organizations are: • ArtsWave • Be Concerned • Boone Conservancy • Brighton Center • Community Health Network • DCCH Center for Children and Families • EC LEARN • Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky • Family Nurturing Center • Freestore Foodbank • Ion Center • KVC Kentucky • Learning Grove • Life Learning Center • Master Provisions • Meals on Wheels Southwest OH & NKY • NKY Community Action Commission • NorthKey • OneQuest • Partners for Change • Proudworks • United Way of Greater Cincinnati • WAVE Foundation • Welcome House • YMCA of Greater Cincinnati “The founding members of the Northern Kentucky Nonprofit Coalition represent a powerful cross-section of nonprofits serving our region — from health, housing and workforce to conservation, child development, family services and the arts,” Kentucky Nonprofit Network Director of Regional Advocacy and Engagement Ryan Salzman said of the coalition’s work in a news release. “We’re excited to bring these organizations together to strengthen their efforts and help inform policymakers about the community and economic contributions of nonprofits across our region.”

The goal of the coalition is to ensure the re8 MAY 8, 2026

Dream Slice. Photo provided | City of Erlanger

community event in the city. Last year’s event drew nearly 6,000 attendees, according to a press release from the city.

Volunteers plant a tree. Photo provided | City of Covington

The Arbor Day Foundation has named both Covington and Erlanger a Tree City USA for 2025. This will be the 22nd year Covington has been recognized, and the fourth year Erlanger has been recognized.

The Tree City USA designation is granted to cities that invest and maintain tree canopies throughout their communities, as well as cities that engage in sustainable urban forestry practices. Cities must meet four standards in order to be recognized: maintaining a dedicated tree board or department, passing a city tree ordinance, investing at least $2 per capita in urban forestry and participating in an Arbor Day celebration.

“Earning both Tree City USA recognition and the Growth Award year after year is a direct reflection of the intentional work we’re doing here in Covington,” Patrick Moore, Covington’s urban forester, said in a press release. “From planting and maintaining trees to leveraging data and community partnerships, we’re committed to growing a resilient and sustainable urban canopy that benefits every neighborhood.”

“Erlanger’s recognition reflects the city’s continued efforts to preserve natural beauty while improving quality of life for residents,” according to a city press release.

“A key driver of these efforts has been the leadership and initiative of Erlanger Public Works, which has prioritized the expansion and enhancement of parks, trails and green spaces throughout the community.”

You can learn more about Tree City USA at the Arbor Day Foundation’s dedicated webpage.

Erlanger announces Summer Sendoff music lineup The City of Erlanger has announced the music lineup for this year’s Summer Sendoff, which serves as the largest annual

“Summer Sendoff has become a signature community gathering, often described by attendees as a ‘block party-style festival,’ featuring live music, food trucks, family-friendly entertainment and a fireworks show,” according to the city.

This year’s headliner will be Nashville-based rock and soul band Brother Maven. Indianapolis-based alt-rock band Dream Slice will serve as the night’s opener.

The new program was brought about due to a partnership between the Northern Kentucky Port Authority, ArtsWave and meetNKY, the region’s tourism bureau. An exhibition of Byrnes’ work was unveiled for members of the press on April 24 at the OneNKY Center in Covington.

The exhibition is titled “Streams of Consciousness: Fields/Clouds/Bubbles,” and “consists of works made through an intuitive, continuous approach, similar to how writers use ‘stream of consciousness’ as a literary device,” according to a press release from ArtsWave.

“Byrnes notes that the imagery reflects patterns of an urban landscape, while also reflecting ‘the merging of information, nature and technology, and how I process this vibrant, often chaotic world,’” the release continues.

Arts talks and other public events related to Byrnes’ work will take place over the summer. You can learn more about Byrnes and her work at susanbstudio.com.

Simon Kenton senior Brett Bockmon wins ethics scholarship

The event will take place at Silverlake Park on September 19. A 5K walk will take place in the morning from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., and the event itself will begin at 4 p.m. and go until 10 p.m.

Visit erlangerky.gov/event-info to learn more.

Brett Bockmon. Photo provided | Better Business Bureau of Cincinnati

Susan Byrnes named as first OneNKY artist in residence

Simon Kenton High School senior Brett Bockmon has been named as one of six winners of the Better Business Bureau’s Thomas J. Klinedinst, Jr. Memorial Students of Integrity Scholarship, worth $5,000.

The scholarship competition is an essay contest in which students must address an ethical quandary. Hundreds of students around the Better Business Bureau of Cincinnati’s 22-county service area competed for a prize.

Susan Byrnes. Photo by Rhiannon Scheidt. Photo provided | Susan Byrnes

Susan Byrnes, a Cincinnati-based multi-disciplinary artist, has been named as the first OneNKY Center artist in residence.

“I’m thrilled to participate in this brand new residency program and proud to be part of an arts community that truly values what artists provide for the region,” said Byrnes. “I look forward to creating new work in support of the project and inspir-

The essay topic for this year related to hustle culture, the pressure for endless productivity and achievement and the shortcuts it sometimes induces, especially among students.

“I’ve come to believe that shortcuts are only justifiable when they are forms of honest prioritization rather than unfair advantage,” Bockmon wrote in his essay.

Bockmon plans to attend the University of Kentucky, where he will major in finance and minor in international business. He hopes to work in investment banking, private equity or business analytics.

Read Bockman’s winning essay on LINK nky’s website.

kenton county briefs City of Ludlow, local educator honored for anti-smoking work

The awards were issued by the Kentucky Center for Smoke-Free Policy and the Kentucky Tobacco Prevention & Cessation Program at the annual Kentucky Tobacco Control Conference on April 16. The conference took place in Lexington.

Ludlow was awarded the Everette Varney Smoke-Free Indoor Air Excellence Award for passing a smoke-free ordinance last year. Dayton, Bellevue and Highland Heights have passed similar ordinances.

Northern Kentucky Health Department Substance Use Prevention Health Educator Casey Baker-Romans (left) holds her award at the annual Kentucky Tobacco Control Conference on April 16, 2026, in Lexington. Also pictured: Amanda Bucher, program director with tje Kentucky Center for Smoke-Free Policy. Photo by Christina Meadows | Mahan Multimedia

The City of Ludlow and a local substance-abuse prevention educator were honored this week for their work on smoke-free policy in Northern Kentucky.

Casey Baker-Romans, a substance abuse prevention educator with the Northern Kentucky Health Department, joined Ludlow Mayor Sarah Thompson in accepting the awards at the conference.

Additionally, Casey Baker-Romans, a substance abuse prevention educator with the Northern Kentucky Health Department, was awarded the David B. Stevens, M.D., Smoke-Free Advocate of the Year Award for her work in educating people about the risks of second-hand smoke and the benefits of smoke-free policies. Baker-Romans first piloted a program called Ditch Vapes in 2024 about the risks of e-cigarettes. The program has since expanded.

Covington approves new round of Fischer Group HQ incentives The Covington Board of Commissioners approved another set of job incentives and tax breaks for the Fischer Group, which is planning on relocating its headquarters to

This marks the latest in a long line of incentives from multiple government sources facilitating the company’s move, first announced last summer. Its new location will be at 525 Scott Street in Covington, the location of the now-defunct First District Elementary School.

The company, its partners and subsidiaries hope to expand the building’s footprint from its current 65,000 square feet to about 95,000 square feet. This will include the addition of three new stories to the existing building’s north end and one new story above the building’s gym. The company hopes to complete the work by the end of 2027.

City documents put the overall value of the renovations at roughly $20.9 million. A development agreement also gave a breakdown of how the company plans to pay for it: about $11.3 million in loans, about $7.5 million in cash equity and $2 million in grant funding from the county.

proved a 10-year reduced payroll tax rate of 1.25% as an incentive if it brought jobs into the city. The county also approved an occupational tax break last May. This newest incentive involves refunding TIF funding to the company after the company submits a request to the city. TIF stands for tax increment financing and is an economic development tool used by government agencies, usually to finance needed infrastructure projects, including sewers, streets, parking lots and related costs. Taxes generated in a TIF district past a certain threshold are redirected into a separate fund that can be used for specific projects rather than public services generally.

To get the incentive, the company pays normally, then applies for a refund. It can only apply for a refund if it creates a minimum number of jobs and payroll, ditto for the reduced tax rate. The minimum number of jobs to qualify for the full incentives is 305. All incentives dissolve after 10 years.

The most the company could request in refunds is $140,000 per year (assuming they meet their job creation requirements).

Fischer Group hopes to create about 500 new full-time jobs at the facility over the next 10 years. The redevelopment agreement set the salary range at $90,000 to $119,000 per year. Last year, the city ap-

DIVISION III

DIVISION III

CASE NO.: 25-CI-00601

CASE NO.: 26-CI-00157

KENNETH WILLIAMS

PLANET HOME LENDING, LLC

VERSUS}

VERSUS}

STEPHEN CLAUS, ET AL. By virtue of a judgment and order of sale of the Boone Circuit Court rendered APRIL 14, 2026 the above case, I shall proceed to offer for sale at the Justice Center Building in Burlington, Kentucky, to the highest bidder, at public auction on THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026 at the hour of 9:00 a.m. or thereabouts, the following described property to-wit: ADDRESS: 1752 VAL COURT, BURLINGTON, KENTUCKY 41005 PVA PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION NUMBER: 049.00-15-003.01 AMOUNT OF JUDGMENT: $4,322.25 GROUP NO.: 1576

DIVISION III CASE NO.: 25-CI-01193 PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC VERSUS} MICHAEL FOSTER, ET AL. By virtue of a judgment and order of sale of the Boone Circuit Court rendered NOVEMBER 12, 2025 the above case, I shall proceed to offer for sale at the Justice Center Building in Burlington, Kentucky, to the highest bidder, at public auction on THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026 at the hour of 9:00 a.m. or thereabouts, the following described property to-wit: ADDRESS: 40 RIO GRANDE CIRCLE, APT. 2, FLORENCE, KENTUCKY 41042 PVA PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION NUMBER: 062.00-02-040.02 AMOUNT OF JUDGMENT: $175,356.51 GROUP NO.: 3226

Covington by the end of 2027, as part of the consent agenda of its meeting on April 28.

MASTER COMMISSIONER’S SALE BOONE COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT

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

TERMS OF SALE: The property shall be sold as a whole. The purchaser may pay all or part of the purchase price in cash, and may pay the balance of the purchase price on a credit of 30 days after date of sale; said credit shall be granted only upon the execution by the purchaser of bond, with surety thereon, and said surety shall be a lending institution authorized and doing business in Kentucky, or a reputable fidelity or surety company, authorized and doing business in Kentucky, and only if said surety be acceptable to the Commissioner of the Boone Circuit Court; and an authorized officer of the surety must be present at the sale or must have given the Commissioner adequate assurance of its intent to be surety prior to or at the sale; and said Bond shall be, and shall remain, a lien on the property sold as additional security for the payment of the full purchase price, and shall have the full force and effect of a Judgment; and said Bond shall bear interest at the rate provided by the Judgment up to Twelve (12%) Percent per annum until paid. The purchaser shall be required to pay the sum of 10% of the bid amount in cash or certified check on the purchase at the time of sale.

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

The property shall be sold subject to ad valorem taxes for the year 2026 and all subsequent years thereafter; easements, restrictions and stipulations of record; assessments for public improvements levied against the property, if any; existing zoning ordinances, statutes, laws, or regulations; and any facts which an inspection and accurate survey of the property may disclose. BIDDERS SHALL BE PREPARED TO COMPLY WITH THESE TERMS. All sales are “as is” and the Plaintiff, the Master Commissioner, and the Court shall not be deemed to have warranted title of the real estate to the purchaser.

DEBBIE MARIE MCKUIN By virtue of a judgment and order of sale of the Boone Circuit Court rendered APRIL 14, 2026 the above case, I shall proceed to offer for sale at the Justice Center Building in Burlington, Kentucky, to the highest bidder, at public auction on THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026 at the hour of 9:00 a.m. or thereabouts, the following described property to-wit: ADDRESS: 1072 HAMPSHIRE PLACE, FLORENCE, KENTUCKY 41042 PVA PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION NUMBER: 061.00-16-013.00 AMOUNT OF JUDGMENT: $244,620.82 GROUP NO.: 3141

DIVISION III CASE NO.: 26-CI-00025 KAR TAX LIEN PORTFOLIO, LLC VERSUS} BRENT TOLES, ET AL By virtue of a judgment and order of sale of the Boone Circuit Court rendered MARCH 31, 2026 the above case, I shall proceed to offer for sale at the Justice Center Building in Burlington, Kentucky, to the highest bidder, at public auction on THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026 at the hour of 9:00 a.m. or thereabouts, the following described property to-wit: ADDRESS: 1816 VAL COURT DRIVE, BURLINGTON, KENTUCKY 41005 PVA PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION NUMBER: 049.00-15-002.01 AMOUNT OF JUDGMENT: $5,844.94 GROUP NO.: 1524

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

MAY 8, 2026

9

Report finds NKY’s future growth no longer hinges on population

By Kenton Hornbeck

T

he regional economy is at a critical juncture as the region continues to experience growth, according to a new BE NKY Growth Partnership

report.

And while population has long been a driving factor when determining Northern Kentucky’s success, the report adds worker productivity to the region’s future growth barometer.

On April 21, BE NKY, the primary economic development organization for NKY, unveiled its first comprehensive Economy in Review report, which evaluates the current state of the regional economy and its future prospects.

BE NKY CEO Lee Crume presented the findings of the report during the NKY Chamber of Commerce’s Eggs ‘N Issues breakfast panel, where he, along with Northern Kentucky University professor Abdullah Al Bahrani, Mazak Corporation President Dan Janka and Gateway Community & Technical College President Fernando Figueroa, discussed economic growth, workforce development and long-term regional competitiveness.

Upon closer examination of the data published in the report, BE NKY found that although NKY’s regional workforce totals approximately 217,000 workers, an aging population — 23% of whom are over 60 — has tightened the talent pipeline.

Furthermore, NKY lags behind in annual output per worker hour across several key industry clusters, including manufacturing, wholesale trade, transportation and warehousing, and information and professional services.

In response, regional stakeholders are considering five coordinated strategies to sustain workforce growth: building a future-ready workforce, investing in buildready sites and infrastructure, advancing housing affordability as an economic issue, accelerating the life sciences sector and strengthening manufacturing by shifting toward higher-value production.

“We’re telling that story and promoting that and then we’re trying to link it back to the strategies that you use to recruit those companies,” Crume told LINK nky.

“So for example, what’s the land use policy

BE NKY Growth Partnership President and CEO Lee Crume posing for a picture in front of the new BE NKY branding. Chart provided | BE NKY Growth Partnership

for the communities? Where do we have good-quality sites? Do we have the right type of infrastructure in place to support those industries if and when we start to recruit them?”

Crume believes that the NKY economy must build a solid foundation to maintain its standing amid rapid technological innovations, such as those in artificial intelligence, and demographic shifts.

“Ultimately, what we think we’re hearing people say is we’re going to go through a similar destruction/creation cycle that technology obviously does,” Crume told LINK nky. “There’s going to be just some destruction, there’s going to be some interruption, but ultimately there’ll be this creativity of new thoughts, new ways of working and new productivity.”

Traditionally, NKY has relied on increasing its population and generating more jobs to fuel economic growth. However, as this trend slows and national job growth re-

mains steady, Al Bahrani emphasized that regional leaders should prioritize investing in the current workforce. Upskilling — the process of learning new, advanced skills or improving existing ones to remain competitive in one’s field — is a popular strategy. Another way is to provide existing employees with technologies to improve their output and efficiency.

treating it as a force multiplier rather than a substitute or replacement.

“What we can do is make those people more productive, and from an economic theory perspective, there’s only two ways to do that,” he said during the panel. “One, to upskill the individuals or give them technology that makes them more productive.

Either way, we have to train the individuals to navigate this new technology.”

Regarding infrastructure, Crume said NKY faces a shortage of development-ready sites and limitations in utilities such as power, water and sewer, which hinder its ability to attract large-scale investment.

As an educator, Al Bahrani suggested that educational institutions need to rethink how they teach students, shifting away from preparing them for traditional, linear career paths and toward real-world skill development. He noted that at NKU, they are teaching students how to use AI,

Annual output per worker hour across several key industry clusters in Northern Kentucky. Photo provided | BE NKY Growth Partnership

10 MAY 8, 2026

Another issue affecting the future economy was housing affordability, with rising home prices making it harder to attract and retain young professionals amid an aging workforce. In turn, this could impact future growth.

Ultimately, the report, along with the Eggs ‘N Issues panel, emphasized that NKY must keep investing in its workforce — whether through education, improving regional housing and infrastructure or equipping workers with technology to enhance efficiency.

“Obviously, we want to maintain a high quality of life here so we can continue to grow by in-migration of folks,” Crume said.

“That’s going to be a lot harder, though, as it goes forward, but there are things that we can do. I think the idea of really focusing on productivity and the value that each worker produces, regardless of the other strategies, is going to be really, really important.”

Millions in opioid settlement ‘blood money’ headed to KY organizations

By Sarah Ladd | Kentucky Lantern

T

he Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission is awarding more than 100 organizations with more than $34 million in grant money in its largest settlement fund distribution yet.

The commission’s job is to distribute the state’s more than $900 million in opioid settlement funds. It has allocated more than $85 million to 130 organizations, according to its website.

Speaking April 23 in Lexington, Attorney General Russell Coleman called the settlement funds “blood money.”

“What we spend, what we announce — it is blood money to those that have lost their sons and their daughters,” Coleman said.

Grant recipients for 2026-27 include: • $800,000 to Volunteers of America Mid-States to support Recovery Community Center operations in Pulaski, Lincoln and Calloway counties to deliver peer support, education and outreach and recovery services.

• $750,000 to the Franklin County Health Department.

• $748, 576 to Recovery Café Lexington, Inc. for work in Boyle, Fayette, Franklin, Whitely and Harlan counties.

• $648,674 to the Kentucky Pharmacists Association to provide medications for opioid use disorder in jails in Greenup, Marion and Mason counties.

• $631,323 to KVC Behavioral Healthcare Kentucky, Inc. for the Elevate Mothers and Build Addiction Recovery in Kentucky program to support pregnant mothers in Boyd, Perry, Letcher, Greenup and Pike counties.

• $600,000 to Kentucky Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs for work in Barren,

Attorney General Russell Coleman on April 22, 2026. Photo provided | Kentucky Lantern

Warren, Daviess, Harlan and Jefferson counties.

• $553,864 to Goodwill Industries of Kentucky, Inc. in Jefferson and Oldham counties.

• $500,000 to Northern Kentucky Area Development District for efforts in Boone, Campbell, Kenton, Grant and Pendleton counties.

• $500,000 to Unlawful Narcotics Investigations, Treatment & Education (Operation UNITE) in Pulaski, Martin, Lawrence, Russell and Madison counties.

• $500,000 to Oxford House, Inc. to sup-

port access to safe, peer-led recovery housing and enhance recovery supports in Jefferson, Fayette, Kenton, Boone and Campbell counties.

The latest drug overdose fatality report showed a decrease in overdose deaths for the third year in a row, though 1,410 people still died in 2024.

“That’s an improvement. But for the 1,410 families who still have an empty chair in their house, last year was not a win,” Coleman said. “This is a moving target. We do

not rest on our laurels. We are not there yet by a long, long shot, and that’s why we are investing these dollars in a wise fashion.”

In 2023, Kentucky had 1,984 overdose deaths, which was a decrease from the 2,135 lost in 2022.

Black Kentuckians also saw a decrease in 2024, a reversal from previous years. In 2024, 170 Black Kentuckians died from a drug overdose, a decrease from 259 in 2022 and 264 in 2023.

CLIP & SAVE

R E A L E S TAT E A U C T I O N

3.5 acres+-, house, 3 barns 850+ road frontage

1 0 A M S AT U R D AY

M AY 2 3 , 2 0 2 6

1165 State Route 41, Manchester, Ohio

MLS#1875064 Offered for sale in 2 tracks or as 1 parcel

Very well located on a state highway.

1 1/2 story home in Sprigg Township, Manchester School District, City water. 3 barns, lots of road frontage. 2 bedrooms upstairs. Updated Full bath on 1rst floor. Great location, very quiet and peaceful setting. REAL ESTATE DEPOSIT: $5,000.00 down day of auction, to be deposited in the escrow account of Mike Brown and Associates, LLC. Closing for property will be on or before July 7, 2026. Possession according to the purchase contract. If Buyer fails to close per terms of contract, the deposit is NON-REFUNDABLE. Prospective buyers should avail themselves the opportunity to make inspection of property prior to bidding. Property sells in "as is condition" no contingencies. For full list, terms, pictures and flyers go to: mikebrownauctioneer.com or Auctionzip.com

Owner: David Dugan

MB Narcan is an opioid reversal treatment. Photo provided | Kentucky Lantern

Mike Brown & Associates LLC

Auctioneers 513-532-9366 Mike Brown, Auctioneer Agent/Plum Tree Real Estate Marketing MAY 8, 2026

11

sports Ryle alum Furtado named school’s next athletic director

Beechwood runner-up at All “A” state

Tigers had a chance to take the lead from there, leaving the bases loaded in the third.

Caleb Arrasmith pitched a complete game in defeat, allowing seven hits, three earned runs, walked three and struck out five.

and was ranked in the top 10 consistently all season before hitting a late season swoon where they lost six of their last 11, including a 39-point defeat to Ryle in the district championship.

Fryman, True and Carlisle were named to the All-Tournament team.

Dynes headed back to the Bluegrass, picks Louisville

April 26 marked their eighth trip to the All “A” championship game since 2006, now 5-3 in those games.

Beechwood High School’s Brooks Becker fields a ground ball in a recent game. File photo | Charles Bolton

Photo provided | Ryle High School

Ryle alum Josh Furtado will be the school’s next athletic director when the 2026-27 school calendar year begins in July.

Furtado’s hiring was announced April 23.

He replaces Mike Woolf, who is retiring at the end of the school year. Woolf has been athletic director since 2022.

Prior to taking on the role, Furtado has some big business ahead: graduating college. He’s a senior at Morehead State University, studying business management and playing on the Eagles baseball team.

Furtado started his college baseball career at Transylvania University before transferring to Morehead as a sophomore. His current role with the Eagles baseball team is a reliever, logging 11.1 innings this season.

When he was at Ryle, Furtado’s passion for the school and getting everyone involved in the school community was what he was known for.

In search of its sixth All “A” state baseball title since 2006, Beechwood came up just short in a 4-2 loss to University Heights Academy on April 26 at Daviess County High School.

Knotted at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth, UHA’s Jackson Flynn broke the tie with an RBI single. The Blazers added an insurance run on a sacrifice bunt and held on from there.

Beechwood’s run to the championship included a 16-1 sectional victory over Bishop Brossart on the Mustangs home field on April 15. They then ventured to Owensboro for the quarterfinals on April 25, where they defeated Jackson County 4-0. Sawyer Carlisle pitched 6.1 innings of three-hit baseball, walking three and striking out 10.

In the April 26 semifinals, the Tigers defeated Lexington Christian, 5-1. Tyler Fyman and Zach True hit homers in the victory.

Trailing 2-0 in the championship game, Hudson Edwards tied the game up with a two-run double in the top of the third, scoring Tyler Fryman and Roland King. The

VILLA MADONNA SOFTBALL

Sponsored by

Walton-Verona also made the trip to Owensboro after defeating Kentucky Country Day 16-1 in the sectional round. They lost to Campbellsville on April 25 in the quarterfinals, 10-0 in six innings.

Beechwood’s softball team went 0-3 in pool play in their All “A” state softball tournament visit to Owensboro. Cumberland County defeated two-time champion Livingston Central for the softball title.

Cooper tabs Ryan Bowman as their next girls basketball coach Cooper is bringing in a veteran coach to be the next leader of the girls basketball program.

The school announced on April 27 that Ryan Bowman is the next head coach of the team.

Bowman brings 20 years of coaching experience with him, most recently as a girls assistant at Conner. Prior to that he was the head coach of the Ludlow girls team in 202425 and the Boone County girls head coach from 2017-21. He also has stops at Cooper as an assistant for the boys team, the JV boys coach at Conner from 2012 to 2016 and the JV boys coach at Ryle from 2011 to 2012.

Bowman is a 2001 graduate of Simon Kenton and holds a masters degree in professional counseling from the University of the Cumberlands, a master’s degree in special education from Georgetown College, and a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Northern Kentucky University.

At Boone County, Bowman led them to a 45-67 record, including a winning season in 2020-21, the Lady Rebels first winning season since 2014-15 in Nell Fookes last season as head coach.

Across his career, the teams he has been a part of have earned district championships, district runner-up finishes, multiple regional appearances, a 9th Region title, and a state runner-up finish in 2017 under Tim Sullivan as an assistant at Cooper.

Bowman will inherit a team expected to have back-to-back 9th Region Player of the Year Haylee Noel entering her senior year.

They’re expected to return three of their starting five with Brinkli Rankin and Alivia Scott in the fold. Key reserves Leila Allen, Destiny Knox and Riley Benson all played in at least 24 games last season. Addyson Brissey and Lyric Hooper are the lone graduates.

The LINK nky Team of the Week for April 13-19 is the Villa Madonna Academy softball team.

12 MAY 8, 2026

Cooper won four straight region titles under Justin Holthaus from 2021-25 before losing to Highlands in the 9th Region quarterfinals this past season in their lone year under Christian Prohaska, who resigned in March. Cooper finished 20-9 last season

Gabe Dynes made his commitment to the University of Louisville on April 25, 2026. Photo provided | University of Louisville Athletics

In a highly sought after transfer portal recruitment, Simon Kenton grad Gabe Dynes is headed closer to home.

After playing at Youngstown State for two seasons and Southern Cal for one, Dynes committed to Louisville to continue his college basketball career.

Dynes had many suitors for his services, who led Division I in blocked shots his sophomore year at Youngstown State. In the end, it was a Bluegrass battle for Dynes between Louisville and Kentucky. Arizona, Baylor, Xavier, Washington, Ole Miss, St. Mary’s, Tennessee, Florida State, North Carolina State and Oklahoma also reportedly had interest in Dynes.

Things moved rather quickly for Dynes, who announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal on April 17 and made the commitment to Louisville on April 25. Big men are of high priority in this transfer portal cycle.

At USC, Dynes played in 30 games this past season and averaged nearly 12 minutes a game. He posted 2.9 points per game to go with 2.3 rebounds and a blocked shot per game. In his sophomore year at Youngstown, Dynes posted 6.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks per game, shooting nearly 70% from the field. In two years at Youngstown, Dynes played in 62 games, averaged 18.1 minutes per contest and shot 70% from the field. He pulled down 309 rebounds to go with 167 blocked shots.

The rising junior hails from Independence where he was a standout for the Pioneers, posting 600 points and 498 rebounds in his final two seasons with Simon Kenton. He led the state in field goal percentage his senior year and was named to the Ohio-Kentucky All-Star team, among many other local All-Region teams in Northern Kentucky.

His commitment is now a six-man transfer portal class for the Cardinals. Dynes joins De’Shayne Montgomery from Dayton, Flory Bidunga from Kansas, Alvaro Folgueiras from Iowa, Karter Knox from Arkansas and Jackson Shelstad from Oregon. After being primarily a rotational piece for USC, expect Dynes to be in a similar role for the Cardinals with Bidunga’s arrival, rated as the top transfer portal prospect by many recruiting services.

CASE NUMBER 25-CI-01275

CASE NUMBER 25-CI-00980

DIVISION 2

DIVISION 1

NEWREZ LLC D/B/A SHELLPOINT MORTGAGE SERVICING

PURCHASE AREA LIEN HOLDINGS LLC VS.

VS.

SAMANTHA RODRIGUEZ, ET AL.

SHERRI LYNN HOLT, ET AL.

BY VIRTUE OF A JUDGMENT RENDERED 3/9/2026 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.

BY VIRTUE OF A JUDGMENT RENDERED 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 5/19/2026 at 3:00pm, the following property, to-wit:

To the highest or best bidder at public auction on 5/19/2026 at 3:00pm, the following property, to-wit: 30 Woodland Hills Drive, Unit 3, Southgate, Kentucky 41071 Group No: 41642/E4

17 Deitrich Road, Highland Heights, Kentucky 41076

COMMISSIONER’S SALE CAMPBELL COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT

PIDN: 999-99-11-644.00

Group No: 30627/C4 & 30627/C5 PIDN: 999-99-21-635.00

CASE NUMBER 26-CI-00129

CASE NUMBER 25-CI-00299

CASE NUMBER 25-CI-00532

DIVISION 2

DIVISION 2

DIVISION 2

PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC

KY GATE, LLC

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

VS.

VS.

VS.

MARK CHARLES LONGWELL, ET AL.

LINDA G. HAFER, ET AL.

VIRGINIA R. PARROTT AKA VIRGINIA PARROTT, ET AL.

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

BY VIRTUE OF A JUDGMENT RENDERED 3/16/2026 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.

BY VIRTUE OF A JUDGMENT RENDERED 10/1/2025 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 5/19/2026 at 3:00pm, the following property, to-wit:

To the highest or best bidder at public auction on 5/19/2026 at 3:00pm, the following property, to-wit:

To the highest or best bidder at public auction on 5/19/2026 at 3:00pm, the following property, to-wit:

7461 Flintshire Drive, Alexandria, Kentucky 41001

200 Sonoma Court, Unit 102, Cold Spring, Kentucky 41076

420 Lakeview Drive, Unit 12, Wilder, Kentucky 41071

Group No: 70381/G14 PIDN: 999-99-38-796.00

Group No: 41671/B1 PIDN: 999-99-20-464.20

Group No: 41372/V9 PIDN: 999-99-18-724.37

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

MAY 8, 2026

13

real estate

Cute Covington Condo Address: 116 Shelby Street, Covington Price: $825,000 Bedrooms: Two Bathrooms: Three (plus one half bath) Square footage: 1,824 School district: Covington Independent Public Schools County: Kenton Special features: Perched along the riverfront in Covington’s Historic Licking Riverside District, this three-story townhouse offers sweeping city and river views paired with extensive modern updates. The home features soaring ceilings, abundant natural light and three tiers of expansive decking, creating seamless indoor-outdoor living.

Recent upgrades include a newer roof, solar panels, skylight, water heaters and fully remodeled interiors, highlighted by a gourmet kitchen with stainless steel appliances, a flexible office with exposed brick and tin ceiling and a striking fireplace. The topfloor primary suite boasts a bay window, walkout balcony and spa-like ensuite with dual shower heads, while added touches like custom closets, whole-home filtration and solar-tinted windows elevate both comfort and efficiency.

This Kenton county home has a gourmet kitchen.

The exterior of this Covington home. Photo provided | Scott Oyler and Brandi Srader Schildmeye of Coldwell Banker Realty.

The private deck that overlooks the Licking River.

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 Pursuant to KRS 117.383(8), to validate the accuracy and fidelity of the vote tabulation; the Boone County Board of Elections will conduct a hand-to-eye audit of the votes cast in one randomly selected race from ballots tabulated by one randomly selected scanner on May 21, 2026 at 9 am. The Secretary of State will randomly select a race and scanner to be the subject of the audit on May 20, 2026 and notify the County Clerk that same day.

The audit will take place in the Fiscal Court Room at 2950 Washington Street Burlington Ky 41005. The public may observe the audit.

BOONE COUNTY

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14 MAY 8, 2026

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SUDOKU

EditedWeekly

by MargieCrossword E. Burke The

Difficulty: Easy

9 6 4 9 8 8 4

3/2/26 - 3/8/26

2

8 7

4 7 9 6

4 8 6 5 7 4 7 1 1 E. Burke 6 5 2 Edited 8 by Margie

Copyright 2026 by The Puzzle Syndicate

HOW TO SOLVE:

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

4 7 6 4 1 5

Answer to Previous Sudoku:

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

by Margie E. Burke

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 ACROSS HOW TO SOLVE: 1 Be nomadic 15 16 14 5 Gyro holders Each row must contain the 18 19 17 10 Arsenal stash numbers 1 to 9; each column must 14 Thor's contain the father numbers 120to 9; and 22 21 15 Concerning, each set of 3 by 3 boxes must 24 contain the numbers 1 to 9. 23 old-style 16 Skin swelling 27 28 25 26 17Answer Pie à la to __ Previous Sudoku: 18 Capitol building 29 30 31 32 33 5 202Evictor's 8 1 phrase, 3 9 346 7 4 35 36 the 4 3"Vacate 6 8 5 7 2 9 1 _____" 40 41 37 38 39 9 227Briefly 1 4halted 6 2 5 8 3 42 43 Edmonton 1 234athlete 7 2 8 5 3 6 9 47 48 44 45 46 8 249Things 3 7often1 cut6 4 5 2 49 50 51 52 Roadside stop 2 25 6 5 9 4 3 7 1 8 27 Gave a ring 55 53 54 6 295Build 4 up3 9 1 8 2 7 57 58 56 Relief from 3 301symptoms 2 6 7 8 9 4 5 60 61 7 348Canine 9 5cry2 4 591 3 6 Copyright 2026 by The Puzzle Syndicate 35 Sweeten the deal 36 ___ de Janiero 4 They may be 38 Wedding 46 Dangerous 37 Filled with bitter settings household gas stories 5 Out of fashion 39 Steer away 48 Soprano Fleming 40 Series opener?

6 Translated orally 40 "Hurry up and 50 Singer Celine 42 Curtis of hair 7 Pekoe and ___" 51 What a stent care oolong 41 First co-ed will prevent 43 Belittle 8 Crumb carrier college 52 ___ Christian 44 Carbonated 9 "Get moving!"

44 Own up to Andersen 47 Put to the test 10 Is plentiful 45 Wear away 54 Hammer slant49 "Mad Men" 11 Awaken ingly character Don 12 Frugal fellow Answers to Previous Crossword: 50 Film legend 13 Olympic racers A M O S P U R S E L E A D Marlene 19 Rabbits' A B E T S A U R A L O P E 53 Temperance relatives D E E R R E C A P T U R E D 55 In ___ land 21 Society's woes A R O S E A N N A F A R I S (spacy) 24 Successful S P I T T H E R E 56 Revered one passes on the O N E H O R S E N O N F A T 57 Not a soul gridiron R O A R E D C O L E W A S 58 Lay ___ the line 25 Hawke of A L B E R T A E V A S I O N 59 Till compartment "Stranger N A M E P A S T E L T A R 60 Lacking slack Things" S L E D G E A S S U R E R S 61 Brings home 26 Mideast land A I R E R S T O P 28 Studly fellow C A S T S E C O N O M I S T DOWN 31 Brighten P A L O A L L I T E R A T E 1 Boisterous play 32 Lubricates L I S T S E N O S L M A O 2 Glade target 33 Stem swelling M E M O S R O W S L A W N 3 VCR insert 35 Broad-minded

THE WEEKLY COMIC by Andrew Buchanan

MAY 8, 2026

15

16 MAY 8, 2026