KENTON
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 46 — OCTOBER 17, 2025
THE VOICE OF NKY
linknky.com
Showboat pioneer once called NKY home By David S. Rotenstein
F
or most of his life, Ralph Emerson Gaches lived and worked along the Ohio River.
He owned and operated showboats, including one that became the model for novelist Edna Ferber’s 1926 book “Show Boat” (inspiration for the classic Broadway musical and three film adaptations). Dubbed the “Barnum of the rivers,” Gaches and his first wife, Beatrice, had deep ties to Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati. “America has deep river roots and a river system that extends all throughout the central part of the country,” said Rick Greiwe, executive committee co-chair of America’s River Roots festival. “We had several assets that we could use to bring attention to that theme of America’s river roots.” With America’s River Roots festival docked on both shores of the Ohio earlier this month, it’s a good time to dive into Gaches’ story. “A showboat would be like a barge, a theater Continues on page 3
Showboat Majestic photographed in 1943 by Arthur Rothstein. Provided | Library of Congress.
Traffic measures OK’d for Fort Wright Chick-fil-A By Nathan Granger
V
arious changes to the Chick-fil-A on Madison Pike in Fort Wright got the stamp of approval Oct. 2 from the Kenton County Planning Commission. Changes include the addition of a drivethrough lane and dedicated turn lanes, all with the aim of reducing traffic and improving safety near the restaurant. “This was motivated by safety improvements,” said Stacey Ranucci of CPH Consulting, the engineering firm contracted by Brent Linn, the restaurant’s owner, to plan the work.
The Chik-Fil-A on Madison Pike in Fort Wright. Provided | Victor Jordan
Ranucci and Linn ultimately split the proposed changes into two parts. One part was submitted to the commission before the meeting, focusing primarily on the drivethrough lane, while the other was submitted during the meeting. The latter changes
focused on the addition of dedicated turn lanes into the lot. Linn described the traffic concerns in and around the restaurant, which at times, he said, can even stop nearby highway traffic: Drivers come in from Valley Plaza Parkway and fight for space in the single turn lane with drivers coming off Madison Pike, also known as Ky. 17. “So what this will do, it will give a dedicated lane to Valley, and then a dedicated lane straight in from 17, where they don’t have to fight with each other,” Linn said. The proposal submitted before the meeting calls for the construction of an additional drive-through lane, which would require removing trees, other landscaping and several parking spaces. The drive-through lanes’ width would be reduced, but the additional lane would de-
Register now to hear futurist at Community Conversation p6 Independence weighs allowing subdivision’s expansion p7 Near or far, Oktoberfest about people (and beer) p11
Continues on page 5
Want to get NKY news every day? Subscribe to our email newsletters
SCAN ME!