LINK Kenton Reader-Volume 1, Issue 39 - August 25, 2023

KENTON

VOLUME 1,ISSUE39—

AUGUST25,2023

Local schools enact new law related to gender

Triumphs and heartache in August 1968

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What is an independent school district?

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The Thomas More Saints come marching in p16

PRESIDENT & CEO Lacy Starling CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Mark Collier MANAGING EDITOR Meghan Goth PRINT

EDITOR Kaitlin Gebby

SPORTS EDITOR Evan Dennison

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As schools enact new law related to gender, families brace for changes

BY MARK PAYNE AND NATHAN GRANGER | LINK nky REPORTERS

No part of this publication may be used without permission of the publisher. Every effort is made to avoid errors, misspellings, and omissions. If, however, an error comes to your attention, please let us know and accept our sincere apologies in advance.

on the cover

Protesters of Kentucky Senate Bill 150, known as the Transgender Health Bill, cheer on speakers during a rally on the lawn of the Kentucky Capitol in Frankfort on March 29. A federal judge temporarily blocked Kentucky’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youths on June 28, taking the action shortly before the measure was set to take effect.

(AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley, File)

When Nancy Bardgett’s daughter came out as transgender, she said she was thankful that Jordan Bardgett was able to receive the care she needed.

In addition to having a supportive family, Jordan, then a student at Northern Kentucky University, received mental health support.

“She had supportive friends, and she sought out resources and knew where to look for help,” Nancy said.

Bardgett is on one side of the controversial debate over Senate Bill 150, which she said keeps the community from being able to fully understand what a trans person goes through or how to support them. But the bill’s proponents say it protects parental rights and keeps “LGBTQ ideology” from being forced on their children.

The bill, which passed in March, bans gender-affirming care for Kentuckians under the age of 18 and establishes new mandates related to sex education, as well as

education related to human sexuality and gender identity, among other things, in public schools.

The education portions of the bill went into effect in March due to an emergency clause in the bill.

As school districts across Northern Kentucky have voted to enact the new mandates – with varying levels of approval –parents, teachers and administrators have shared their thoughts on why they do, or don’t, think the new law is necessary.

Steve Axtell, Covington resident and pastor at Everytribe Church, spoke at an Aug. 1 Covington school board meeting in favor of the bill, saying that their relationship with one of their children had fallen apart when they revealed their transgender identity to them.

“Teaching LGBT ideology is not our schools’ responsibility,” Axtell said after stating that he has two children who graduated from Holmes High School. He did not share the students’ names.

“My oldest child, at the age of 23, informed my wife and I that he was identifying as transgender, and that we must fully accept this and call him only by his new name, and failure to do so meant that we were no longer welcome in his life,” Axtell said. “My son made this decision through the encouragement of countless faceless people that I will never know and I will never meet – people who don’t love my son like his mother and I, but people who encouraged his confusion and dysphoria nonetheless.”

The issue of children’s gender identity, and the medical and educational policies surrounding it, has occupied the attention of legislators throughout the country over the past year.

Bills similar to SB 150 have appeared in other states, such as Tennessee and West Virginia, and institutions have had to adapt to the law’s quick implementation – all while fielding arguments from both supporters and detractors of the legislation.

Now that the bill has become law, what will

Kentucky Sen. Karen Berg, left, speaks on the last day of the state session at the Kentucky Capitol in 2021. Berg, whose transgender son died by suicide in late 2022, has publicly denounced the law.

Photo by Timothy D. Easley | Associated Press

it mean for people’s lives, and what will the broader social consequences be?

What is Senate Bill 150, and how did it come to be?

Senate Bill 150 bans gender-affirming care for children; prohibits schools from writing curricula to teach students about sexual orientation or gender identity in classrooms; forces transgender students to use the bathroom that aligns with the gender assigned at birth; and allows teachers to “deadname” transgender students, meaning teachers can refuse to use students’ preferred names and personal pronouns.

In addition, the law pre-empts any school from withholding confidential information about a student’s mental and physical health and development from the student’s parents.

Sen. Max Wise (R-Campbellsville) primarily sponsored the bill, and three Northern Kentucky senators co-sponsored it: Sens. Shelley Funke Frommeyer (R-Alexandria); John Schickel, (R-Union); and Gex Williams (R-Verona).

The legislation first appeared as House Bill 470 in early March, when the House Judi-

ciary Committee passed it.

Upon leaving that committee, legislators ushered the bill to the House floor and quickly took up a vote.

As advocates chanted outside the House chamber, members voted to pass it, 75-22.

The bill then passed the Senate committee and headed to the floor, where Williams took a central role in the strategy to push HB 470 through the upper chamber of the Kentucky Legislature.

After a night of closed-door strategizing, the Legislature quickly moved to pass the legislation by putting the language from HB 470 into a committee substitute and into SB 150 — a bill that initially gave teachers the option to use the pronouns of transgender students’ choosing.

The move to pass the bill started in the House when a surprise House Education meeting was called during lunch the day before the veto period on March 16. There was one agenda item – the newly revamped SB 150 with the HB 470 added into it.

The move gave legislators on the committee and in the House little time to read and understand the bill.

Republicans then rushed the bill to the House floor, where a vote quickly took place, but not before Democrats spent nearly two hours trying to stall it.

“This shouldn’t be a trust exercise,” Gov. Andy Beshear said at the time, criticizing the maneuver. “Every legislator should have the time, as should the public, to read anything that’s coming up for a committee or for a legislative vote.”

The bill had been delivered to the governor’s desk later in the day on March 16. Beshear vetoed the bill about a week later

on March 24.

Within five days, the Senate and the House both voted to override the governor’s veto by 29-8 and 76-23 votes.

As it relates to schools, the law has been substantiated in new policies from the Kentucky School Boards Association, or KSBA. The association’s new legal mandates include numerous policy changes, most of which have nothing to do with SB 150, but there are two policies that can be traced back to the bill: one of which deals with sex education, the other dealing with access to bathrooms based on students’ professed gender identities.

Legal tussling over the law has already begun.

The Kentucky Department of Education kicked things off when it released an interpretation of the law that differed from that of the bill’s sponsors, arguing that the bill’s language granted districts the right to choose how they implemented curricula related to sex ed, sexuality and gender identity.

Then, David Hale, a federal judge for the U.S. District Court of the Western District of Kentucky, blocked parts of the bill from taking effect late in June, siding with a lawsuit led by the American Civil Liberties Union that argued the law was unconstitutional.

In response, Kentucky Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Daniel Cameron filed an emergency motion against the ruling in July.

“Child mutilation is illegal in our commonwealth, and these reckless hormone interventions are based on an irrational ideology that ignores scientific evidence,” Cameron said in a press release. “I will do everything in my power to protect Ken-

tucky kids from this radical agenda, and my office will continue to defend this law at every turn.”

Hale later reversed his decision.

Who is in favor of Senate Bill 150, and why?

Danielle Axtell, Steve Axtell’s wife and manager of Everytribe’s nonprofit branch called Tribe Community Services, affirmed many of her husband’s points when it came time for her to speak at the Covington board of education meeting in August.

“I promise you that in the best, most open parent-child relationships there are things that your children will not tell you,” Danielle Axtell said. “You could find yourself in the situation where someone who may have the best of intentions – or may not – that they would be sure they’re helping your child in encouraging them to explore transitioning.”

She said that, as parents, even if someone may believe they’re OK with gender transition, “You don’t know how you will respond.”

“No parent should be robbed of the oppor-

Attorney General and Republican gubernatorial candidate Daniel Cameron has been outspoken about his support of SB 150. Photo by Timothy D. Easley | Associated Press

Kentucky Sen. Damon Thayer reads a document into the record during a session at the Kentucky Capitol in Frankfort on March 16, 2023. Photo by Timothy D. Easley | Associated Press

tunity… to help their child navigate gender dysphoria,” Danielle Axtell said.

Cameron said that the law “protects children from the irreversible effects of experimental chemical treatments like puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones.”

Cameron said that the procedures aren’t based on science – something those in the trans community say is misinformation as the procedures very rarely happen for those under 18 – and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health guidelines state that patients must be at least 16 years of age.

As the bill moved through the Senate in the spring of 2023, many out-of-state speakers advocated for it during the legislative session.

One such speaker was Luka Hein, a Wisconsin resident who travels the country testifying to state legislatures. She said she once identified as transgender, changing her pronouns to he/him. When she was 16, she received a double mastectomy and hormone therapy before detransitioning later in life.

“I spiraled into a hatred of my body and myself, which ended in me truly believing that I was just a boy,” Hein said. “Professionals ignored my actual issues and instead affirmed me down a path of medicalization.”

She urged legislators to vote in favor of the bill.

“I was affirmed on a path of medical intervention that I could not fully understand the long-term impacts and consequences of, nor fully consent to use it with my age and mental health,” Hein said.

Some proponents of the bill also say it would protect parental rights.

“As far as the parental rights issue, this is something that is happening all over the country,” Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, said during the spring 2023 session. “There is a lot of concern about parental rights in schools. I think it’s partially due to COVID and all the virtual learning, and parents got a frontrow seat to what was happening in schools everywhere.”

Who is against Senate Bill 150, and why?

One of the challenges as a parent, said Nancy Bardgett, was understanding when her daughter, Jordan, came out – something she admits she didn’t handle perfectly as she stumbled over pronouns.

But she worked on it.

“One of the things that is so horrible about this bill is it’s just this effort to not let anybody understand,” Bardgett said.

Bardgett also said that people think trans parents indoctrinate their kids, but she and her husband, Mark, didn’t necessarily want this for their daughter. They felt it might put her in harm’s way. But they also wanted their daughter to know they support her no matter what.

In Fort Thomas, where the Bardgetts live, Nancy feels SB 150 is not what Kentucky residents stand for.

“This isn’t the people of Kentucky,” said Bardgett, who volunteers with the Campbell County Democrats, Brighton Center and in her church. “This is certain people in the Kentucky Legislature.”

After SB 150 passed the House Judiciary Committee in March, Northern Kentucky Rep. Kim Banta (R-Fort Mitchell) said with tears in her eyes that she’d worked hard to prevent conversion therapy in the LGBTQ community, and that this was another step

backward.

“I’m really upset for families right now,” Banta said. “I’m upset because I feel like we denigrated the medical profession. I feel like we’re making people feel ‘less than,’ and I don’t like that.”

During testimony in Frankfort in spring 2023, Christopher Bolling, a pediatrician from Northern Kentucky, said that “gender-affirming care is the standard of care and is supported by the preponderance of research.”

He also said this type of care is supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine, the Pediatric Endocrine Society, the National Adult Endocrine Society, the American College of Physicians, the World Health World Professional Association for Transgender Health, the

American Psychological Association and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

“What do I mean by gender-affirming care?” Bolling asked. “Because I have a feeling that’s a little bit of a hot-button issue for certain people. Gender-affirming care means comprehensive care screening for mental health of all sorts – anxiety, depression – as well as gender identity issues. And it means being able to be open to all the possibilities for these families and patients who are suffering.”

Whom does Senate Bill 150 affect, and how will it affect them?

Opinion polling on the issue offers some insight into Kentuckians’ opinions on gender-affirming care and issues related to gender identity.

Continues on page 6

Education Commissioner Jason Glass addressed the House Education Committee earlier this year. Photo by McKenna Horsley | Kentucky Lantern

One oft-cited poll comes from Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy and the Fairness Campaign, a Louisville-based LGBTQ+ advocacy group. It surveyed 625 Kentucky voters across demographics and political affiliations and suggested that most Kentuckians were against legal bans on gender-affirming care: 83% of registered Democrats, 62% of registered Republicans and 67% of independents answered that they would oppose such a law.

The poll did not ask respondents about their attitudes on gender identity, bathroom access or transgender rights more broadly.

Polls from other organizations that surveyed national attitudes went more indepth with people’s attitudes but also provided a more ambiguous picture.

One March poll from Marist Polling, a legacy nonpartisan research group, suggested that 54% of Americans opposed legal bans on gender-affirming care but pointed out that support for such bans had been growing since it last polled people in April 2021, when 65% of respondents said they opposed bans.

to the care and criminalizes not reporting minors who are referring to this care.”

At the local level, many Northern Kentucky educators said that despite the controversy surrounding the bill and the politics that proceed from it, districts that voted on the policies don’t believe it will have much effect on how they provide services for students.

WHAT DOES SB 150 DO?

• Bans gender-affirming care, such as puberty blockers, hormones and gender reassignment surgery.

Furthermore, a 2022 poll from Pew Research Center that polled over 10,000 people on a variety of topics related to gender identity suggested that 64% of Americans were in favor of laws that protected trans people from discrimination, even though 60% of Americans (a percentage that had increased since 2017) believed that gender identity corresponded to sexes assigned at birth.

• Prohibits schools from teaching about teaching gender identity, sexual orientation, and gender expression.

• No student in grades five and below will receive instruction on human sexuality or sexually transmitted infections.

• No student of any grade level will “receive any instruction or presentation that has a goal or purpose of students studying or exploring gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation.”

• Schools must notify and obtain parents’ written consent before a student in grade 6 or above receives any kind of sex education.

• Teachers also have the freedom to “deadname” transgender children, meaning they don’t have to refer to a child by their chosen pronouns.

Bolling said that SB 150 will make it nearly impossible for pediatric medical providers to provide gender-affirming care in the state, as the legislation is punitive for doctors and threatens the potential to lose their licenses.

“It labels medical treatment, that is the standard of care for patients with gender dysphoria, as unprofessional and unethical,” Bolling said. “It mandates the revocation of the license of any provider who provides or refers

Ludlow Superintendent Mike Borchers said that the implementation of new state mandates won’t change much about how district staff help students experiencing distress related to their sexuality or gender identity.

“I really feel like if you keep the focus on what’s best for the kid, regardless of what the policy is, you’re going to do what’s right by them,” Borchers said.

In Covington, school board President Tom Haggard said he had fielded a lot of questions from parents.

“I’ve had several parents, staff members, concerned members of the community reach out about these particular policies,” Haggard said. “It’s just general concerns that we continue to target a particularly vulnerable community, and policies like this just continue to exacerbate differences between students, which we really don’t need to do.”

Questions arose about how the new policies would be enforced, as some feared that the rules would constrain students from going to school teachers, counselors and staff members for help if they had questions about their own gender identity, sexuality or their pubescent development, such as the onset of menstruation among girls.

Likewise, there was discussion among Covington board members about how the

new state policies would conflict with Title 9, a federal law passed in 1972 that forbids schools receiving federal funding from discriminating based on students’ sex. Under current Title 9 provisions, schools are required to grant access to bathrooms that correspond with students’ professed gender identities.

Moreover, the pronoun guidelines and bathroom guidelines under the bill could potentially violate a law against sex stereotyping, according to guidelines issued by the Kentucky Department of Education in mid-April.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit wrote in Dodds v. United States Department of Education that, “Under settled law in this Circuit [which includes Kentucky], gender nonconformity as defined in Smith v. City of Salem, is an individual’s ‘fail[ure] to act and/or identify with his or her gender … . Sex stereotyping based on a person’s gender non-conforming behavior is impermissible discrimination.”

Fort Thomas Independent Schools passed the policies without discussion at its meeting on July 10. Although the board members did not discuss the policies before casting their votes, board Chair Anne Meyer did offer her thoughts on the matter after the meeting.

“I’m a former counselor, so we feel really strongly that we’re on the journey with every child,” Meyer said. “We’re taking care of our kids in the buildings. That’s all I can tell you. Someone will come every once in a while to the board and talk about things and wants us to be very aware. But we’re gonna take care of all of our children.”

Walton-Verona Independent Schools also approved the new policies this month.

Prior to the approval, superintendent Matt Baker said that Walton-Verona did not

have any sort of bathroom policy in place for its students, nor has its schools had any instances in which students wanted to use a restroom that didn’t align with their biological sex.

“We’ve never had any complaints,” Baker said. “The Legislature kind of put some teeth in things. Through the policy update, the Board of Education is now involved in making some decisions. That is a change in course.

“I respect the fact that everybody has a right to their opinion,” Baker added. “But at the end of the day, we are bound to follow policy, and that’s what we push.”

What’s next?

While many consequences of the bill are yet to be seen, political battles are likely to continue.

Kentucky Commissioner of Education Jason Glass announced Aug. 1 that his last day would be Sept. 29, in part because he didn’t want to implement what he called “dangerous and unconstitutional, anti-LGBTQ” legislation.

“For anyone considering education, it remains a great field, it remains a great profession, and it’s a great way to spend your life,” Glass said, according to a LEX18 story. “At the same time, I need to say to the policymakers in Kentucky – you’re making it really hard, and it’s starting to show. Again, we all have an interest in having great schools in our communities and in our states. We want to protect them, we want to grow them, we want to support them, and we need to take direct steps to do those things.”

Beshear said it would be difficult to replace Glass.

“It does have an impact on our ability to get

the very best education commissioner for the people of Kentucky,” Beshear said. Further, Beshear said that the politics of the day are not just about the attack on Glass, but accusing classroom teachers around the state of doing things they’re not doing, such as those things leveled in Senate Bill 150.

“It was attacks built on lies towards all of our educators, and it’s just not right,” Beshear said. “And after this, it’s going to be much more challenging to find a good commissioner of education.”

“I can’t imagine being a K-12 educator right now and being forced to change the way that I would interact with my students,” said Bonnie Meyer, president and co-founder of the Northern Kentucky Pride Center in Covington.

Meyer spoke out publicly against the new legal mandates at the Covington Independent Schools Board of Education meeting on June 22, encouraging the board members to vote down the new policies.

Meyer said she had been talking with parents, teachers and community members about the new policies and what it would mean for people’s lives in the upcoming school year, although she said she had not been talking with students.

“What will be interesting this fall is to see what actually comes out of this over the course of the next school year,” Meyer said. “Will we see community members or parents raising issues with teachers who are supporting LGBTQ kids?”

Meyer feared that teachers who oppose the new policies or are LGBTQ+ themselves will end up fleeing the state.

“I fear that we will see an exodus of good teachers from Kentucky because not only

are you not able to offer the same sort of support, but if you’re an LGBTQ educator yourself, they’ve just thrown you way back in the closet,” Meyer said.

Elementary and high schools aren’t the only ones affected by the law, either. Many colleges and universities in the region, including Gateway and NKU, offer dual credit programs for high school students, meaning the law compels them to also adhere to the new policies.

“KCTCS (Kentucky Community & Techni-

cal College System) colleges will follow the students’ home school districts’ policies that prohibit students from receiving instruction about gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation per Senate Bill 150,” said the KCTCS System Office in a statement.

“We are working with our local school districts to help them meet the spirit of the law,” the system office also said.

Emma Balcom also contributed reporting to this story.

HOW DOES SB 150 AFFECT STUDENTS?

The first policy says that if a board or principal chooses to adopt a curriculum related to human sexuality, “instruction shall include but not be limited to” the following points:

• Abstinence from sex is the ideal goal for students and the only way to ensure total avoidance of sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancy and other sex-related health problems.

• Permanent, faithful monogamous relationships are the best way to curb sex-related health problems.

• No student grades 5 and below will receive instruction on human sexuality or sexually transmitted infections.

• No student of any grade level will “receive any instruction or presentation that has a goal or purpose of students studying or exploring gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation.”

• Schools must notify and obtain parents’ written consent before a student in grade 6 or above receives any kind of sex education.

The second policy relates to student bathroom access and says, “A student who asserts to school officials that his or her gender is different from his or her biological sex and whose parent or legal guardian provides written consent to school officials shall be provided with the best available accommodation, but that accommodation shall not include the use of school restrooms, locker rooms, or shower rooms designated for use by students of the opposite biological sex while students of the opposite biological sex are present or could be present.”

The policy lists acceptable accommodations as “access to single-stall restrooms or controlled use of faculty bathrooms, locker rooms, or shower rooms.”

August 1968: ‘The whole world is watching’

BY RICK ROBINSON | SPECIAL TO LINK nky

Rick Robinson is a local author who is writing a book based on life in Northern Kentucky in 1968 and what we can learn now. LINK will be publishing his book chapter by chapter in a recurring series here at linknky. com. This is Chapter 8.

Corlis Highlander loved getting letters from her son, Army Pvt. 1st Class Micky Highlander. In August 1968, she received a letter expressing his desire to leave Vietnam and return to Dayton, Kentucky.

“I have only a few months to go,” he wrote. “I can just dream how it will be. I’ll get off the plane and you and Dad will be there, and we can go home … home is where I

want to be right now.”

Mrs. Highlander told The Kentucky Post and Times-Star that she had a good cry over the letter and then straightened out.

“About that time, I heard the front gate rattle.” She saw the Army officer approach her door. “And I knew what he was here for.” Micky Ray Highlander had been killed when his vehicle hit a landmine in An Khe.

“That letter,” Mrs. Highlander said. “It was almost as if he knew. The poor child never had a chance to live.”

The arrival of a military officer at a residence was a primal fear of any parent with a child in Vietnam.

The father of Cpl. John Becker of Cold Spring, who was killed near Quang Nam Province when the helicopter in which he was a gunner was shot down, described the horrific experience to a reporter.

“We got home yesterday about 2:30 and when we pulled in, we saw the car up near the house. When the doors swung open and the men stepped out, they didn’t have to tell us what happened. We knew our son was dead.”

Each time, the experience played out on the front page of the newspaper; one set of parents grieved while all the others sent up a silent prayer of relief for having no officers visit their home – at least for

the day. The agony of waiting was nearly unbearable and became the foundation – both pro and con – for their position on Vietnam. Some believed it was a just cause. Others felt the United States had no business in Southeast Asia. All painfully waited for letters home or the arrival of bad news at their front door.

Nationally, politics took center stage in August. Republicans and Democrats alike prepared for their national nominating conventions. Republicans were headed to Miami Beach. Democrats were going to Chicago.

The Republican National Convention was the first to be held. Art Schmidt and Otis Readnour were the only two delegates from Northern Kentucky. In spite of several state officials supporting Nelson Rockefeller or Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon easily won the nomination.

The Kentucky Republican delegation voted 22 for Nixon and 2 for Rockefeller.

There was some floor support for Louie Nunn to be Nixon’s running mate. Nunn was a floor whip for Nixon, counting votes among six state delegations. He scoffed at the idea of getting a VP nod from Nixon but apparently came well prepared, just in case. The Kentucky delegation carried handmade signs saying, “Nunn for Veep” and “We Love Louie.”

Fourth District Congressman Gene Snyder wanted Reagan on the ticket, and Sen. Marlo Cook was pushing for Sen. Howard Baker from Tennessee. In the end, Nixon chose Maryland Gov. Spiro Agnew as his running mate.

A few weeks later, the Democrats gathered in Chicago and, despite spirited opposition, nominated Hubert Humphrey as their candidate for president. After considering many for the No. 2 spot on the ticket (including Republican Rockefeller) Sen. Edmund Muskie, D-Maine, was added to the Humphrey ticket.

Carlton Anderson, a 33-year-old teacher from Hebron, was an alternate delegate to the Democratic National Convention. His expenses for the week give context to the times – $42 for a flight to Chicago and $14 per day for a hotel room. Anderson had been involved in local politics for years.

“It’s become a kind of hobby for me,” Anderson said. “I think that every good citizen should be interested in politics.”

What wasn’t mentioned in the local newspaper accounts of the Democratic National Convention was what was happening outside in the streets of Chicago. Anti-war protesters gathered in a park near the convention center. Peaceful demonstrations quickly escalated into violence as police and protesters clashed. Television stations covered the convention, as well as the bloody protests. Sen. Abraham Ribicoff, D-New York, called the actions of the Chicago police “Gestapo tactics.” To which, from the podium of the convention, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley bellowed an antisemitic response. Reporter Dan Rather was roughed up on the floor of the convention while trying to interview a delegate from Georgia.

Humphrey supporter Phil Taliaferro was there.

Richard Nixon at the 1968 GOP convention with Beulah Nunn of Kentucky, whose husband, Louie, was talked about as a possible Nixon running mate. Photo provided | Kenton County Public Library

“It was a mess,” he said. Taliaferro was not sympathetic to the protesters. “I was just out of the service and absolutely hated the thought of people tossing rocks at veterans trying to get from their hotel to the convention center.”

The chaos in Chicago was yet another illustration of the growing divide in America regarding the war. It also likely sealed the fate of the Humphrey-Muskie ticket.

Both parties had their nominees for president, but there was one fly in the ointment – George Wallace was gaining support in Northern Kentucky.

When Wallace was sworn in as the 45th governor of Alabama, he boldly declared, “In the name of the greatest people that have ever trod this earth, I draw the line in the dust and toss the gauntlet before the feet of tyranny, and I say segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever.”

Wallace did more than utter words written by his Klu Klux Klan member speechwriter. He acted and stood in the doorways of schools attempting to integrate.

In the spring of 1967, Wallace met with several prominent white supremacists and antisemites to discuss a third-party run for the presidency as a member of the American Independent Party. His appeal to voters hiding racist attitudes behind the label of “populism” worried leaders from both parties.

One reason local Democrats were very concerned about the Wallace candidacy was because he engaged in serious discussions with former Kentucky Gov. A.B. “Happy” Chandler about joining his ticket as the vice presidential candidate. Chandler had already angered party officials by backing Nunn for governor of Kentucky. Then, prior to the Democratic National Convention,

Chandler withdrew his support for Katherine Peden, the party’s nominee for U.S. Senate. The party responded by removing the popular former governor as a delegate to the national convention and inserting a “loyalty pledge” into the party’s platform. The governor struck back at what he called the “Chandler clause,” pointing out that neither former Kentucky Govs. Ruby Laffoon nor Lawrence Wetherby had supported his bid for governor.

Then Chandler took his conflict with the Democratic party a step further and announced that he expected to soon be named as the vice presidential running mate of Wallace. Some thought Chandler was joking. One reporter said, “If you went up to Happy and asked him about reports he would be the next pope, he wouldn’t deny it.”

For days, newspapers were filled with stories about Chandler joining the Wallace ticket. And Chandler was all too happy to spread the rumor even further. “I’m strong, healthy, and mentally alert,” Chandler told a reporter for The Kentucky Post and Times-Star.

He also used the opportunity to take a swipe at his opponents. “The Democrats undertook to read me out of the party because I supported Gov. Nunn,” he said. “They left me off the convention list.”

While tweaking the collective noses of party leaders, he also spoke very favorably of the former Alabama governor. “George Wallace is one of the most dynamic young men in America today. He’s got the two parties on the run. All they can offer is more of the same. Wallace offers something better, and people are flocking to him in overwhelming numbers.” Chandler predicted Wallace would win Kentucky and the presidency.

Following a long meeting with Wallace,

Chandler initially told the press he intended to be on the ticket. Then, in an interesting reversal, both men suddenly distanced themselves from each other. The writing was on the wall; Chandler was not going to be on the ticket with Wallace. Apparently, after meeting with Wallace staffers, Chandler was dumped. Wallace’s advisers believed Chandler’s support for civil rights – and particularly his role as commissioner of baseball in allowing Jackie Robinson to integrate baseball – would cost Wallace votes. Chandler’s national campaign was over before it ever began.

The popularity of on-again/off-again vice presidential candidate A.B. “Happy” Chandler aside, support for Wallace in Northern Kentucky from both political parties was clearly apparent. When trying to determine the political leaning of party-jumpers, each pointed to the other.

The chairman of the Republican Party of Kentucky declared that there were five issues in the race: the Vietnam War, racial disorder and civil rights, crime and civil disorder, the cost of living and public welfare. But, he added, “George Wallace has us all worried. We are deeply concerned.”

Democrats were pondering the fact that Humphrey was polling third in Northern Kentucky and the state. The chairman of Kentucky’s Democratic Party believed support for Wallace had peaked.

Many being interviewed thought Wallace had enough electoral support to throw the election into the U.S. House of Representatives.

The campaign for president promised to be lively.

Finally, in August 1968, The Kentucky Post and Times-Star reported on an issue that is still at the forefront of debate over 50 years later – traffic safety on the Cut in the

Hill and the Brent Spence Bridge. Listing 11 deaths occurring on the portion of Interstate 75 leading into Cincinnati, local officials gave their ideas on how to address the issue.

Most officials focused on lowering speed limits and better regulating the flow of traffic. Police chiefs from Fort Mitchell and Florence thought the speed limit from Buttermilk Pike to the river should be lowered from 50 to 40 miles per hour. Erlanger’s chief criticized the grading of the highway and travelers’ lack of knowledge about the “deviltry of the hill.” The Covington traffic bureau suggested adding more guardrails, reconsidering placement of flashing accident warning signs and lengthening exit and entrance ramps.

Perhaps the best idea on safety for the Cut in the Hill came from an engineer at the state highway department who noted, “It would be helpful if drivers remained sober.”

Art Schmidt and Louie B. Nunn. Photo provided | Kenton County Public Library

NKwhy: What is an independent school district?

BY MAGGY MCDONEL | LINK nky DIGITAL EDITOR

Things are done a little differently in Kentucky, and one unique trait of the commonwealth is its independent school districts.

If you grew up here, you may be used to the way Kentucky schools are run, but did you know it’s actually unusual? Kentucky is one of just a few states with independent school systems.

Northern Kentucky, in particular, has the largest cluster of independent districts in the state, with 11 in the region as defined by the Kentucky School Board Association.

With so many in the area, we wondered: What is an independent school district, and why do they exist?

“These school districts are those whose geographic boundaries are defined not by the county lines that define most districts, but by historic boundaries within counties,” according to a primer from the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

County lines define school districts that are not independent. There are 120 county and 51 independent school districts in the state, per the school board association.

Independent school district boundaries are “associated with districts that did not merge with county districts during the early 20th century,” according to the commission’s primer.

A history of independent school districts in Kentucky

Kentucky passed legislation in 1838 to establish “common schools” (the term used for public schools in the 19th century), a state board of education and a mechanism for funding. However, at the time, local taxation was allowed but not required, leaving school districts lacking funding.

“Through locally elected boards, those communities that did elect to support schools through taxation were granted almost total control over the administration of schools,” according to the commission’s report.

Pursuant to KRS 132.027, the City of Villa Hills will hold a public hearing on the 13th day of September 2023 at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at 719 Rogers Road, (in Council Chambers) for the purpose of hearing comments from the public regarding the institution of proposed tax rates for the 20232024 Fiscal Year.

As required by law,

The City of Villa Hills proposes to exceed the compensating tax rate by levying a real property tax rate of .230 (per $100.00 of assessed value) and a personal property tax rate of .102 (per $100.00 of assessed value). The excess revenue generated will be utilized for the following purposes:

For ordinary municipal purposes and to pay the general cost of carrying on the business of government of the City of Villa Hills.

THE KENTUCKY GENERAL ASSEMBLY HAS REQUIRED PUBLICATION OF THIS ADVERTISEMENT AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN.

HEATHER H. JANSEN, MAYOR CITY OF VILLA HILLS

Opposed to its original goal, the 1838 legislation created a “collection of small, locally funded districts that operated mostly independent of each other and of the state board.”

Then in 1934, consolidation came to the forefront of legislation. Public schools were consolidated into either county or independent districts with the requirement that independent schools have over 200 students.

Demographics

According to the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission, independent school districts are significantly smaller than county schools. However, their demographics, on average, are similar.

Independent schools represent the extremes of demographics. They typically make up the highest and lowest in terms of poverty and achievements, the commission reports.

When considering NKY, you can see this polarization in places like Newport and Fort Thomas.

While the districts are within a few miles of each other, 89.8% of Newport students are considered “economically disadvantaged,” per the Kentucky Department of Education, with 90.4% of Fort Thomas considered “non-economically disadvantaged.”

When looking at academic performance, this is also mirrored. In the 2021-22 school year, Newport received the lowest and second-lowest scores the state offers on its state report card for its elementary, middle and high schools, while all the Fort Thomas

schools received the top performance rating.

Consolidation conversation

Kentucky’s independent school districts have had some changes over the years. Recently, some NKY schools have consolidated, and others are considering it.

In February 2019, Silver Grove Independent School District consolidated with Campbell County School District in a 4-1 vote by the school board. The school had been in operation for 108 years.

Recently, there have been talks about consolidation within other Campbell County independent schools – namely Southgate. The district has the second-highest tax rate in the county; however, the district’s accountability score earned it the second-lowest grade the state can assign, according to Kentucky’s State Report Card data.

The cost of administrators is also factored into the consolidation conversation. High-level administrative staff, such as superintendents and principals, are often paid significant salaries, and that adds up in places like Campbell County, with five independent schools and a county school.

When looking across the river at Cincinnati, Cincinnati Public Schools has a student population of roughly 36,000 and serves a population of about 300,000 people.

Cincinnati Public Schools has one superintendent, who is paid $260,000 annually. With a little under 11,000 students, the combined salary of Campbell County’s independent school district superintendents is just over $800,000.

Kentucky is one of just a few states with independent school systems. Northern Kentucky, in particular, has the largest cluster of independent districts in the state, with 11 in the region. Photo by Alecia Ricker | LINK nky contributor

Historic Covington architecture firm relocates to Cincinnati after 50 years

hopes of expanding the scope of its architectural services in a larger market. In July, the firm signed a lease in the Sawyer Point Building at 720 E. Pete Rose Way, according to its website.

After 50 years in Covington, the firm’s executives felt like it was the right time to make a move, Senior Architect Michael Wolff told LINK nky.

the

Covington residents may be familiar with architecture firm Hub + Weber through its design work on iconic buildings such as Hotel Covington, Hellman Creative Center and The Hannaford building.

The firm has played a key role in revitalizing buildings in Covington.

Now, Hub + Weber has headed north across the Ohio River to Cincinnati with

“It seemed like a nice first 50 years – the first chapter in Covington,” Wolff said. “This was a clean way to start the next chapter and look to grow a little bit in the coming years.”

After working on an increasing number of projects in Cincinnati over the past few years, Wolff said firm leadership felt like moving into the Cincinnati market would be more conducive to growth.

“We could expand that reach a little bit better if we moved over to this side of the river,” Wolff said. “We felt like being at the Covington address limited our access to

that market somewhat.”

He also said the prevalence of remote work in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic allowed employees more flexibility on where they could work, aiding the firm’s decision to move.

In late June, LINK nky reported that Hub + Weber planned to exit its office inside Covington Station on Aug. 1 once its lease expired. Real estate firm Comey & Shepherd advertised the building for sale, listing it online for $1.35 million.

Covington Station housed Hub + Weber for nearly 20 years. The firm moved into the building in 2002. Its new Cincinnati office is 3,845 square feet, much larger than its former office.

This is the first time Hub + Weber’s office will not be in Covington. Founded in 1973 by William Hub on Pike Street, the firm has called Covington home for its entire existence. In 1983, it relocated to Greenup Street. Gene Weber, the other half of the firm’s namesakes, joined the firm and was

named partner in 1995.

Even with the move, Wolff said he felt the firm could maintain its work presence within Covington.

Going forward, Hub + Weber plans to hire more employees to fill out its new office. Currently, the firm employs 10 people, according to LinkedIn.

“We have some extra desks, with the goal of growing the office in the next kind of nearterm,” Wolff said.

Coroner IDs 2 killed in crash on Clay Wade Bailey Bridge

The names of both people who died in a crash on the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge on Aug. 14 have been released.

One of the drivers killed has been identified by the Hamilton County Coroner’s Office as 36-year-old Bryan Williams. The second driver, identified by Covington police, was

Continues on page 12

Hub + Weber’s former office at Covington Station. File photo | LINK nky

NOTICE

Please take notice that Duke Energy Kentucky, Inc. will apply to the Kentucky Public Service Commission for approval to revise its Demand Side Management (DSM) rate for gas service and electric service for residential and commercial customers. Duke Energy Kentucky’s current monthly DSM rate for residential gas customers is ($0.004784) per hundred cubic feet and for non-residential gas customers is $0.000000 per hundred cubic feet. Duke Energy Kentucky’s current monthly DSM rate for residential electric customers is $0.003497 per kilowatt-hour and for non-residential customers is $0.001987 per kilowatt-hour for distribution service and $0.000388 per kilowatt-hour for transmission service.

Duke Energy Kentucky seeks approval to revise these rates as follows: Duke Energy Kentucky’s monthly DSM rate for residential gas customers would increase to ($0.003536) per hundred cubic feet and for non-residential gas customers would remain at $0.000000 per hundred cubic feet. Duke Energy Kentucky’s monthly DSM rate for residential electric customers would increase to $0.003988 per kilowatt-hour and for non-residential customers would remain at $0.001987 per kilowatt-hour for distribution service and would remain at $0.000388 per kilowatt-hour for transmission service.

The rate contained in this notice is the rate proposed by Duke Energy Kentucky. However, the Public Service Commission may order a rate to be charged that differs from this proposed rate. Such action may result in a rate for consumers other than the rate in this notice. The foregoing rates reflect a proposed increase in electric revenues of approximately $0.72 million or 0.16% over current total electric revenues and an increase in gas revenues of approximately $0.08 million or 0.06% over current total gas revenues.

A typical residential gas customer using 70 ccf in a month will see an increase of $0.09 or 0.1%. A typical residential electric customer using 1000 kWh in a month will see an increase of $0.54 or 0.5%. A typical non-residential electric customer using 40 kilowatts and 14,000 kWh will see no change. A non-residential customer served at transmission voltage using 10,000 kilowatts and 4,000,000 kWh will see no change. Non-residential gas customers will see no change in their bills from this application. Any corporation, association, body politic or person may by motion within thirty (30) days after publication or mailing of notice of the proposed rate changes, submit a written request to intervene to the Public Service Commission, 211 Sower Boulevard, P.O. Box 615, Frankfort, Kentucky 40602, and shall set forth the grounds for the request including the status and interest of the party. The intervention may be granted beyond the thirty (30) day period for good cause shown. Written comments regarding the proposed rate may be submitted to the Public Service Commission by mail or through the Public Service Commission’s website. A copy of this application filed with the Public Service Commission is available for public inspection at Duke Energy Kentucky’s office at 1262 Cox Road, Erlanger, Kentucky 41018 and on its website at http://www.duke-energy.com. This filing and any other related documents can be found on the Public Service Commission’s website at http://psc.ky.gov.

61-year-old Anthony Macht.

Both drivers were from Cincinnati, police said. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

The Clay Wade Bailey Bridge was shut down for hours while police investigated the fatal crash. Heavy-rescue firefighters with the Cincinnati Fire Department assisted after the crash occurred just after 2 p.m.

Covington police said two cars collided on the bridge; when police arrived at the scene, they discovered the driver of one of the vehicles had died.

The second driver was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and was later pronounced dead, police said.

There were no passengers in the vehicles, and no one else was hurt in the crash, according to Covington investigators.

Two NKY teachers named Teacher of the Year semifinalists

Two Northern Kentucky teachers were named as semifinalists for Kentucky Teacher of the Year, according to a press release from the Kentucky Department of Education.

Deanna Landrum, a teacher at Southgate Public School, was named as a semifinalist for “elementary school teacher of the year.” There were four semifinalists in the category.

Kevin Dailey, a teacher at Ballyshannon Middle in Boone County, was named a semifinalist for “middle school teacher of the year.” There were three semifinalists total in the category.

There were 10 teacher candidates announced overall.

German tech firm Blum Novotest buys Erlanger property for $3.4 million

A German technology company that specializes in the production of measuring and testing technology purchased a 15,000-square-foot industrial facility at 1368 Cox Ave. in Erlanger for $3.4 million.

The company, Blum Novotest, bought the property from Northern Kentucky real estate firm Appelman Properties. Shuler Group broker Sean Bradley represented the firm throughout the transaction. The sale transpired in late July.

“This sale represents a significant milestone for our company,” said Josh Appelman, CEO and founder of Appelman Properties. “We’re constantly looking for deals and buying and selling, so it’s just another testament that we’re doing the right things.”

Constructed in 2017, the building features 7,500 square feet of office space and 7,500 square feet of warehousing. It also includes amenities such as a patio, board room, training room and multiple private offices and conference rooms.

Additionally, its location is less than a mile from the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport – the region’s largest shipping hub.

Prior to the sale, the property served as Appelman’s headquarters. The firm has another building in Newport, which it plans to move into once renovations are completed.

Appelman told LINK nky his firm wasn’t looking to sell to a buyer who would treat the building like an investment property but instead wanted to find a buyer that would own and use it.

Blum Novotest fit the bill.

“We’re constantly evolving our company, and we were looking for the right company to come in and take the space, but also take it at a premium price,” Appelman said. “We weren’t looking for it to be someone else’s investment property.”

Blum Novotest bought this industrial facility at 1368 Cox Lane in Erlanger. Photo provided | Appelman Properties

Trump faces fourth criminal case as he, 18 allies indicted in Ga. election meddling

in three Michigan counties involving some of the same people and again in a western Colorado county that Trump won handily.

Prosecutors in Hunter Biden case deny defense push to retain gun charge deal

WASHINGTON (AP) — A legal showdown over the derailed plea deal for Hunter Biden is continuing as prosecutors assert that an agreement on a gun charge is dead along with the rest of the deal as the case makes a major shift into a special counsel investigation.

The proposed loan to the Museum of the Bible in Washington also underscores the deepening ties between Israel and evangelical Christians in the U.S, whom Israel has come to count on for political support, tourism dollars and other benefits.

In case where boy, 6, shot teacher, mother pleads guilty to felony child neglect

ATLANTA (AP) — Donald Trump and 18 allies have been indicted in Georgia over efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state.

The criminal case announced Aug. 14 is the fourth brought against the ex-president and the second this month to allege that he tried to subvert the results of the vote. The indictment details dozens of acts by Trump and his allies to undo his defeat in the battleground state.

Other defendants include former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani and a Trump administration Justice Department official, Jeffrey Clark, who advanced the then-president’s efforts to undo his election loss in Georgia.

Election indictments highlight wider attempts to illegally access voting equipment

ATLANTA (AP) — The new indictment alleging a conspiracy by former President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia includes charges against several people accused of illegally accessing voting equipment in one rural county.

The security breach inside the election office in Coffee County, about 200 miles southeast of Atlanta, is among the first known attempts by Trump allies to access voting systems as they sought evidence to back up claims that voting equipment had been rigged to favor Democrat Joe Biden. It was followed a short time later by breaches

The agreement was supposed to have wrapped up the long-running investigation of President Joe Biden’s son, but it largely unraveled during a contentious court hearing last month. Still, prosecutors said the two sides had continued to negotiate until the defense rejected their final counterproposal the day before U.S. Attorney David Weiss asked to be named special counsel. Lawyers for Hunter Biden have argued that part of the deal sparing him prosecution on a gun charge remains valid.

Israel may uproot ancient Christian mosaic; where it could go next sparks outcry

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP) — The mother of a 6-year-old who shot his teacher in Virginia pleaded guilty Aug. 15 to a charge of felony child neglect, seven months after her son used her handgun to critically wound the educator in a classroom full of students.

Prosecutors agreed to drop the misdemeanor charge of reckless storage of a firearm against Deja Taylor. As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors say they won’t seek a sentence that’s longer than state sentencing guidelines, which call for six months in jail or prison. The January shooting shocked the nation and roiled this shipbuilding city near the Chesapeake Bay.

The case against Taylor is one of three legal efforts seeking accountability, including the teacher’s $40 million lawsuit that accuses the school system of gross negligence.

Russia’s central bank makes huge interest rate hike to try to prop up falling ruble

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Russia’s central bank has made a big interest rate hike in an emergency move designed to fight inflation and strengthen the ruble.

TEL MEGIDDO, Israel (AP) — An ancient Holy Land mosaic inscribed with an early reference to Jesus as God is at the center of a controversy that has riled archaeologists.

Should the centuries-old decorated floor, located near the prophesied site of Armageddon, be uprooted and loaned to a U.S. museum that has been criticized for past acquisition practices? Israeli officials are considering just that.

The country’s currency recently reached its lowest value since early in the war with Ukraine. The decision Aug. 15 comes as Moscow increases military spending and Western sanctions weigh on its energy exports. That has dragged down the ruble. Analysts say the flagging currency doesn’t mean the Russian economy is in freefall – though it is facing challenges, including rising prices for households and businesses.

A lower exchange rate allows Moscow to transfer the dollars it earns from selling oil and natural gas into more rubles to pay pensions and run government agencies.

Jimmy Lee Morrison (Poppy), of Elsmere, KY passed away on August 16th at St. Elizabeth Hospice with his family by his side. Jimmy was born on May 2nd, 1949, in Huntington, WV to the late Charles and Edna Woods Morrison. In addition to his parents, he was pre-ceded in death by his wife, Carolyn Morrison, his two brothers, Charles Morrison and Daniel Morrison (Suzie Morrison), and his two sisters Debra Nichum (Tommy) and Sandra Gibson (Ron Gibson). He is survived by his two children, Debra Stacy (Ken Stacy) and Jennifer Perry (Ed Perry), and granddaughter, Olivia McSwain. He is also survived by two sisters, Marie Grubbs (Earl Grubbs) and Becky Pond (Phil Pond), one brother, Steven Morrison (Sadie Morrison), and dozens of nieces and nephews. Jimmy was a devoted family man and beloved by many. His three most important things in life were God, his family, and his country. Jimmy was a veteran of the United States Army, having served for 10 years from 1968 to 1978 as a Sargent. After leaving the military, he retired from Meyer Dairy in 2014. In his free time, he enjoyed fishing, listening to Reds and Bengals on WLW, model trains, playing cards, talking politics, visiting the shooting range, and watching Westerns. Services will be held August 30th at 2:00PM at the Dayton National Cemetery.

Former President Donald Trump and 18 allies have been indicted in Georgia. Photo by Seth Wenig | Associated Press

Prisoners work at a nearly 1,800-year-old decorated floor from an early Christian prayer hall. Photo by Ariel Schalit | Associated Press

30 26 29 25 31 27 28

Boone County Farmers Market, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., 1961 Patrick Drive, Burlington

Campbell County Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-noon, 709 Monmouth St., Newport

Highlands Theatre Taste of the Season, 6:3010:30 p.m. at Newport Syndicate, 18 E. Fifth St., Newport

Cold Spring City Council meeting, 7:30-8:30 p.m., City Building, 5694 E. Alexandria Pike, Cold Spring

Crescent Springs City Council meeting, 6 p.m., Crescent Springs City Building, 739 Buttermilk Pike, Crescent Springs

Newport City Commission meeting, 7 p.m., Newport City Building, 998 Monmouth St., Newport

Summer of Wins Celebration, 4-7 p.m., Fedders Construction, 1102 Brighton St., Newport

Hike the Trails, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Boone County Environmental and Nature Center, 9101 Camp Ernst Road, Union

Blue Moon Tarot Night at iNK, 7-9 p.m., Indie Northern Kentucky, 229 Fairfield Ave, Bellevue

BARN: Farm Dinner Theater, 6-8 p.m., Boone County Enrichment Center, 1824 Patrick Drive, Burlington

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For more events, scan the QR code or visit: https://linknky.com/events/

Live in a historic Licking Riverside home for $2.3M

Address: 416 Riverside Drive, Covington

Price: $2.3 million

Bedrooms: Four

Bathrooms: Three

Square feet: 2,988

School district: Covington Independent Public

County: Kenton

Special features: Built in 1914 as a single-story bungalow, this home was completely reimagined in 2000 and reconfigured into a main house with four bedrooms, three full baths and two stories. The property also features a carriage house with an oversized two-car garage and a full one-bedroom apartment above. A wraparound patio allows guests plenty of room for entertaining. This home was renovated while maintaining its historical integrity in the Licking Riverside neighborhood, and it still offers a clear view of the Ohio River from its hilltop perch.

This Licking Riverside home was reimagined and reconfigured in 2000. Photo provided | Kathleen Comisar of Comey & Shepherd LLC

Furniture is arranged around the fireplace in this historic home in Covington. Photo provided | Kathleen Comisar of Comey & Shepherd LLC

A view of the Cincinnati skyline and the Ohio River from the home. Photo provided | Kathleen Comisar of Comey & Shepherd LLC

Streetscapes explores quaint, quirky stops where Dixie Highway meets Main Street in Florence

PHOTOS AND STORY BY MARIA HEHMAN | LINK nky CONTRIBUTOR

Dixie Highway is jam-packed with chain restaurants in modern and updated buildings, but this Streetscapes explores where Dixie Highway and Main Street meet in Florence. For those that take the turn onto Main Street, there’s an atmospheric shift in the blink of an eye. Family businesses replace familiar names, and contemporary is replaced with timeless. Join us for this Streetscapes as we explore the quaint, cute and quirky businesses on Main Street.

Stringtown Bar and Grill

nights or karaoke nights, guests are always in for some fun and good food.

Hawaiian Sno

In the dog days of summer, it seems as if almost nothing can truly cool one down. Shaved ice is the tasty answer to beat the heat.

Hawaiian Sno serves authentic Hawaiian shaved ice that is packed down and coated in the flavor of choice. Favorite flavors include “shark bait” and cotton candy, as well as traditional Hawaiian flavors such as ube, a nutty and sweet flavor, and POG – short for passion fruit, orange and guava.

Hawaiian Sno also creates specialty flavors each week. From peaches-and-cream to Butterbeer, the flavor of the week is a unique and typically tropical twist often tied to whatever the current buzz is around town. Most recently, that meant a “shark bait” flavor to commemorate the popular “Shark Week” TV event.

Tom’s Papa Dino’s and Papa’s Bourbon and Beer House

Have a street, city or business you want to see covered next? Email Maria Hehman at mchehman@gmail.com and it could be featured on the next installment of LINK Streetscapes.

What to Know If You Go:

Stringtown Bar and Grill

Location: 255 Main St., Florence

Hours: Sunday and Monday, closed;

Tuesday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m.-2:30 a.m.

Phone: 859-371-8222

Pizza, bourbon, beer and about everything but the kitchen sink are offered between these two businesses – Tom’s Papa Dino’s Pizza and the adjacent business Papa’s Bourbon and Beer House.

Hawaiian Sno

Location: 264 Main St., Florence

Stringtown Bar and Grill is your typical hometown bar, with good grub, cold beer and a casual, friendly atmosphere. Stringtown offers breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s a rarity to find a restaurant that’s open for all three meals and stays open as a bar late into the evening on weekends. With hours like that, there’s no excuse not to visit.

Best known for its karaoke nights, Stringtown is a place to showcase hidden talents and create fun memories. It recently opened an outdoor patio. There’s no better way to celebrate the end of summer than with a cold drink outside on a warm evening. Stringtown recently hosted a movie night, similar to a drive-in movie but without the hassle of driving across the river.

This family-owned and -operated restaurant is always coming up with innovative ways to maintain a fun and welcoming atmosphere. So, whether it’s the movie

For those with an extra-strong sweet tooth, Hawaiian Sno can add a scoop of ice cream at the base of a shaved ice or top it with sweet or mallow cream.

Hawaiian Sno opened its new storefront in May 2022 but has been serving the people of Florence since 1993 at county fairs and community events. It was a staple long before its brick-and-mortar debut.

The family-owned and woman-run business has an indoor space with colorful décor, as well as an ample patio to enjoy the sunshine.

The pizza side of the business focuses on, well, pizza of course, but also hoagies, sandwiches and pasta. This is the perfect place to bring kids and large groups, with plenty of options for even the pickiest eaters. The pizza is piled on with melted-to-perfection cheese to create a mouthwatering cheese pull. The cheese blankets the pizza, and the toppings are just an added bonus. Then again, when the standard pizza is this good, everything else is just the cherry (tomato) on top.

For those with dietary restrictions, fear not: There are both gluten-free and cauliflower-crust options so that everyone gets a taste of the cheesy goodness. Should patrons opt for something outside of cheese or pepperoni, Papa’s Royal Pizza is the perfect option for a taste of Italy. Italian dressing bases the pizza and is topped with salami, spicy capicola, cheese, tomatoes, onions and banana peppers.

A beer garden, often host to live bands, adds to the atmosphere. For those who really want to sample more drink offerings, neighboring Bourbon Bar is the solution. With over 229 bourbons to choose from, all patrons are sure to experience something new.

Hours: Monday, closed; Tuesday-Thursday, 2-8 p.m.; Friday, 2-9 p.m.; Saturday, noon-9 p.m.; Sunday, noon-7 p.m.

Phone: 859-414-9576

Tom’s Papa Dino’s

Location: 288 Main St., Florence

Hours: Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.midnight; Sunday, 4-9 p.m.

Website: tomspapadinosflorence.com

Phone: 859-371-5567

Papa’s Bourbon and Beer House

Location: 290 Main St., Florence

Hours: Monday-Friday, 3 p.m.-1 a.m.; Saturday, noon-1 a.m.; Sunday, closed Phone: 859-371-5537

“That’s Y’all Folks” mural outside of Stringtown Bar and Grill.

Raspberry and cherry shaved ice and peach shaved ice on Hawaiian Sno’s patio.

Papa’s Bourbon and Beer House adjacent to pizza joint Tom’s Papa Dino’s.

Main Street District welcome sign.

The Thomas More Saints come marching into NCAA Division II football — and they're pumped about it

BY MARC HARDIN | LINK NKY CONTRIBUTOR

Thomas More University football coach Chris Norwell was sitting at his office desk on campus at Griffin Plaza under the main grandstand at Republic Bank Field. His office, situated at the 50-yard line, offers a panoramic view of the green expanse. It was a sunny Wednesday, a great day for football practice for the budding NCAA Division II program.

Norwell took a look at the Great Midwest Athletic Conference preseason coaches poll released earlier that day. His eyes scrolled down to the bottom of the poll where new coaching peers picked his Saints to finish 10th in their first season in the 10-team conference. Norwell looked out his window. He stared at midfield and pondered the state of the program in his second year as head coach.

“Seeing Thomas More coming in at No. 10 confirmed to me that we need to earn it,” Norwell said. “That’s our motto this year: Earn it. It works for the team and individually because the players have to earn reps in practice and earn playing time.”

It takes an entire program to earn respect. Norwell believes he has everyone pulling in the right direction. However, following their departure from the Mid-South Conference and the NAIA altogether, the Saints are marching into uncharted territory after last season’s 5-6 finish. They play for a man who earned his first head-coaching job after 13 years as Saints assistant, so they are a step ahead in knowing how to earn their keep.

“We’re better than we are on paper,” said wide receiver Freddie Johnson, one of two Saints all-conference players last season along with punter Elgin Phillips. “It’s exciting going to a new conference and Division II. We’ve been pumped up for this, and it shows in the weight room.”

The Saints’ opener is Sept. 2 at Davenport in Michigan. The home opener is Sept. 9 against University of Virginia’s College at Wise. The conference opener is at home Sept. 16. vs. Ohio Dominican.

“We played in a tough conference last season. I think we’re going to be well prepared for Division II,” safety Kolton Reeves said. “Obviously, it’s going to be a little bit of a

learning year, but we want to win games.”

Conference coaches installed defending champion Ashland, 10-2 overall last season and 7-1 in the GMAC, as preseason favorites. Projected runner-up is Tiffin (6-5, 6-2) followed by Findlay (7-4, 6-2), Ohio Dominican (7-3, 6-2), and Hillsdale (5-6, 4-4) to round out the Top 5.

“It’s not how you start, but how you finish,” Norwell said. “We have 11 opportunities to showcase the team and change some opinions.”

In a year of change, fortunately it’s Norwell’s second season as head coach with the first-year stuff out of the way. Timing is good. All the Saints have to do now is go out and have the time of their lives. It’s already a historic season.

The Saints are in their second year of provisional membership to NCAA Division II. The move transitions Thomas More from the NAIA’s Mid-South Conference, where it has competed the past four seasons to the GMAC, which approved provisional membership for Thomas More in 2021. The Saints are eligible for the GMAC championship this season. They become eligible for NCAA championships in 2025, following the mandatory transition period.

Johnson and Reeves are part of a group of five Saints named to the 2023 Community Trust Bank Kentucky Collegiate All-Commonwealth Preseason Team presented by the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame. Also named were safety Colton Sandhas, defensive end Tanner Lawrence and guard Shaq Brown.

Reeves, Sandhas and Lawrence are three

of eight returning starters in the attacking 4-3 defense, along with linebackers Del Thomas, Isaac Abdon and Trey Brausch, nose tackle Ross Halverstadt and cornerback Christian Rice. Thomas topped the team with 88 tackles. Halverstadt led with five sacks. Sandhas led with three interceptions.

There are changes in the multiple spread offense following the departure of the

starting quarterback, leading rusher and top two receivers. Rae Vaden is the new starting quarterback in a large QB room of six, and he’s also the team’s leading returning rusher. He finished 30-for-60 passing for 347 yards and four touchdowns last season, with 142 rushing yards and three more TDs in a truncated season ended early by a knee injury.

Johnson had 33 catches for 325 yards and one TD. He’s one of five returning offensive starters. Receiver Preston Agee and tight ends Bobby Borneman and Mike Kirch also return. Running backs with the most experience are Jaden Hall and Jordan Marksberry. There are three freshman backs with promise. Tight end Trenton Hatfield doubles as a fullback.

Counting Brown, the offensive line returns five players with starting experience, including guards Leonard Taylor and Kyle Hillerich and tackles Jack Plattner and Cam Weil. The new center is Ryan Reynolds.

Freddie Johnson, left, was one of two Saints all-conference players last season, along with punter Elgin Phillips. Photo provided | Thomas More Athletics

NKY Athletic Directors select 19 members for HOF class

der by contacting Grady Brown by email at grady.brown@newport.kyschools.us.

The full list of inductees includes: Tim Sullivan, Holmes; Greg Menetry Jr., Campbell County; Tim Shields, Conner; Lauren Tibbs, Scott; David Henley, Holmes; Lisa Brewer, Newport Central Catholic; Trevor Stillman, Conner; Jenna Crittendon, Ryle; Steve Mason, Newport Central Catholic; John Finn, Simon Kenton; Virgil Lemons, Holmes; Joe Ross, Highlands; Stephanie Ripberger, Highlands; Jim Cavana, Bellevue; Keith Greene, Newport; Brad Arlinghaus, Conner; Dave Obel, Simon Kenton; Mike Caple, Ludlow; Earl Greis, St. Mary’s/Bishop Brossart.

Brandon signed with Kauhajoki Karhu Basket of the Finland Korisliga league, the top-tier league in Finland. He spent two years in Highland Heights, and his impact was a big one with the Norse.

He pulled down 7.4 rebounds per game during the 2021-22 season and 9.9 in the 2022-23 season, starting in 34 games. His final campaign was met with a program record for rebounds in a single season with 347. He ranked eighth in all of NCAA Division I in total rebounds and was tied for

14th in the nation in boards per contest. For his collegiate career, which included three years at Detroit-Mercy, the Houston native finished with 752 points, 1,041 rebounds, 120 blocks, 100 steals and 78 assists.

Brandon joined the NBA’s Houston Rockets for their summer league in July.

Highlands’ Smith becomes girls soccer all-time scorer

In its 40th year, the Northern Kentucky Athletic Directors Hall of Fame ceremony will induct 19 new members from throughout NKY on Nov. 9 at Receptions in Erlanger.

The 19 inductees represent 12 high schools.

While it’s the 40th year for the Hall of Fame, this is the 41st ceremony. The event starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are $45 and must be ordered three weeks prior to the event. Or-

Other awards to be handed out are the Tom Potter Award, to Pete Collins from Dixie Heights High School, and the inaugural Mel Webster Scholarship, to Brooke Shewmaker of Bishop Brossart High School.

NKU alum Brandon joins pro basketball ranks in Finland

After two seasons with the Northern Kentucky University men’s basketball program, Chris Brandon is headed overseas to play professionally in Finland.

SCAN

Highlands High School senior Laney Smith recently set the girls soccer all-time goal scoring record with the 76th goal of her career in a 10-0 victory over Bellevue on Aug. 14.

Smith had a hat trick in the contest as Highlands improved to 2-0 to start the season. The Bluebirds are looking to defend their 9th Region title for the fifth time in the last six seasons.

Smith passed 2019 Highlands grad Lindsey Meyer’s 75-goal career total.

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Highlands senior forward Laney Smith.

Photo provided | Joy Smith

Former Conner High School baseball coach Brad Arlinghaus is one of 19 chosen for the Northern Kentucky Athletic Directors Hall of Fame. Photo provided | Betsy Malone-Osterbur

NKU alum Chris Brandon is headed overseas to play basketball professionally in Finland. Photo provided | NKU Athletics

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