DRY RIDGE, Ky. — A man was airlifted to the hospital Monday afternoon after he was shot by his daughter in Dry Ridge, Ky., according to police.

The Grant County Sheriff's Office said deputies, Kentucky State Police and Kentucky Fish and Wildlife responded to a call on Michigan Avenue after 3:45 p.m. Monday. When they arrived, they found a 67-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the chest.

The man was then flown to UC Medical Center for treatment. Police said the man is stable, but whether he still needs surgery is unclear.

The sheriff's office said they believe 49-year-old Patricia Deering, the victim's daughter, pulled the trigger. She was taken into custody and sent to the Grant County Detention Center and has been charged with one count of first-degree assault and one count of first-degree wanton endangerment.

If convicted on both charges, Deering could face up to 25 years in prison; she could be sentenced to 10 to 20 years for the assault charge and receive up to five years for the endangerment charge.

CINCINNATI — BLINK 2022 officially kicked off Thursday night, but there are still three more nights of fun and beautiful art installations around downtown Cincinnati, Over-the-Rhine and Covington. If you're headed out to the festival and overwhelmed by the 101 art installations scattered throughout more than 30 city blocks, we've got your back.

Here are the top nine BLINK installations you should check out this weekend:

Euthenia

Stretching across a long building at the corner of Race and Liberty streets, Euthenia shows a mural lit up by projections and art. Designed by Insane 51 out of Greece, the mural depicts Euthenia, the ancient Greek spirit of prosperity. As the lights project onto her, different layers and features are exposed.

Toroid

Located along Freedom Way at The Banks, Toroid is a physical framework that lights up as "light itself depicts the human construct of time and the linear slices of Toroid emphasize the human prerequisite for time to be tangibly segmented." The installation is designed by This Is Loop, a collaborative artistic partnership by Harriet Lumby and Alan Hayes of the United Kingdom.

Mr. Dynamite

OTR's James Brown mural is already an iconic mainstay in Cincinnati, and artist Kyle Eli Ebersole is emphasizing that greatness even more with Mr. Dynamite. The art projection sends viewers on Brown's musical journey and highlights his career with Cincinnati-based Kings Record, with whom Brown produced many of his earlier hits.

Timisien

Arguably the most immersive installation of Blink 2022, Timisien by Architects of Air is an inflatable luminarium at Ziegler Park. The installation does have an entry fee — $15 for adults, $10 for children 2 to 10. You can purchase tickets ahead of time to bypass any lines for the exhibit as well. For those that enter the luminarium, you're encouraged to wander freely or simply lay back and enjoy the ambiance of the structure. Another heads up for those interested, you do take your shoes off for this installation, so you're advised to wear socks.

In The Middle — Memorial Hall

Designed by Antaless Visual Design, an artistic "evolution" of Italy's Alessio Cassaro, In the Middle sees the "logical and surreal meat and 'collide' continuously, showing us that one or more dimensions can exist and coexist." The installation is also very close to Washington Park, which has food, drinks and music to enjoy during BLINK. There are also multiple other installations in that vicinity to enjoy.

Eyes Up Drone Show

Lighting up the sky two times per night (8 p.m. and 10 p.m.), the Eyes Up Drone Show is displayed over the Ohio River between The Banks and Covington's installations. The show features more than 300 drones forming different images in the sky — you can even catch the WCPO logo in the air on Saturday. You can watch the show on either the Covington or Cincinnati side of the river as well.

String Theory For Dummies

Another immersive installation, String Theory For Dummies, allows attendees to play with yarn strung across a structure. The yarn is then lit up into multiple neon colors. The installation — which is designed by Daniel Shields, Jamebo Corsini and Daniel Hiudt — aims to showcase accessible art and art that doesn't have a barrier between it and people. Attendees are encouraged to grab balls of yarn to "develop your string theory" and have an installation created by everyone.

String Theory for Dummies

In The Middle — Mother of God Church

Same name, different look and location. Antaless Visual Design also designed In The Middle at the Mother of God Roman Catholic Church in Covington. The installation uses lights, shadows the multiplication of objects and more to illuminate the building. Similar to his Memorial Hall design, "the goal is to demonstrate how the artist can be completely at the service of architecture," but the new architecture gives his art a new vibe. Don't skip this one just because you saw his work in OTR.

Toy Heritage Mural

If you feel like paying homage to your inner child, the Toy Heritage Mural on West Court Street in Cincinnati is for you. Designed by Graffmapping, who hails from Spain, the installation illuminates Jonathan Queen's existing mural. You can see favorites such as Yoda, Mr. Potato Head, a Care Bear and more on the wall. The installation is also located near BLINK's Asianati Night Market, where you can find special drink and food options.

RELATED
BLINK 2022: Where to park during the four-day festival
Cincinnati Metro, TANK to offer fare-free rides during Blink 2022
Behind BLINK: It takes a city within a city to pull off four-day festival

COVINGTON, Ky. — Have you ever looked at the side of a building a pictured a mural? How about some green space and benches to fill it?

You now have a chance to make that vision a reality with Covington's new competitive grant program.

"Just some little quirky thing that someone wants to do to make a difference in the community and help create that bold, vibrant, quirky sense of place that we're about in Covington," said Kyle Snyder, the project's manager.

The Quality of Place Grant Program encourages anyone in the city — be it a citizen, group or business — to offer ideas on how to creatively enhance the physical appearance of one of the business districts or nodes, build a sense of place through improvements, new works of public art or public gathering places.

"It could be a small piece of art someplace, it could be seating to activate an area, you know after BLINK we're all engaged with lighting and how lighting on the underside of a bridge or a tree could really make a big difference," Snyder said.

Spearheaded by the city's economic development team, Snyder hopes the project will not only bring creative benefits but also economic ones.

"You know, if you stop in and you buy a coffee and you walk around, you want to be engaged, and we want the city to engage people," he said. "We want people to visit, fall in love with it, move here, start a business here and just kind of help the city grow what it is and what it's going to become."

Project leaders say while demonstrated support from adjacent property owners is not necessary where people's ideas are being proposed, their buy-in will make applications more competitive.

The city has allocated $125,000 for the grant this fiscal year, and applicants can request a grant of $1,000 to $30,000.

The deadline to apply is Nov. 18 at 4 p.m. Find information on how to apply here.

Project leaders hope to introduce the new works by next summer, bringing an emboldened look to "The Cov."

"We are branding ourselves, hopefully, as the bold side of the river," Snyder said. "You cast your net and you get what you get and that's the fun of it."

COVINGTON, Ky. — Just ahead of Pride Month, Covington police added another LGBTQ+ liaison to its patrol. It was days before NKY Pride in Mainstrasse.

"Everyone was very receptive," said police specialist Doug Ullrich. "I got to meet a lot of people, shake a lot of hands, be out in the community and help interface the police department with people in the LGBTQ+ community."

Ullrich joined one of the department's original LGBTQ+ community liaisons, Lt. Jennifer Rudolph. She's been in the role since 2016, when she and then-assistant chief Rob Nader started the unit.

"This is just like another resource that we have with ways and avenues to respond to people who are in crisis," Rudolph said.

The pair specialize in building relationships with the community and focusing on breaking down barriers with police when its members become victims of crimes.

"Having liaisons with the community, I think just is one step that we can take to ensure that occurs," Ullrich added.

The department looked to expertise from across the river when the liaison jobs launched. Cincinnati Police Department has had LGBTQ community liaisons since 2013. Covington also turned to the NKY Pride Center and its director Bonnie Meyer.

"The need for the police department to be part of and involved in the community is obvious," Ullrich said.

But relations between law enforcement and the LGBTQ+ community have historic strains. Enforcement of strict and cruel laws meant to criminalize being gay or gender non-conforming people sometimes led to violence. An anti-police riot at New York City's Stonewall Inn in June 1969 is widely credited with starting the modern Pride movement.

Some Pride parades have banned uniformed law enforcement.

"I think, though, when we have officers in the City of Covington who have been allies and supporters that it's important to recognize that, that they're here doing the work," said Covington resident A.J. Miller. "And it's important to build on those relationships."

Miller's already had interactions with Ullrich during planning for the NKY Pride Festival at the beginning of the month. Miller is the festival chair.

"It just adds more of a contact that we can have here in the city of Covington," he said.

And, like in the Cincinnati Police Department, the liaisons are finding their work isn't limited to the community outside the walls of the department. They're helping educate fellow officers, too. One example: language, including pronouns.

"Being familiar with how people want to be referred to, using their proper pronouns and I think that was a big thing with educating ourselves," said Rudolph.

Ullrich agrees.

"A lot of it comes down to just trying to have open and frank conversations," he said. "People we work with who are not as familiar with how to deal with people in the community and how to have that open and respectful conversation and also with community members on how to interact with police."

With Ullrich's addition, there is a liaison on patrol at nearly every hour of the day.

The Covington Police LGBTQ+ liaisons can be reached by email at jrudolph@covingtonky.gov and dullrich@covingtonky.gov.

READ MORE
'Cincinnati was a remarkably queer place': The untold stories of the Queen City's gay history
'It changed my trajectory': How one video catapulted a UC student into an LGBTQ+ celebrity influencer
'It’s life-changing': Cincinnati organization provides free wardrobes for trans kids, young adults

CINCINNATI — The Scripps Howard Fund, the charitable arm of WCPO 9 parent E.W. Scripps Company, will give away its millionth book at a school somewhere across the country in April.

In collaboration with WCPO 9, the Fund has given away tens of thousands of books locally through book fairs at several schools over the past seven years.

Glenn O Swing Elementary is one of two Covington Independent Schools receiving two free book fairs this school year, thanks in part to your donations to the annual "If You Give a Child a Book" campaign.

"Research shows that 98% of students who choose a book will read it," said Ellen Peach, Glenn O Swing Elementary's principal. "So the fact that they get to come in here and pick their books, is just awesome to see."

Peach was a kindergarten teacher before getting into administration, and said she has seen the change it makes in a child's education once they learn to read — and when they have a small library of books to read at home, away from school.

"Seeing a student learn to read is so, so fulfilling," she said. "It's why you get into education."

Each student in grades K-3rd at Glenn O Swing Elementary will take home 10 free books over the course of this school year, thanks to funding from the Scripps Howard Fund, WCPO 9, and donations to the campaign. Several other Title I schools in our area, which serve low-income students, are also getting free book fairs.

"I'm probably going to read these when I get home," said third grader Garren Dixon. "It makes me feel like I'm in like that world."

His classmate, Akira Daniels, agreed.

"I just wanted to pick every single book," she said. "They looked all cool."

For educators like Peach, seeing kids excited about reading and taking a book home is already a win.

"Their faces, their little smiles and their mouths drop open, it's just great to see," she said. "And this year we get to see it twice. So, the generosity of this campaign is just incredible."

Covington is the mystery millionth book's sixth stop as it tours the country to markets that participate in the annual campaign before its title is revealed and it is given to a student in April.

You can learn more about the "If You Give a Child a Book" campaign here.

NEWPORT, Ky. — As construction goes vertical on Newport's long-awaited Ovation project, its developers and architects are using the technology behind a popular video game to visualize how it will look when it's completed. And it's all done using just an Xbox controller.

"Honestly, I don't play Fornite myself but this whole interactive experience was built using the same technology, same software they used to build Fortnite," said architectural visualization artist Ryan Fellers.

It's also the same technology that brings the Disney+ show "The Mandalorian" to life.

Using Unreal Enginetools and drone photography, Fellers has been able to recreate downtown Cincinnati, Newport, and Covington in a virtual world. And then he worked with the Corporex team designing Ovation to make it as realistic a recreation as possible.

It serves as a chance to make tweaks to the design once that team gets to 'walk' through the development, seeing it as a resident or visitor would. In one instance, designers noticed they needed to make minor changes to the parking garage until the next phase is built.

"This allows everyone to think like I am," said Mark Bischoff, Corporex's director of architecture and design. "It's like what I see when I'm thinking about the next project or the next phase."

The sales team also now uses it to show prospective condo buyers the view from their condo balcony over the boardwalk section of the development.

"We can change time of day, from sunrise to sunset," Fellers said. "[We can] change what month we're looking at it, see how the shadows change."

The 25-acre development is already starting to open. MegaCorp Pavilion, an indoor-outdoor concert and event venue, has been booking acts for more than one year. An office tower next door to it on Third Street will welcome its first tenants in May and is about half leased. A Homewood Suites hotel should open this summer, according to a Corporex spokesperson.

Then, a pedestrian bridge over Third Street will open, welcoming people into what will be Illumination Square and apartment and condo buildings opening in 2024.

In all, the mixed-use development will open in three phases with more than 1,000 residential units, a membership health club, more than 500 hotel rooms, and hundreds of thousands of square feet of retail and office spaces. Plus, the boardwalk will connect to the Riverfront Commons trail system and the Gen. James Taylor Park, on the other side of the levee wall.

"This will allow the city of Newport to connect to the riverfront like never before," Bischoff said.

In fact, the visualization technology has allowed local civic leaders to see how the project fits on top of the existing levee wall, a years-long project in conjunction with the Army Corps of Enigneers, and connects to the green space on the other side of the levee.

The Ovation Experience Center is now open next to MegaCorp Pavilion, where you can use this technology and learn more about the residential sales and development.

READ MORE
Voters may dissolve Village of Moscow in wake of lost revenue from Zimmer plant
Attempt to break high-five world record will include foster families at Cincinnati Reds game
North Carolina-based Hi-Wire Brewing to open taproom in Norwood's Factory 52 development

COVINGTON, Ky. — A former Kenton County Detention Center deputy is accused of dealing drugs to inmates.

Curtis Malik Edwards, 26, was arrested Friday and charged with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance with a firearm and first-degree promoting contraband.

Kenton County Commonwealth's Attorney Rob Sanders said the jail found evidence suggesting drugs were being provided to inmates by an employee. During an investigation, agents with the NKY Drug Strike Force found narcotics in Edwards' possession when he returned to work from a lunch break.

"The jail acted quickly to put a stop to it," Sanders said in a release. "The discovery luckily landed on his off day, so the agents had a couple days to investigate before the suspect returned to work. ... He was under constant surveillance when he came back to work so the agents were able to catch him in the act."

Sanders said the investigation discovered Edwards was receiving money from people outside the jail to deliver drugs to some of the inmates. Edwards allegedly used a gun to transport the drugs into the jail.

Edwards was fired upon his arrest. Sanders said more charges could be filed against Edwards and some inmates when the case is presented to the Kenton County Grand Jury.

If convicted of his current charges, Edwards could face up to 25 years in prison. He is currently being held on a $10,000 bond. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 12 at 1:30 p.m.

READ MORE
'It means the world to me': Restaurant owner thankful business is safe after attempted arson
Covington high school teacher arrested at school for child porn charges
Erlanger police: Louisville-area car thefts possibly tied to recent string of Northern Kentucky crimes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wiOnHXD6SA

BURLINGTON, Ky. — Hundreds of people marched through Burlington to remember a 21-year-old shot and killed in Florence.

Dan Likiko was found shot inside his vehicle along Winthrop Circle on April 22. The suspect in his murder, 38-year-old Wayne Haggard, made his first court appearance Friday morning.

Likiko's friends and family walked from the Boone County Public Library to the courthouse for Haggard's hearing, chanting "Justice for Dan" and carrying signs that said "We love you, Dan" and "Black Lives Matter."

"We are very happy to see the community come together to support Dan, who is our brother who has died for no reason," said Bob Mukeba, a friend of Likiko.

Blake Sheely/WCPO

Many of those involved in the protest were members of the Congolese community in Northern Kentucky, and the Congolese flag could be seen wrapped around the shoulders of multiple people. Likiko's family moved here from the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2015.

"This is a very hard time for us," said Didieo Diakandu, a member of the Congolese Community of Northern Kentucky. "Just a young man, 21-year-old being killed by the neighbor. We cannot live like that."

RELATED | 'He was a beautiful soul': Family remembers 21-year-old shooting victim

Initial investigation by police revealed Likiko was involved in some type of altercation with people on Wintergreen Court, which led to shots being fired. Haggard's family claims the computer technology student threatened him.

Likiko's mother was in attendance. She was visibly emotional as her son, Likiko's older brother Romuald, spoke.

"It's crazy ... I'm trying to put the pieces together over what exactly happened, but there's no explanation at all because he was not on his property," Romauld Likiko said. "He's calling it self-defense. That's not self-defense at all."

Valerie Lyons/WCPO

Judge Marcia Thomas deemed Haggard a danger to the community and set his bond at $1 million cash. His case has also been moved to a grand jury. Haggard has a preliminary hearing set for April 28.

READ MORE
Covington PD Sgt. suspended, demoted after accusations of sexual harassment, unwanted touching
Northern Kentucky woman wins $500,000 from scratch-off ticket
Police: 30-year-old man dies almost a week after incident in Fort Wright resulting in his hospitalization

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFUMO5SbxUQ

FLORENCE, Ky. — Hoping to enjoy a beer with friends after a hard-fought pickleball match? What if you can do both at the same place?

Another pickleball facility is coming to the Tri-State — this time with a brewery attached. The Freedom Brewing Company is partnering with The Pickleball Ranch on a new 12,000-square-foot facility that will include pickleball courts, an indoor/outdoor brewery, brew pub-style restaurant and taproom.

Located directly behind Thomas More Stadium on Freedom Way, the facility's rooftop and lower-level patios will offer views of both the stadium and the facility's six pickleball courts. The lower-level patio will also include a space for live entertainment.

"The Freedom Brewing Company and The Pickleball Ranch @FBC look to work closely with the City of Florence & the Florence Y’alls to create a true entertainment district gem and a one-of-a-kind social and lifestyle experience for fans of brewery & craft beer, baseball, pickleball, and live entertainment," Pete Robinson, managing partner at Freedom Brewing Company, said in a release.

Florence Mayor Dr. Julie Metzger Aubuchon said in a release that the city's goal has always been to turn the site of the Florence Y'alls into an entertainment district.

"The project will be an asset in our area and provide us the ability to showcase our beloved hometown, in the shadow of our famous water tower, as never before," she said. "The facility will provide something for everyone and I look forward to spending time there with my family and friends."

A groundbreaking for the facility is scheduled for May 10. The facility is expected to open in the spring of 2024.

CINCINNATI — Blink weekend is almost here and thousands of people will be traveling to and descending upon Over-the-Rhine, downtown Cincinnati and Covington.

To combat the headache of traveling into the city and attempting to park, Cincinnati Metro and TANK (Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky) are offering free fares each night of the neighborhood-spanning festival.

Each night from Oct. 13-16, Metro and TANK buses will offer fare-free rides beginning at 6 p.m.

There will be direct routes to Blink available at four park-and-ride locations, and these routes will drop attendees off at the Riverfront Transit Center for both Metro and TANK. TANK will also drop attendees off at the Covington Transit Center.

These four park-and-ride locations are: Cincinnati State, Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education, UC Digital Futures Building and Northern Kentucky University.

The last trip from NKU to Covington is at 9 p.m., and TANK buses will operate from the Covington Transit Center back to park-and-ride locations until 11 p.m.

All local Northern Kentucky TANK service will operate as normally scheduled, but service in Cincinnati will only operate to the Riverfront Transit Center after 6 p.m.

Due to street closures in Cincinnati, Metro's Government Square will close each night at 6:15 p.m., and anyone waiting then will be shuttled to the Regional Transit Center. As streets reopen, Government Square is expected to also reopen at 12:30 a.m.

All new and existing transit users who use the Transit app between Thursday and Sunday to purchase Metro fare will be gifted a free Metro 24-hour pass through the app. Similarly, anyone who registers a new Transit with EZ Fare account through the app during Blink or anyone that uses the Transit app to purchase fare during the day will be entered to win a raffle prize from Metro.

TANK is also having promotional giveaways, drawings and more at NKU as people wait for their buses.

The fare-free rides comes as Blink brings multiple road closures at various times throughout the weekend.

For more in-depth details for both Metro and TANK, click here.

You can catch up on all the preparations for Blink and everything you need to know to have a fun weekend here.

RELATED
BLINK organizers gather to honor city’s first mural artist 50 years later
Blink 2022: Road closures, major events and everything you need to know about the four-day event
'I’ve never seen anything like it': BLINK artists from around the world preparing new murals around city

CINCINNATI —

Jerry Mills is a die-hard Bengals fan.

Ed Fernandes cheers for the Raiders.

Before Saturday, the two were strangers. Now, they share a special bond.

"I believe God put me there for a reason so that man could have another day of living," Mills said.

Mills had just wrapped up an afternoon of tailgating.

He was on his way in to Paul Brown Stadium when he saw a Raiders fan on the ground. People in the crowd thought he was having a seizure.

"I look at him and, "I'm like, 'that doesn't look like a seizure activity.' I look for a pulse, he didn't have a pulse, and I was like, 'I'm going to start CPR right now,'" Mills said.

Mills, who is from Cincinnati and a former Covington firefighter, currently works as an emergency room nurse in Dallas.

"Being a nurse for the past three years, I've always told everybody I work with, 'Look, we're not losing nobody on my shift,'" Mills said.

That's how he felt outside PBS Saturday.

"I'm sitting there telling him, 'I'm not losing you today.' And so, the other nurse was helping and two minutes later, he got a pulse," Mills said.

But then Mills said he lost it again. Mills said the other nurse who jumped in to help also acted selflessly.

"She took the guy's shirt, put it across his face and started to breathe into his mouth," Mills said.

The two nurses continued to do what they had to to keep the Raiders fan alive until Cincinnati firefighters arrived.

On Tuesday, Mills learned the name of the man he saved, Ed Fernandes of Dayton, who had planned on attending the game with his grandson, Noah.

Noah told WLWT that his grandfather is still at UC Medical Center with blockages in his heart. He is scheduled to have surgery Thursday. Fernandes' family said they can't put into words how grateful they are for Mills.

COVINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear's budget proposal includes a major investment in the City of Covington. In a news release, the governor requested that $10 million be put into creating a new life sciences research lab.

The goal of the lab is to boost Covington’s economy through adding jobs and making the city more attractive for life sciences research. The lab has already been in the works through a collaboration with the city, local companies and Northern Kentucky University. However, officials say that executing on big investments in Covington like this one will be difficult if state government redistricts the area.

“Normally, if you have a person that is part of our community, they become more readily aware of and understand the totality of the environment in which these requests are made and therefore can be a more effective advocate,” Mayor Joe Meyer said. “With the changes, we’re going to have to a broader job to reach out to legislators who are not as familiar with our community.”

Meyer said Covington officials will be working closely with northern Kentucky legislators to make sure the lab’s investment plan stays in the budget as it moves through the Kentucky House and Senate.

The governor's budget also notes infrastructure projects like the Brent Spence companion bridge project.

“We are charting the path to building the Brent Spence companion bridge without tolls,” Beshear said.

For more information on Beshear's proposals for economic development, click here.

READ MORE
Beshear outlines proposals for economic development, tourism
Infrastructure bill signed into law could impact Cincinnati beyond Brent Spence Bridge

CINCINNATI —

With the stroke of a pen, President Joe Biden ignited a flurry of interest in design plans that show what an improved Brent Spence Bridge corridor might look like.

"Being there and being a part of it, it was just incredible, history in the making," Jill Meyer said.

Meyer is president of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber. She was in Washington for Monday's infrastructure bill signing ceremony.

Now that it's law, Ohio and Kentucky will get billions of dollars for a host of projects. The betting money is that a chunk of that cash will help pay for a new Brent Spence companion bridge.

"This is a real opportunity, a once-in-a-lifetime generational opportunity for us to finally get some funding for projects like this," said Brent Cooper, president of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce.

On both sides of the Ohio River, there's a real sense that a better Brent Spence Bridge is close at hand, even if it does take several years to build.

One set of design concepts created several years ago show what the current bridge and a companion span might look like.

The plans show one side of a companion bridge carrying all traffic on Interstate 75 southbound and southbound Interstate 71 as well as local drivers. The other side shows the existing Brent Spence, with local cars on the lower deck and drivers heading on 71 northbound on the upper deck.

Meyer and other bridge advocates point out the designs were unveiled seven years ago. And things could change when engineers find out how much money the bridge project will receive.

Even with those new unknowns, the old design concepts illustrate how much attention the functionally obsolete Brent Spence Bridge has received over the years.

"The hold back has been when can we start?" Meyer said. "This influx of money at this time is critically important and at the right time."

Mark Policinski, CEO of the Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana Regional Council of Governments said a companion bridge, if approved, would be built next to the Brent Spence, on the western side of the bridge.

One reason for that is the western side has the same environmental footprint as the existing bridge, which means construction could possibly start in 2023.

COVINGTON, Ky. —

Road rage over a parking spot led to a woman shot in the chest on Sunday night, according to Covington police.

Investigators said the woman had serious injuries and was transported to UC Medical Center.

They also told WLWT she was not in critical condition when we asked for more information about how she was doing.

Meanwhile, a neighbor talked with us about what happened and shared surveillance video that captured the sound of the gunshots.

"It doesn't happen down here. It's pretty quiet down here for the most part but this is the most craziest that we've dealt with around here," neighbor Chad Wagner said.

In five years living in the neighborhood, Wagner said he has never heard anything like what his cameras captured.

This content is imported from Twitter.
You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

His security system recorded the sound of the gunshots echoing in the 2400 block of Herman Street.

Covington police said a woman was shot in the chest after an apparent road rage incident over a parking space.

"It's sad. Sad. People don't care. They just don't care. They think in the moment right then and there and then have to deal with the consequences later," Wagner said.

Wagner told WLWT he saw what he thought were the woman's loved ones rushing to the scene worried and upset.

He and other neighbors can't believe a scene like this unfolded here.

Covington police immediately had one suspect detained, according to an investigator.

Now, they're working to figure out what happened.

Investigators said they are interviewing several people at police headquarters.

Meanwhile, neighbors are feeling pretty shaken up.

"I'm ready to move. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. I mean we've dealt with drugs and stuff, but this is, this is the straw that broke the camel's back for sure," Wagner said.

Covington police said they are still looking for at least one other suspect in this incident.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Covington Police Department at 859-292-2222.

COVINGTON, La. —

An 18-year-old student in Louisiana is facing a felony charge and up to 10 years in prison for an alleged TikTok challenge, resulting in the assault of a disabled teacher.

St. Tammany Parish District Attorney Warren Montgomery announced Tuesday that Larrianna Jackson, of Covington, Louisiana, was charged with felony second-degree battery and cruelty to the infirmed.

Jackson was arrested on Oct. 6 by the Covington Police Department for felony battery of a school teacher.

Police said she assaulted a 64-year-old teacher who is disabled after the dismissal bell rang.

Due to injuries sustained by the attack, the teacher had to seek medical attention at an area hospital, according to police.

Officers on the scene were provided a video that captured the entire incident.

In the video, police say you can see the schoolteacher sitting at her desk where she appears to be talking to Larrianna Jackson.

After a moment, police say Jackson punches the teacher, causing the teacher to fall to the ground. As the teacher fell to the ground, Jackson continues to violently closed-fist punch the teacher. The video then turns off at this point.

Officers said they learned that the attack may have been prompted by a viral social media application known as TikTok.

Evidently, users on the app have deemed it to be a challenge to damage school property and attack teachers, according to police.

"The Covington Police Department would like to remind everyone that anyone who participates in such a challenge will be booked accordingly. In this post we also attached the video that has been circulating around the internet. This matter is still under investigation and more arrests are forthcoming," a statement issued by Covington Police said.

TikTok released the a statement regarding the challenge circulating on its app.

"The rumored 'slap a teacher' dare is an insult to educators everywhere. And while this is not a trend on TikTok, if at any point it shows up, content will be removed," according to a statement posted on Twitter.

Jackson faces up to 10 years and will be arraigned by 22nd Judicial District Court Judge Richard A. Swartz on Dec. 8 at 9 a.m., according to Montgomery.

CINCINNATI — Cincinnati police have released body cam and dashboard footage of a dramatic high speed chase that ended in a crash in Newport that killed two bystanders last month.

The dash camera footage shows a high-speed, tense chase just before rush hour that ended in tragedy.

On Aug. 7, at approximately 4 p.m., Cincinnati police tried to stop the suspects in their vehicle in Lower Price Hill.

The suspect driver, 28-year-old Mason Meyer, had been on the radar of federal agencies wanted in connection with guns.

The chase accelerated onto the Roebling Suspension Bridge into Covington at high speed.

While in Covington, body cam footage shows police officers zipping through a back alley, inches from nearby homes.

The chase then twisted into Newport, eastbound across Columbia, before the suspect lost control of his vehicle at the intersection of Monmouth and Fifth Streets. Officers held the suspects at gunpoint as they called medics to the scene.

"Three at gunpoint from vehicle. We have civilians injured in the accident -- pedestrians," one officer in the video said.

Just 45 seconds later, medical crews arrived on-scene, but 81-year-old Raymond Laible and his wife, Gayle, died in the crash. Two other people were injured.

Police recovered three weapons – two loaded handguns and a loaded rifle – from Meyer's vehicle.

"We never want to see a tragic outcome when our officers attempt to apprehend a violent criminal," said Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot Isaac in a statement Friday. "Law enforcement must constantly weigh the risks versus the benefits in these efforts, but it is important to recognize that Mason Meyer's actions resulted in the deaths of these innocent lives and, ultimately, he must be held accountable."

Currently, the Cincinnati officers involved in the pursuit have been reassigned to administrative duty until the completion of an administrative investigation.

"The review of this video footage will be critical to the completion of a thorough investigation into the propriety of the officers' actions involved in this vehicle pursuit," Isaac said. "This pursuit will be reviewed based on the totality of the circumstances and assess compliance with our vehicle pursuit policy and standards."

Meyer, who also faces two murder charges and others in Campbell County, has been indicted on federal charges with another person in the vehicle, Kirsten Johnson. Those include possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Already a convicted felon, Meyer has also been charged with illegally possessing a firearm.

Read more:

COVINGTON, Ky. — It wouldn't be Christmas Day without the annual Northern Kentucky Christmas Day dinner, but there are some changes in place for this year's dinner.

For years, the Sunday Morning Club has sponsored the event, which regularly feeds close to 2,000 people at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center each Christmas Day.

"This is our 33rd year with the dinner and it just makes you feel good," Tom Hall, president of the Sunday Morning Club, said

This year, the club will still be feeding those in need, but the food will be in take-out containers which will have turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, dessert and more.

The club will also be at the Parish Kitchen on Madison Avenue in Covington, rather than the convention center.

"It's a little different this year because you have to take it with you," Hall said. "But that's our main goal, to help anyone we can."

You can walk or drive up to Parish Kitchen at 1561 Madison Ave. from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

COVINGTON, Ky. — The City of Covington is giving some business owners a helping hand during the holidays. Almost $500,000 in grants are being given out to 13 different businesses in order to offset losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Trying to make it through the next 12 weeks is going to be rough, because we were trying to figure out how we’re going to get funding,” The Delish Dish Catering & Events owner and executive chef Mavis Linnemann-Clark said. “Do I have to take out a personal loan?”

She said these are the questions she wrestles with every day – and at least now, she has some answers.

"The city of Covington has been a cheerleader for us and they've helped us out in other aspects of my business, and this is no exception," Linneman-Clark said.

Covington and Kenton County put money together to give the Delish Dish a $50,000 grand. They’re also giving grants of differing amounts to 12 other local businesses – all in an effort to keep them afloat and keep jobs in the city.

“This will help us keep our doors open and our kitchen cooking," Linneman-Clark said. "It's just the best, absolutely the best, Christmas present that I could ask for."

She said the grant is even more important since her catering company doesn’t qualify for certain relief funds that are only available to restaurants and bars.

"There is hope for small businesses; you just have to look for it under every nook and cranny," Linneman-Clark said.

She said 2020 has not been easy for The Delish Dish or many other businesses across the Tri-State – but the catering company said the grant gives it a new reason to look forward to 2021.

"We're already negative for the year, so it will help us not lose as much money in the first part of the year,” Linneman-Clark said. “And, hopefully next year we can make it out and recover what we've lost this year, which is a lot."

Covington and Kenton County businesses that get grant money will have to work with the Kentucky Small Business Development Center to make sure they are prepared and ready for whatever they might need to do to get through the rest of the pandemic.

COVINGTON, Ky. — Starting Monday, the parking lot of Covington's former IRS site on Johnson Street will host free COVID-19 testing.

The tests are available by appointment only between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., and you can now sign up for a testing slot here. After receiving an appointment, it is important to print and bring your test voucher on the day of your appointment.

The site's address is 302 W. Fourth St., but drivers will access it from Johnson Street between Fourth and Third streets.

Gov. Andy Beshear announced the federal surge testing site Friday in response to dramatically rising coronavirus case numbers.

Covington City Manager David Johnston said the site will be run by Kentucky's National Guard for now.

“We were approached by the Kentucky Department of Homeland Security asking for ideas on locations, and we immediately zeroed in on this site,” Johnston said in a release. “In the spirit of good, intergovernmental cooperation and to benefit public safety and the health of our citizens, we immediately worked out an agreement.”

On Friday, Kentucky reported 4,750 new cases of COVID-19, capping a three-day span of nearly 15,000 new cases. Health officials estimated the rise in cases is due to holiday gatherings.

CINCINNATI — Beechwood scored on the first drive and never looked back, beating Covington Catholic 27-7 in WCPO's "Game of the Week".

It's the first time Beechwood has beaten Covington Catholic since 2014.

In another Northern Kentucky matchup, two coaches who spent 15 years on the same coaching staff were on opposite sidelines. Mike Engler got the best of his mentor, Bob Sphire, as Ryle beat Highlands 27-13.

In a GCL South showdown, St. Xavier crushed Moeller 49-16. St. Xavier running back, Charles Kellom rushed for 216 yards, becoming the first Bomber to rush for 200+ yards in the last eight seasons.

Elsewhere in the GCL South, La Salle won at home against DuPont Manual, a team from Louisville, Ky.

Elder made the trip to St. Xavier (Louisville), but lost 31-21.

In a battle of unbeaten teams, Wyoming beat Reading 24-14 for Aaron Hancock's 100th win at Wyoming.

In ECC action, Winton Woods cruised to a decisive win over West Clermont.

Turpin held off Little Miami for a 41-23 win.

Watch highlights and analysis from Friday night's high school football action in the videos on this page.

RELATED: Sign for our new high school sports newsletter

Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky is a few weeks -- and $1.7 million -- away from completing construction on its new home in Covington.

The nonprofit on Thursday announced the launch of a Help Us Home campaign to raise $5 million over the next five years, with $1.7 million of that total earmarked to help the organization finish constructing and furnishing its new facility.

The rest of the money will help the nonprofit expand programs, replenish cash reserves and create an endowment to secure its future, said Executive Director Kim Webb.

“Would I have wanted to be doing a capital campaign and in construction at the same time? No,” Webb said. “However, given the opportunity – much like anybody else achieving housing right now – when the housing is available, you have to jump at the opportunity.”

Lucy May | WCPO

Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky began operating in 2008 and is Northern Kentucky’s only cold-weather shelter for adults. The organization has worked from a temporary location on Scott Boulevard in Covington for more than a decade and has been searching for years for a permanent home.

The nonprofit officially broke ground last December on that new home to serve people experiencing homelessness. The building at 436 W. 13^th Street in Covington is being expanded as part of a $2.7 million renovation and build-out.

The new facility will more than double the shelter’s current capacity with 68 beds in 10,000 square feet. The new shelter also will house Northern Kentucky’s first Daytime Navigation & Engagement Center with a medical clinic, meeting rooms for community partners, mail services for guests, self-service laundry, showers, phone charging stations and internet and computer access.

A capital campaign launched in 2013 raised $1 million for the new location, but Webb said she, her staff and board knew they would need to ask the community for help with the rest.

While the coronavirus pandemic raised construction costs for the new shelter, Webb said, it also gave her and her staff the opportunity to reconsider the facility’s design, giving guests their own spaces and the ability to maintain social distance.

There is not a firm date for the new shelter’s completion, Webb said, but she’s hoping it will be finished sometime in November.

“In an ideal world, we would close the doors here (at Scott Boulevard) one night and the next day open the doors at the new place,” she said. “And it’s seamless.”

The Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile Jr. Foundation and Drees Home Foundation each have committed $500,000 to the Help Us Home campaign, and supporters and community leaders have lined up to help Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky raise the rest.

David Drees, the CEO of Drees Homes, is chairman of the campaign in honor of his mother and late father, Ralph Drees, who helped establish Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky.

“To continue this noble mission, the shelter needs our help now more than ever, and I am thankful for this opportunity to help ESNKY continue its mission while preserving my father’s legacy of care and compassion for the homeless,” Drees said in a news release.

As the campaign works to raise that money, the organization also needs help day-to-day to operate at its current location on Scott Boulevard, Webb said.

Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky relies on donations and volunteers to serve people experiencing homelessness in Northern Kentucky. Information about how to donate, help or buy items on the organization’s wish list is available online.

Lucy May writes about the people, places and issues that define our region – to celebrate what makes the Tri-State great and shine a spotlight on problems we need to address. Poverty is an important focus for Lucy and for WCPO 9. To reach Lucy, email lucy.may@wcpo.com. Follow her on Twitter @LucyMayCincy.