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Good morning, Florence! A $100 million hotel and restaurant complex could be coming to Houston Road — and that's just the start of today's issue. We've also got a 16-year-old making a real difference in her community, a bloodhound named Maverick who saved the day, and a look at how Florence once served as the first stagecoach stop south of Covington. Here's what's happening.
"When local organizations work together, the impact can reach far beyond what any one group could accomplish alone."
LOCAL NEWS
Florence Could Be Home to a $100 Million Hotel and Restaurant Complex
A Florence-based hospitality company is asking the city to approve a sweeping mixed-use development along Houston Road — two hotels (including a 7-story full-service Hilton or Marriott with conference space and a Residence Inn extended-stay), a restaurant, and a new corporate headquarters on nearly 15 acres. Athena Hospitality Group's proposal goes before the Florence Planning Commission on September 7, then to City Council for final approval. If greenlit, the roughly $100 million investment would bring major new lodging, dining, and professional office space right off I-75. Read more → https://linknky.com/news/2026/08/26/athena-hospitality-100-million-florence-hotel-development/
Boone County Teen Leads Second Neighborhood Creek Cleanup
Sixteen-year-old Natalie Stow rallied friends and family to pull trash and old tires from the South Fork of Gunpowder Creek — for the second time. Boone County Solid Waste helped haul everything away. Inspired? The county's "Trash for Cash" program pays nonprofits $100 per mile of road cleaned, and the "Seize the Street" adoption program is open to groups willing to commit to at least three cleanups a year. Read more → https://www.boonecountyky.org/news_detail_T16_R100.php
Boone County Library Reflects on Dolly Parton's Legacy of Literacy
Youth librarians at the Boone County Public Library are sharing how Dolly Parton's Imagination Library — which has mailed over 330 million free books to children since 1995 — has made a lasting difference right here at home. "Getting books into the hands of children from the minute they're born is so vital," said Jill Frasher, the library's director of youth services. Families can still register children under five to receive a free book by mail each month. Read more → https://www.fox19.com/2026/08/26/dolly-partons-imagination-library-leaves-lasting-mark-boone-county/
Florence Rotary, Kiwanis, and City Team Up to Stock Students With More Than Just School Supplies
The Rotary Club of Florence, Kiwanis Club of Boone County, and the City of Florence joined forces this summer on a school supply drive serving students at Boone County High School, Conner High School, and Ryle High School. The Rotary Club alone distributed 260 supply packages across the three schools. Beyond traditional classroom materials, the drive focused on real student needs, including hygiene products, clothing, snacks, and cleaning supplies. Meijer and Heritage Bank supported the effort with gift cards and in-kind contributions. "When local organizations work together, the impact can reach far beyond what any one group could accomplish alone."
Read more → Rotary Club of Florence
Boone County K-9 Maverick Leads 150 Searchers to Missing 18-Month-Old
A Boone County search effort involving 150 people, drones, a state police helicopter, and water rescue teams ended with relief when a bloodhound named Maverick tracked an 18-month-old boy to safety after about four hours. The toddler had gone missing in rural Boone County and was found roughly a mile and a half uphill through dense, challenging terrain. Maverick, a 3-year-old scent-specific tracking dog and the Sheriff's Office's first of his kind, followed the child's individual odor trail without being thrown off by the large crowd of searchers. "At the end of the day, that dog tracked right to where we needed to be," said Boone County Emergency Management Director Kevin Voegelpohl.
Read more → https://www.wcpo.com/news/northern-kentucky/a-toddler-was-missing-in-rural-boone-county-k-9-maverick-helped-bring-him-home
Your business could go here. Contact us for more information at [email protected].
3 DAY WEATHER FORECAST
🌤 Thursday — 84° / 64° · Mostly Sunny
☀ Friday — 83° / 62° · Sunny
☀ Saturday — 85° / 63° · Sunny
📍 Source: weather.gov — Florence, KY 41042
COMMUNITY EVENTS
📍First of Fall Fest
Considered the largest handmade craft show in the county, this beloved annual event brings together local vendors, food trucks, and the whole community for a classic end-of-summer celebration.
Friday, Aug. 28 — 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Saturday, Aug. 29 — 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Sunday, Aug. 30 — 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM
📍 Where: Boone County Fairgrounds — 5819 Idlewild Rd, Burlington, KY 41005
🎟 Admission: FREE | Parking: $5/car ($3 early bird on Friday)
📍 Mini Golf Tournament
4:30–7:00 p.m. | Saturday, August 29
World of Golf, 7400 Woodspoint Drive, Florence
For more information, call 859-371-8255.
📍 Summer Concert Series - Forever Diamond
Neil Diamond Tribute Band
7:00 - 8:30p.m. | Saturday, August 29
Boone Woods Park, 6000 Veterans Way, Burlington, KY
For more information: https://boone.libnet.info/event/16030281
📍 Cirque Du Luxe
Sept 3-6 | Times Varie
Boone County Fairgrounds, 5819 Idlewild Rd, Burlington, KY 41005 · Purchase tickets here
📍Movie Night - Inside Out 2
September 11 | 5:00 pm
South Fork Park, 9200 S. Fork Park Dr.
For more information, contact the Administration Department at
859-647-8177
Get your event listed here. Contact me at [email protected] to get your event featured here.
SPORTS
Florence Y’alls Double header
Florence Y’alls…7
Lake Erie Crushers…3 Final
Florence Y’alls…8
Lake Erie Crushers…6 Final
Boone County High School Rebels Football
8/28/26 @ St. Henry
LWS Open Disc Golf Pro Tour Comes to Burlington
The LWS Open Disc Golf Pro Tour lands at England Idlewild Park's disc golf course in Burlington, Friday, Sept. 4 through Sunday, Sept. 6. Top professional disc golfers from around the world will compete in one of the sport's premier events. Tickets are required — grab yours online before heading out. https://www.dgpt.com/event/2026-lws-open-at-idlewild/
Let us know about your sport results. Send to [email protected]
BOONE COUNTY HISTORY
Long before I-75 made Florence a regional crossroads, horses were doing the same job. When the Covington-Lexington Turnpike opened, Florence became the very first stagecoach stop heading south from Covington, sitting just ten miles down the road. The pike brought a steady stream of travelers, traders, and livestock drivers moving farm goods between the Bluegrass and the meatpacking centers of Covington and Cincinnati. Florence rose to meet them. At its peak as a travel stop, the town was home to three hotels: the Southern Hotel, the Florence Hotel, and the Wildwood Inn.