Incumbent Mayor Julie Aubuchon faces first time candidate David Rose, a 25 year U.S. Postal Service veteran who cites wasteful city spending, with the election less than three weeks away. Aubuchon says her administration took accounting discrepancies from a prior administration to federal agents; Local 12 earlier reported an FBI probe, but the article cites no FBI statement. The council voted to raise the next mayor's pay 68% to $85,000, which Aubuchon says she did not request.
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The Bend, an $8 million, 30,000 square foot complex at 1930 Conrad Lane in Burlington, combines pickleball courts, soccer fields and a bar under one roof on five acres of former airport land. Developer Brad Trauth of Trauth Property Group built it in about six months. A grand opening is set for Saturday, Oct. 17, from 2 to 6 p.m., during the Taste of Hebron event.
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Boone County Schools had 13 of 25 schools rated blue or green on this year's state report cards, down from 16 last year. Seven schools moved down, five moved up and 13 stayed the same. Randall K. Cooper High rose from yellow to blue and Florence Elementary rose from orange to yellow, while Stephens Elementary fell from green to orange and Boone County High stayed yellow.
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I am looking for businesses to spotlight in the Florence Pulse. Enquire about having your business in the spotlight. Email me at [email protected].

🌧️ Friday — 66° / 42° · Rain Showers Likely
🌤️ Saturday — 54° / 35° · Mostly Sunny
☀️ Sunday — 62° / 40° · Areas Of Frost then Sunny
📍 Source: weather.gov — Florence, KY 41042

Where is your favorite pumpkin patch?

Respond to this email with your answer.

Friday, October 16 to Sunday, October 18
Big Bone Lick State Historic Site, Union. Hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Admission is $10 for ages 13 and up, $5 for ages 6 to 12, and free for ages 5 and under. Activities include salt making, archery, storytelling, live music, a petting zoo and a visit to the bison herd.
More Information 1 → More Information 2 →

Friday, October 16
Boone County Animal Shelter, 5620 Idlewild Road, Burlington, 4 to 6 p.m.
Visitors can meet pets looking for permanent homes, and everyone who attends receives a free Kona Ice.
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Friday, October 16
Turfway Park, 7 p.m.
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Saturday, October 17
High Stakes Harley-Davidson, 430 Meijer Drive, Florence, 1 to 4 p.m.
Live music by Billy Brown, Minton's Ducking Good BBQ food truck, cash bar, pumpkin decorating and a costume contest. Candy hand out begins at 3 p.m.
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Saturday, October 17
Nostalgic Garage, 7968 Kentucky Dr., Suite 5, Florence, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Classic, hot rod, muscle and off-road vehicles, plus a trunk or treat for kids. Attendees are asked to bring candy and non-perishable food. The candy supports Sunrise Children's Services and the food goes to a Go Pantry donation bin.
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Saturday, October 17
Florence Elks Lodge #314, 7704 Dixie Hwy, Florence, 2 to 6 p.m.
A family friendly fundraiser open to the public, with games, prizes, food, music, raffle baskets and Split the Pot. All proceeds support the Simon Kenton Cheer team.
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Saturday, October 17
3018 Second St., Petersburg, 2 to 7 p.m.
A free cruise in car show, more than 50 vendors, food booths, a free petting zoo, pumpkin painting for $5, a $1 raffle and split the pot, free kids games, a touch a truck and live music. Free competitions with prizes run through the afternoon, including a water balloon toss, three legged race and beard and mustache contest.
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Sunday, October 18
School of Rock NKY, 6415 Dixie Hwy, Florence, 3 to 6 p.m.
Free. A family friendly Halloween event with games for kids of all ages. Attendees can bring their own pumpkin for painting.
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Wednesday, October 21
4885 Houston Rd, Florence, 6 to 8 p.m.
Free. Children in costume collect candy from decorated trunks in the parking lot.
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Wednesday, October 21
Boone County High School commons, 7056 Burlington Pike, Florence, 6 to 8 p.m.
For children ages 4 to 12. The cost is $40 per child and includes a shirt, a bow, instruction and a spot in the performance at the Friday, October 23 football game. Proceeds help send the Boone County Cheerleaders to a national competition.
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Thursday, October 22
7210 Turfway Rd, Florence, 11 a.m. to noon
Free. The session covers new appraisal information that takes effect Nov. 1.
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Friday, October 23
Boone County Fairgrounds, 6 to 8 p.m.
Register at boonecountyky.org/parks.
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Saturday, October 24
St. Henry Athletic Complex, 35 Cavalier Blvd., Florence, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Admission is $5. More than 100 local craftsmen display handmade items, with free face painting, a fall display for photos and raffle tickets for themed gift baskets.
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Saturday, October 24
Dave & Buster's, 781 Heights Blvd, Florence, 3 to 5 p.m.
Free. Guests in costume can explore the midway for treats and surprises and receive an Unlimited Sim Play Card.
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Saturday, October 24
Boone County Fairgrounds, 7:30 to 9 p.m.
Free for all ages. Visitors walk a trail lit by jack-o-lanterns, take a hayride and end the night with a sweet treat.
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Saturday, October 24
Turfway Park, 7500 Turfway Road, Florence, 8:30 p.m.
Live concert.
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Monday, October 26
The 859 Taproom and Grill, 8720 Bankers St, Florence, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Florence Kentucky Pride hosts its second Pride Trunk or Treat, with costume and trunk decorating contests.
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Tuesday, October 27
7210 Turfway Rd, Florence, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Free. Lender affiliates share practical insights on how they keep preparing their clients. Rob Trump moderates a panel.
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Wednesday, October 28
Scheben Branch, Boone County Public Library, 8899 US 42, Florence, 6 to 7 p.m.
A Halloween themed family dance party with music and craft activities. Costumes are welcome.
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Saturday, October 31
Unincorporated Boone County, Florence, Union and Walton, 6 to 8 p.m.
Trick or treat is not a county sponsored event. Residents giving out candy can turn on porch lights. Drivers are asked to slow down in neighborhoods and turn on headlights before sunset.
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Friday, October 16: Visual Journaling Series
Monday, October 19: Air-Dry Clay Ghosts
Tuesday, October 20: Fall Color Walk
Tuesday, October 20: Wildlife Critters October 2026
Tuesday, October 20: Building Healthy Soils
Wednesday, October 21: Hike the Trails
Wednesday, October 21: Pokeberry Ink & Quill Pen Workshop
Wednesday, October 21: Sleep Smarts: Getting Better ZZZs
Thursday, October 22: Woody Plants & Landscape Symposium
Thursday, October 22: Pokeberry Ink & Quill Pen Workshop
Thursday, October 22: Adulting Academy
Friday, October 23: Coffee, Tea, Caffeine, and Thee
Friday, October 23: Air-Dry Clay Ghosts
Tuesday, October 27: Healing Power of Connection
Tuesday, October 27: Fall Tree and Wildflower Hike
Tuesday, October 27: Intermediate Paper Mache
Wednesday, October 28: Hike the Trails
Wednesday, October 28: Intermediate Paper Mache
Wednesday, October 28: Sleep Smarts: Getting Better ZZZs
Thursday, October 29: Intermediate Paper Mache
Thursday, October 29: Adulting Academy

Date: Every Saturday through Oct 31.
Time: 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Location: 1961 Burlington Pike, Burlington, KY 41005
Description: About 50 member farm families sell Northern Kentucky-grown produce, flowers and other items. Vendors may also set up on other days, and the market's Facebook page posts pop-ups.
More Info: Boone County Farmers Market

Get your event listed here. Contact me at robert@florencepulse.com to get your event featured in the Florence Pulse.

BCHS Varsity Sports Schedule: Oct. 16 to 18

Friday, Oct. 16: Football at Dixie Heights High School, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 17: No BCHS varsity games are scheduled.
Sunday, Oct. 18: No BCHS varsity games are scheduled.

The Boone County Rebels, 2 and 5, visit Dixie Heights, 3 and 4, Friday at 7 p.m. Senior running back Malik Johnson leads Northern Kentucky with 1,205 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, averaging 9.2 yards per carry. Coach Dan Court said, "Now we have the roughest part of the schedule coming up." The Rebels have had five season ending injuries.
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Florence Bowl is hosting the Judy's Crew doubles bowling tournament this October. Teams can still enter on four dates: Saturday, October 17; Sunday, October 18; Saturday, October 24; and Sunday, October 25, 2026, with 10:00 AM and 12:15 PM start times available each day. Entry fee is $60 per team.

Location: Florence Bowl, 7500 Sussex Dr., Florence, KY 41042

Sign up: https://www.florencebowl.com/judyscrew

Let us know about your sport results. Send to [email protected]

They came from Virginia and the Carolinas, from Pennsylvania and Maryland, and from the parts of Kentucky that were already getting crowded. They brought their surnames with them. Those names ended up on the landscape.

John Tanner founded the settlement that became Petersburg. John Craig and Robert Johnson gave the land that became Burlington. James Gaines ran the crossroads that became Walton. German families settled the eastern parts of the county, building farms and churches that outlasted the families themselves. Irish immigrants arrived later and put down roots in the south, around Verona, where St. Patrick's Church still stands.

The names did not always survive in obvious ways. Towns got renamed. Creeks carried surnames that local people eventually stopped knowing the origin of. But the families stayed. Their children married other families' children. The surnames became intertwined with the land until it was hard to say where one ended and the other began. That is how a place becomes a community. It takes a few generations and a lot of people who decided not to leave.