Florence Kentucky Online

Picture of the Day: Lassing Pointe Golf Course

Today's Picture of the Day is the Lassing Pointe Golf Course in Union, Kentucky. Lassing Pointe is located off of US 42 in Union, behind the campus of Ryle High School. Lassing Pointe is a beautiful 18 hole golf facility that is owned and operated by the county. The course was designed by Dr. Michael Hurdzan and opened on May 20, 1994. The course has received many positive reviews and was voted the #1 public golf course in Kentucky by Golf Week Magazine. You can find more information about Lassing Pointe here at the Boone County Golf website.

Today's Boone County News:

Florence artist featured in ESPN article

Project gets students fired up for shelter

Camp teaches girls history

RA Jones STLP cleans up at state

Town Center adds to Walton's property value

Drama tells story of compassion

Boone Library hosts used book sale

Conner hosts golf outing

Tour de Cure in Union Saturday

BCHS hosts comedy showcase

Picture of the Day: Larry A. Ryle High School

Today's Picture of the Day is the Larry A. Ryle High School. Ryle High School is located along US 42 in Union Kentucky. Ryle High School was the third of Boone County's four high schools. The school opened in 1992. The school's original principal was Randall Cooper, whose name is honored at Boone County's newest high school, Randall K. Cooper High School. Ryle High School prides itself with having high academic standards, sports team successes, and many noteworthy clubs and organizations within the school.

For more information on Larry A. Ryle High School you can visit the school's official website here.

Today's Boone County News:

Plato's Closet gives scholarship

RC Durr YMCA hosts Father's Day Golf Scramble

Library pays tribute to local musician

Retail center's fate unclear

Woman reflects on her 105 years

Prayer service for our troops

Hoxworth Blood Drive at Boone County Library

Freedom beat River City again

Picture of the Day: South Fork Park

Today's Picture of the Day is the South Fork Park in Florence. South Fork Park is located off of Farmview Road in the Farmview subdivision. The park is nestled down a hill in a small pocket of nature right behind the residential area. South Fork Park is one of the many great parks that the City of Florence maintains for the community.

The park features a playground for the kids with swings, ride-ons, and a nautical themed climbing and sliding area. There is also a picnic shelter next to the playground that can be reserved for family get-togethers or used to escape the summer sun while at the park. There is also a concrete basketball court and a sand volleyball court at the park. The park also features wooded walking and biking trails. You can find more information on South Fork Park here.

Today's Boone County News:

DHL to assist with new road

Ceremony honors injured Marine

Freedom have second homestand

Caterna first Cooper State Champ

Amazing Grace Lutheran Vacation Bible School

Boone gets grant to buy land

Freedom pound River City

Freedom looking to improve under new management

Picture of the Day: Big Bone Lick State Park

Today's Picture of the Day is the Big Bone Lick State Park. The Big Bone Lick State Park is a Boone County treasure located just a few miles away from Florence. The park is located on a site where mammoths, mastadons, ground sloths and bison once lived. The park is known as the Birthplace of American Verterbrate Paleontology. The park has a  herd of of bison that live on the park grounds, giving visitors a look at the area's natural residents from the past. The area was also visited by the famous Lewis and Clark in 1803.

The park features a campground, fishing lake, hiking trails, playgrounds, museum and discovery trail, tennis, volleyball, and basketball courts. You can find more information about Big Bone Lick State Park here and here.

Today's Boone County News:

Conner's Robinson named LaRosa's MVP

Film honors late principal

School news from around Boone County

Runner's students share her experience

Erpenbeck's Crane Project for Japan

Freedom sees itself as a value play

Library promotes reading among children

Walton-Verona announces new football coach

Freedom pound out 20 hits in win

Memorial Day

Please take some time today to remember the sacrifices of the heroes who gave their lives to give us the opportunity to live free in the greatest country on earth.

Picture of the Day: Florence Baptist Church at Mount Zion

Yesterday's image took a look at the new steeple that dominates the skyline in the Mount Zion Road area from afar. Today's Picture of the Day is a closer look at the new Florence Baptist Church at Mt. Zion. The church held its first service on March 8, 2009 after relocating from their original location on Main Street in Florence. The 90,00 square foot church can easily be seen from I-75 and many other points around town. The church, pastored by Tim Alexander, will host the 2011 Kentucky Baptist Convention. 

Today's Boone County News:

Memorial Day events in Northern Kentucky

Boone hopes to save with budget

Dealer to appeal Chrysler decision

Conner senior wins scholarship

Boone County Library honored

Freedom lose season opener

Florence student breaks two World Records

Picture of the Day: Mt. Zion Road

Today's Picture of the Day takes a distant look from Florence at the Mt. Zion Road area. Many who have traveled by that area recently have seen the new Florence Baptist Church at Mt. Zion rising above the rest of the area. The beautiful new facility opened a few months ago and can be seen from many points throughout Florence. The church recently relocated to the Mt. Zion Road area from its original location on Main Street in Florence.

Today's Boone County News:

Police issue "phishing" scam alert

Conner routs Boone in softball

Historical works honored

Library awarded for innovation

Kentucky love and conservation

Ground broken on Florence Chick-Fil-A

Get ready to dive into summer

Picture of the Day: Florence Progress, Florence Past

If you just take a quick look at today's Picture of the Day, you might think you are looking at one of the many Boone County farms that populate the area in its more rural settings. If you take a closer look, you see a great image that shows a contrast between Florence's past and its present. In the foreground, you see the farm area that still exists at the south end of Mall Road. In the background, across I-75, you see the modern side of Florence, in Champion Window Field.

This farm is the last undeveloped piece of land on Mall Road and sits just behind the Florence Mall on the US 42 side of Mall Road. I know there has to be a story about why this farm still exists on Mall Road, as the last piece of undeveloped land in the area. This picture captures two different time periods in Florence's history in one image. I'm sure there is a story as to why this scene from the past still exists on Mall Road. If you have any information on or stories about this last piece of land on Mall Road, please share it below in the comments.

Today's Boone County News:

Airport gets new director

Florence paintballers win big in SC

Freedom open season on Wednesday

Conner grad to study in Japan

Horse Show planned for this weekend

Ryle grad on all-tournament team

Lady Jags win last home game

NFL players to play softball at Freedom home

Dealership not ready to give up

Construction begins on Florence Chick-Fil-A

Picture of the Day: Boone County Arboretum

Today's Picture of the Day is the entrance to Central Park and the Boone County Arboretum off of Camp Ernst Road. The Arboretum just celebrated its 10th Anniversary. Here is the description of the Arboretum from their official website:

In May of 1994, Boone County dedicated a new baseball and soccer complex called Central Park. The facility included a 2.2 mile walking / biking trail that went through the woods and wound around all the ball fields. During a long range planning session in 1996, the Boone County Horticultural Advisory Council and UK Cooperative Extension Agents saw the need to document and preserve Boone County's natural resources. They also saw a need to create a place dedicated to growing and studying the trees and shrubs of landscape horticulture. This needed to be a place that could be enjoyed by schools, community groups, garden clubs, as well as private citizens as they found out which landscape trees and shrubs grow well in our local climate.

 A unique partnership was created between the Boone County government and the Boone County Cooperative Extension District to form the nation's first arboretum within an active recreation setting. Mr. Richard Ammon of Ammon Landscape drew the planting design, and seven local nurseries came together with hundreds of volunteers to bring the vision into reality.

Boone County Arboretum was dedicated in May of 1999, and it continues to grow today. Plant maintenance was originally contracted out to a local landscape company, but we now have a staff of six people dedicated to the Arboretum. Our volunteer group, Friends of Boone County Arboretum, continues to grow in both membership and activity within the Arboretum. We currently have over 1100 trees and over 1700 shrubs, all mapped with global positioning technology. Children can walk from the playground directly into the Children's Garden and be immersed in a very colorful, hands-on experience with kid-friendly plants. On another side of the playground, they can find their way out of an ornamental grass maze. Our 3 acre native Kentucky grassland grows thicker each year. Excitement also grows each year as the Arboretum becomes a treasured asset in our community.

Today's Boone County News:

Cooper student helps with garden

Cooper Equestrian Team takes fifth at Nationals

Conner baseballer signs with Cumberlands

RC Durr YMCA names Andy Dischar Volunteer of the Year

Boone scores tech grant

Conner hosts band concert

Freedom enjoying new turf

Johnson's home to play

Picture of the Day: Burlington Fire Department

Today's Picture of the Day is from the Burlington Fire District Open House on Sunday May 17, 2009. The Burlington Fire Department held this event to give the community an opportunity to see all of the tools and procedures they use each day while keeping the community safe. The event featured activities for the kids, including a balloon slide, sno-kones and giveaways. The parking lot was loaded with fire trucks, emergency vehicles and even featured a visit from an air care helicopter.

The Fire Department put on a live action display showing everyone the procedures they use to assist an injured person who was trapped in an overhead location. They used the ladder on top of the truck to extract an injured person on the hill behind the firehouse. While they were doing the demonstration, the air care helicopter arrived overhead and landed in the parking lot to the amazement of the children who were in attendance. Children were then given the opportunity to get inside the emergency helicopter and look around.

The event was a great chance for local kids and adults as well to get a close-up look at the tools of the trade that the fire department uses each day. Thanks to the Burlington Fire District for staging this great event for the community.

Today's Boone County News:

Horse show benefits BAWAC

Union student on Murray State Dean's List

Real estate tax rate may fall

Ryle grad on softball All-Star team

Historical Society to meet next week

School news from Boone County

Boone County proposes lower budget

Florence Freedom to play Sunday