Meet the 17 Leaders Reimagining the Tri-State Sasha Bush The Ashland Beacon Seventeen People. Three States. One Big Question. What if there’s a better way to solve the challenges facing the Tri-State? This fall, 17 nonprofit leaders from Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia will step away from the everyday demands of their jobs and into a different kind of experience — one designed to challenge assumptions, spark new ideas and change the way they think about serving their

The Call After the Call Mark Hammond’s Mission to Help Those Who Help Others Sasha Bush The Ashland Beacon For more than four decades, Mark Hammond has answered the call. Long before he became the Coroner for Boyd County or a Regional Training Coordinator for the Kentucky Fire Commission, Hammond was a teenager in Louisa, Kentucky, discovering a life of service that would take him through some of the most difficult moments imaginable. Now, after 42 years in emergency serv

NEKY Celebrates Small Business Excellence Sasha Bush The Ashland Beacon It is found in the storefronts where familiar faces are greeted by name. It is in the family-owned businesses built one customer at a time. It is in the entrepreneurs who take a chance on an idea, the professionals who pour their talents into their communities, and the businesses that understand success means more when everyone around them has the opportunity to succeed, too. That spirit was on full

Chosen Road to Headline Free Labor Day Celebration in Catlettsburg Sasha Bush The Ashland Beacon A long-standing community tradition in Catlettsburg will continue this Labor Day weekend as England Hill Free Will Baptist Church hosts a free community event on the Boyd County courthouse lawn. The church has hosted a community event on the courthouse lawn since 1997, when it was invited to hold a community church service. The event grew from there and has become a yearly tra

Cannonsburg Elementary Dedicates New Playground Pamela Hall The Ashland Beacon “It’s a great day to be a Cannonsburg Tiger!” Although the statement was made by Rocky Adkins last Friday at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new playground at Cannonsburg Elementary, it was most certainly felt by everyone in attendance. The ceremony began with a short welcome by Principal Christy Reliford, who then introduced gubernatorial candidate Rocky Adkins. Adkins praised the dedica

French Lick Hoops How Two Boyd Countians Played Basketball on Larry Bird’s Court Gwen Akers The Ashland Beacon It was the 1980s, and basketball legends Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Dr. J were entertaining kids across the globe. Scott Campbell and Steve Day were no different–both were basketball fans mesmerized by these larger-than-life players. “This guy named Larry Bird comes on the scene, and I remember seeing him his senior year before the NCAA tournament and being in

Growing Together 50 Years of Imel’s Greenhouse Janna Imel For The Ashland Beacon When I think about my childhood at Imel’s Greenhouse, what I remember most is family. I grew up working alongside my brother, Justin, and my sister, Jennifer, as well as our parents and grandparents. I would jokingly call it “bonding time” when we would have a larger project to complete together, like planting 17,000 mums by hand and placing drippers in each one afterward. Some of my favorit

Kings & Queens Prom A Night Where Everyone Is Royalty Sasha Bush The Ashland Beacon For one special evening, the red carpet will roll out, the music will turn up and nearly 100 local individuals will be treated like royalty. The Ashland Area YMCA will host its annual Kings & Queens Prom from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28, in the Youth Gym. The free event is open to individuals with special needs ages 14 and older, offering a night designed entirely around one s

Hold Your Horses! Sandy Ridge Is Just Getting Started! Sasha Bush The Ashland Beacon There are moments when a new chapter begins quietly. And then there are moments when the gates swing open, horses explode down the track, the crowd erupts, and an entire region realizes it is witnessing something special. That is exactly what happened at Sandy Ridge Racetrack in Ashland. Revolutionary Racing Kentucky LLC (RRKY), owner and operator of Sandy’s Racing & Gaming and the newly

From Comics to Cosplay Library Con Has Something for Everyone Sasha Bush The Ashland Beacon The Greenup County Public Library is preparing to bring a celebration of comics, books, movies, anime, games and popular culture to the community with its upcoming Library Con. The event will take place Saturday, September 19, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Flatwoods Public Library. Located at 1705 Argillite Road in Flatwoods, Library Con will offer attendees an opportu

Catlettsburg Labor Day Celebration Offers Full Weekend of Family Fun Sasha Bush The Ashland Beacon Catlettsburg will celebrate Labor Day with a full slate of community events, live entertainment, music, food and family activities throughout the holiday weekend. The festivities begin Thursday, Sept. 3, with the 9th Annual Gate City 5K, presented by the Ashland Kiwanis Breakfast Club. The race will begin at 7:00 p.m. at the Catlettsburg Municipal Building, 3015 Louisa Street

Kentucky Woman Reunited with DAR Honor Nearly Five Decades Later Rebecca Hemlock The Ashland Beacon Some honors are worth waiting nearly half a century to celebrate. For Betty, a resident of The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence in Russell, a special recognition recently brought her back to a remarkable chapter of her life. Forty-eight years after being named Kentucky’s Outstanding Junior member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), Be

The Way of the Goose A Gaggle of Design Gideon Thompson The Ashland Beacon While most depictions of geese are silly and carry an air of mischief and disruption, the fact is that a goose can also be caring and loyal, protecting its young by keeping them close and in line. From a very young age, geese learn to follow order and stick together in support of one another. They follow their mother around, watching and learning how to swim, fly, and forage for their meals. Geese

Spin It Back Celebrating National Vinyl Record Day Sasha Bush The Ashland Beacon There’s something magical about putting a vinyl record on a turntable. You hear the familiar pop and crackle, watch the record spin, drop the needle, and suddenly you’re not just listening to music—you’re experiencing it. That’s exactly what National Vinyl Record Day is all about. Celebrated each year on August 12, National Vinyl Record Day is a chance for music lovers, collectors, and an

Turning a Passion for Paper into a Palace Lavenna Stambaugh The Ashland Beacon What began with a pre-owned Cricut machine, and a pile of ambition has quickly grown into a thriving creative venture for Nikki Boyer, owner of Ollie's Paper Palace. Launched in May, Ollie's Paper Palace is a handmade stationery business specializing in notepads, planners, to-do lists, bookmarks, stickers, and other paper goods. Every item is thoughtfully designed and assembled by Boyer, whose pas

Flatwoods, Kentucky Harvest & Scare Fest Hauntingly Good Times Await Gideon Thompson The Ashland Beacon Spooky season is just around the corner, filled with delightful treats and the familiar cool autumn air that arrives each year. Pumpkin spice lattes will soon begin covering desks and countertops nationwide as we pull our sweaters and jackets out of the closet, dusting them off for another season. As we pass through stores, we'll begin to see the quintessential smiling p

The Mad Sparkler Bringing the Magic of Sparkle and Bloom to the Tri-State Rebecca Hemlock The Ashland Beacon In a world that often moves too fast and takes itself far too seriously, finding moments of pure, unadulterated joy can feel like discovering a rare treasure. But in the heart of Ironton, Ohio, one local entrepreneur is on a mission to sprinkle a little magic, color, and heartfelt nostalgia into everyday life. Meet Kelli Prince, the vibrant creative force behind

The Vault Grooming Co. Brings BackOperation Sharp Start with Free Haircuts for Students Lavenna Stambaugh The Ashland Beacon The barber shop will host the back-to-school event Aug. 8 to help students look and feel their best for a successful school year. Preparing for a new school year can be exciting, but it can also place added financial pressure on families. The Vault Grooming Co. hopes to ease some of that burden while helping students start the school year with c

Knuckleheads Barbershop to Host Second Annual Back-to-School Bash Lavenna Stambaugh The Ashland Beacon Knuckleheads Barbershop will host its second annual Back-to-School Bash on Sunday, Aug. 9, from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Flatwoods City Park. The free community event will feature activities for children, free backpacks filled with school supplies for every student in attendance, and a fun afternoon designed to help families prepare for the upcoming school year. Own

New Markers Celebrate Stories of Courage, Freedom, and History Across the Tri-State Region Sasha Bush The Ashland Beacon By preserving the past, the Appalachian Freedom Heritage Tourism Initiative is inviting visitors to walk the paths of those who fought for freedom. History came alive across the Tri-State Region yesterday as community leaders, historians, and residents gathered in Boyd County, Kentucky, to dedicate two new historical markers honoring the courage, de