Sam Boje knows a thing or two about flags. He noticed that the flag pole in his neighbor, Barbara Miller's yard hadn't flown a flag in a few years."The flag pole has really, basically for the last three years or so just been a flag pole there and I didn't know how to take it down or want to take it down," Miller said. "We've always had a flag there until he passed away four years ago...and I wasn't really wanting to mess with putting the flag up and down every day."Taking matters into his own hands, Sam started to raise a flag for Miller every morning.Sam's interest in flags really sparked when he started learning about them towards the end of his 5th-grade year. And that's when he started sharing what he learned with Miller. While nothing can bring Russ back, Miller knows his memory will always be honored, all thanks to Sam."Russ would be so tickled that the flag is flying again because he just loved it," she said."If you know your neighbor, then you know someone that will help you out if something happens," Sam said.Eventually, Sam said he wants to collect a flag from every country.

As COVID-19 restrictions get lifted, more communities are making plans to make summer more fun.Outdoor events are slowly returning including many concerts. "We're ready. We're excited. We think it's time," said Jim Miller, lead singer of Dangerous Jim and the Slims. Miller said he already booked concerts in Greenhills, Lawrenceburg and Hamilton."Rockin' the Roebling, we'll be doing that," Miller said. "I'm sure that people will be booking as much outside stuff as possible." Party on the purple returns on Wednesdays starting next week. In West Chester, Takeover at the Square and Keehner Park concerts will be returning late June.Music in Mason will also be bringing back tunes to the Mason plaza."That was actually a very big generator of business for us. So, to see those things being brought back in a safe manner, I think is going to be great for us," said Matt Imm, owner of Quatman Cafe' in Mason. The city of Hamilton has a jam-packed schedule of outdoor events starting this Saturday with a Main Street spring shop hop. Alive After 5, concerts at RiversEdge and many other activities are also on the calendar.After taking a year off, one of the largest food truck rallies in the region is headed back to West Chester. "We have about 40 food trucks and other vendors that will be here ready to get our grub on," said Kerry Hendel, vice president of the Union Centre Boulevard Merchant Association. "We also bring in people from northern Kentucky, from over in Indiana as well. So, people who have seen our township before get to experience it for the first time."Depending on where the event is, who is hosting it and the number of people attending, some restrictions could be in place.Since state and federal guidelines can change day by day, so can the guidelines for different events.