CINCINNATI — On a day dedicated to celebrating love, seven couples stood before Kenton County Magistrate Stephen L. J. Hoffman, who pronounced them husband and wife.
"It’s a great thing to happen because what we need right now in this world is a lot of love," Hoffman said.
Hoffman officiated multiple weddings this Valentine's Day, continuing a tradition he has upheld since 1989 at his new office at 5th Street Center. Among the newlyweds were the Maldonados, who joined hands in matrimony after spending a couple of years together.
"Today, it's going to be a lot of marriages going on, and it's a really great thing to happen because what we need right now in this world is a lot of love," said Hoffman.
While love was celebrated in Covington, those dealing with heartbreak were given the chance to toss out items belonging to their exes, dumping the old to welcome new love.
At March First Brewing and Distilling, Junk King Cincinnati parked its "Dump Truck" in the parking lot from noon to 3 p.m. to let singles air their grievances by discarding their ex's things in a fun and therapeutic way.
"Valentine’s Day is such an enjoyable holiday for people who have their significant others that are special to them, but for those recently out of a relationship, Junk King uses our services to add a little fun to the holiday," said Jake Brendamour, CEO of Junk King Dump Truck.
Watch how lovers and singles celebrate Valentine's Day:
Those who participated were allowed to dump at least two times. Junk King Dump truck donates some items to nonprofits, saying the initiative helps keep toxic items out of landfills.
For Jessica Schoen, the experience was particularly liberating as she threw out a teddy bear won at a carnival and given to her by an ex-boyfriend.
"That was purchased from a carnival as a lovely gesture, one that later on I didn’t care about, so throwing it in the dumpster made me feel good," she said.
This act of letting go served as a symbolic closure to her past.
Items discarded ranged from outdated video games to cherished teddy bears. Not only did the event create a cathartic release, but it also contributed to a good cause. For each item tossed, Junk King pledged to donate $1 to the American Heart Association.
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