-
Under budget plan, Kentucky would face large gap in SNAP funding
Congress is mulling a budget and tax proposal which could leave states picking up more of the tab for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. More than 276,000 Kentucky households received SNAP benefits in April, according to the latest state data. The changes, with an estimated $230 billion in cuts, could cost Kentucky nearly double…
-
Boyd County Man Sentenced for Armed Fentanyl Trafficking
ASHLAND, Ky. – An Ashland man, Phillip Conley, 28, was sentenced on Monday to 180 months in prison, by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning, for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a…
-
EPA rollbacks could trigger higher asthma, cancer rates in Kentucky
A new data dashboard from the Sierra Club showed more Kentuckians would be at risk for higher exposure to air and water pollution if the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency follows through on plans to loosen several environmental regulations. Targets for rollbacks include regional haze, greenhouse gas, mercury and air toxin standards, along with wastewater…
-
Board of Health Appoints Commissioner of Health
Lexington, Kentucky, May 12, 2025 – The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department (LFCHD) is pleased to announce the Board of Health has appointed Dr. Crystal Miller to serve as Commissioner of Health for Lexington-Fayette County. Dr. Miller has served as director of the WEDCO District Health Department, which serves Harrison, Nicholas, and Scott counties in…
-
Richmond Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Create and Distribute Animal Crush Videos
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Richmond, Ky., man, Kendall Hacker, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves to 30 months in prison, for conspiracy to create and distribute animal crush videos. Animal crushing is defined under federal criminal law as “actual conduct in which one or more living non-human mammals, birds, reptiles, or amphibians,…
-
Report: Medicaid work requirements could cost Kentucky jobs, tax revenue
A new report from the Commonwealth Fund showed between 8,000 and 12,000 Kentuckians could lose their jobs as a result of the state implementing Medicaid work requirements, which would cause more people to lose health coverage. Leighton Ku, professor of health policy and management at George Washington University and co-author of the report, said…
-
ICE detains previously deported cocaine distributor in Central Kentucky
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Federal authorities in Scott County arrested a previously deported Mexican national with a prior felony cocaine distribution conviction on Wednesday, charging him with illegal re-entry into the United States. Javier Perez-Ruiz, also known as Javier Ruiz-Perez, was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after local law enforcement initially…
-
Ahead of Mother’s Day, Kentucky student pays tribute to grandmother
Ahead of Mother’s Day, one Kentucky middle-school student has received recognition for honoring his grandmother in a “Grandparent of the Year” essay contest sponsored by the Kentucky Retired Teachers Association and AARP Kentucky. In his winning essay, P.J. Brock describes his grandmother Sue as “caring, kind, hardworking, selfless and loving.” Sue Beeler, 74, a…
-
Maternal Mental Health Awareness
Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week is May 5 – May 11, 2025. Help us spread the word about HRSA’s National Maternal Mental Health Hotline (1-833-TLC-MAMA)—a free and confidential service offering 24/7 support via call or text to new and expecting moms and their loved ones. The Hotline’s trained counselors help thousands of women and…
-
Lexington Man Sentenced for Armed Fentanyl Trafficking
FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Lexington man, Drequahn Smith, 19, was sentenced on Tuesday to 128 months in prison, by U.S. District Judge Gregory VanTatenhove, for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On June 24, 2024, law enforcement officers…