FRANKFORT, Ky. — Massive changes to Medicaid are on the horizon and could have crippling impacts on Kentucky communities, experts said. The changes, which include the requirement to work or volunteer for 80 hours per month, go into effect at the start of 2027. Emily Beauregard, executive director of Kentucky Voices for Health, said states remain in the dark procedurally, while trying to gauge the potential loss of state workers and providers. “Our Kentucky Medicaid department is still trying to understand how they’ll implement these incredibly complicated new requirements and that’s on top of state budget cuts to Medicaid that put us […]

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FRANKFORT — More than 8,500 Kentuckians registered to vote in July, with independent and other non-major party voters accounting for more new registrations than Republicans and Democrats combined, according to Secretary of State Michael Adams. The Secretary of State’s Office reported 8,598 new voter registrations during the month, while the state’s voter rolls grew by a net 4,981 voters after 3,617 registrations were removed. Most removals were due to deaths, followed by felony convictions, duplicate registrations and voters who moved out of state. “In July, more Independents registered to vote in Kentucky than Republicans and Democrats combined,” Adams said. “Neither […]

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ASHLAND, Ky, — Addiction Recovery Care has named Randy Hunter as its new chief executive officer, effective immediately. Hunter is the CEO of Prestonsburg-based Frontier Behavioral Health and will continue in that role while leading ARC. A retired Kentucky State Police trooper and former investigator with the Kentucky Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Hunter has extensive experience in substance use disorder treatment. “I am looking forward to leading ARC and guiding it into the future,” Hunter said. “As we navigate this transition, our commitment to the people of Kentucky is unchanged. We are dedicated to providing evidence-based treatment services […]

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LONDON, Ky. — A former Floyd County school bus driver will remain in jail while he awaits the outcome of his criminal case involving a federal child exploitation charge. Andrew D. Lewis, 40, of Prestonsburg, was arrested last month after he was indicted on a charge of attempted online enticement of a minor. The indictment accused Little of messaging a middle school student, trying to persuade a minor to engage in sexual activity that would likely result in a criminal charge of first-degree sexual abuse. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge. DETENTION RULING On Monday, Lewis appeared before […]

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PIKEVILLE, Ky. — A former Pike County substitute teacher has been sentenced to two years of incarceration, after he admitted to having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old when he was 24. Hunter Plymale, 28, of Kimper, entered an open guilty plea to charge of third-degree rape back in June. An open plea means he did not have a plea agreement with prosecutors. The charge is punishable by 1-to-5 years. His attorney had asked the judge to give him the minimum sentence of one year, saying his client will face consequences for decades by being placed on the Kentucky Sex […]

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