FRANKFORT — Chief Judge Larry E. Thompson has been reelected by his fellow Kentucky Court of Appeals judges to a second four-year term as chief judge. Thompson will be sworn in for his new term in January. As chief judge, he provides administrative oversight of the Court of Appeals. “I am deeply grateful to my fellow judges for the confidence they have placed in me by reelecting me as chief judge,” Thompson said. “It is a tremendous honor and privilege to serve alongside such dedicated and distinguished colleagues on the Kentucky Court of Appeals, and I look forward to continuing […]

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LEXINGTON, Ky. — Appalachian Regional Healthcare is beginning a systemwide rollout of new security screening technology as part of a multimillion-dollar effort to strengthen safety across its hospitals. Beckley ARH Hospital was the first facility to receive the new equipment, with installation beginning Monday. Installations at Summers County ARH Hospital and Tug Valley ARH Regional Medical Center followed Tuesday. Hazard and Highlands ARH Regional Medical Centers are scheduled for installation Wednesday. The rollout is part of a broader security initiative that ARH has been developing for nearly two years. The new screening systems are designed to help trained security personnel […]

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FRANKFORT, Ky. — Employer-sponsored healthcare plans, the Affordable Care Act marketplace and Medicare are ramping up for a new enrollment period. Kentucky residents have just a few months to select the right coverage for next year. Dr. Rhonda Randall, chief medical officer for UnitedHealthcare Employer and Individual, a primary care physician, suggested Kentuckians take advantage of annual checkups and preventive care. “Catching something early costs less. Not only is it better for your physical health, it’s also better for your financial health to make sure that you’re getting that prevention and screening,” Randall pointed out. Research shows preventive care can […]

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LONDON, Ky. — A trial date has been set for a Prestonsburg man charged with possessing child pornography. Jimmy Ray Brown, 31, of Cliffside Apartments, faces a single charge of possessing child porn. He was arrested Sept. 9, after the FBI, Kentucky State Police and Prestonsburg Police raided his home. Agents with the FBI’s Huntington office began investigating in order to identify a person downloading and sharing child porn videos using the BitTorrent file sharing service. Investigators say the computer’s internet connection was associated with approximately 1,833 instances of suspected child pornography being possessed or exchanged over a little more […]

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EDDYVILLE, Ky. — A man who spent 29 years on death row for a brutal Perry County murder has died before his date with the executioner. Donald Herb Johnson, 59, pleaded guilty in 1994 to murder, burglary and sexual abuse related to the death of 61-year-old Helen Madden. Following a protracted legal battle over his sentencing, during which he tried to withdraw his guilty plea, he was given the death penalty in September of 1997. On the evening of Nov. 29, 1989, Johnson went to the Bright N Clean Laundry in Hazard, where he asked to use the phone. Madden […]

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