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Representative Bobby McCool’s Legislative Update: Legislation clears committees, full House
As snow covered much of the Commonwealth, we left Frankfort on Friday with more than 350 House bills and resolutions filed for consideration. We have four weeks before the deadline to file new House bills on Feb. 26, so I expect we will see several hundred more. You can read summaries of each piece of…
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Senator Phillip Wheeler’s Legislative Update: Week 3 of the 2024 Regular Session
The Kentucky General Assembly reconvened in Frankfort on Tuesday after observing Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, marking the beginning of the third week of the 2024 Regular Session. A notable development this week was the unveiling of the biennial budget proposal by the state House of Representatives. The proposed bills, House Bill (HB) 6 and…
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Women and the abortion issue will decide the 2024 election outcome
A woman has never told me she felt good about her abortion. For 39 years I served in pastoral roles in different places. I had numerous women tell me they felt like they had no choice. Some said they felt pressured to abort. Many were medical emergency situations and it was life or death for…
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Call me thrifty, not a hoarder
Many people may think I am a “tightwad,” but I would like to think I am just thrifty. I look for sales and bargains. I will use coupons when going to fast food restaurants. While working, I took my lunch instead of eating out every day to save money. Eating out every day can really…
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Kermit’s unjust settlement: A call for fairness
Kermit, tabbed the epicenter of the opioid crisis, recently received its first installment of settlement funds from the state’s massive legal agreements with opioid manufacturers, distributors and prescribers. The sum, a mere $20,000, is half of a 15-year settlement plan totaling $40,000. This amount, broken down to an annual sum of $1,200 for the next…
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‘Coal Miner’s Son’
People occasionally will ask about my upbringing, family life and Appalachian roots. So, here is my song that I wrote and recorded titled “Coal Miner’s Son.” Maybe you can relate to some parts of the following lyrics.Daddy slept all day, worked all nightGot home early by dawn’s daylight.Mommy made gravy, biscuits and eggsFried apples, we…
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Cornbread and milk and other old-fashioned meals
How many of you remember eating cornbread and milk? I certainly do. Many times it was a nighttime snack at our house. It was a simple mixture made by crumbling leftover cornbread into a tall drinking glass and topping it with milk. My dad preferred buttermilk, although I preferred sweet milk. (There is no way…
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Representative Bobby McCool’s Legislative update: Lawmakers convene 2024 Regular Session
Since adjourning the 2023 Regular Session, I have used this update to share our work to prepare for this session. Interim committees met and heard testimony, gathered information, and focused on how to use the knowledge and data gained to craft thoughtful, intentional policies to help address the challenges our state faces. Because we did…
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Senator Phillip Wheeler’s Legislative Update: Week 1 of the 2024 Legislative Session
As we convene the 2024 regular session, I would like first to wish you a happy new year. I hope your holidays were filled with joy and laughter while spending quality time with family and friends. The Senate convened for day one of the 2024 Legislative Session on Tuesday, Jan. 2, with incredible renditions of…
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New hope for Martin County
As 2024 begins, Martin County stands on the cusp of a new era marked by progress and optimism. The recent announcement by Craig Miller, Alliance Water Resources manager, regarding significant funding in Gov. Andy Beshear’s proposed state budget for Martin County’s water issues represents a turning point that deserves celebration. For nearly a quarter of…
Category: Opinion
