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Brady Johnson, Kylie Alvin 15th Region Players of the Year
CITIZEN STAFF REPORT Brady Johnson of Shelby Valley and Kylie Alvin of Pikeville are the 15th Region’s Players of the Year. The Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches announced its 2025-26 regional honorees Sunday. The awards, voted on by KABC member coaches across the state, recognize one boys and one girls player in each of Kentucky’s
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Spring wildfire hazard season begins
Kentucky’s Spring Wildfire Hazard Season took effect Feb. 15 and runs through April 30, restricting outdoor burning during daylight hours. During this period, burning is prohibited between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. in or within 150 feet of any woodland or brushland. The Kentucky Division of Forestry responds to more than 1,000 wildfires each year
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Winter Storm Fern death toll in Kentucky rises to 16; Martin County reports no fatalities
BY ANNIE HOLLER MOUNTAIN CITIZEN Deaths linked to Winter Storm Fern in Kentucky rose to 16 on Monday after Gov. Andy Beshear announced the death of a 75-year-old woman from Adair County. Beshear said hypothermia contributed to several of the deaths reported over the past 10 days. The governor first reported a storm-related death Jan.
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Kentucky lawmakers renew push to establish statewide residential utility disconnection protections
by Liam Niemeyer Kentucky Lantern February 2, 2026 Last month, on a frigid day in front of the state capitol building in Frankfort, advocates called on Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear to halt residential utility disconnections through the winter via executive order. These groups, including the environmental advocacy nonprofit Kentucky Conservation Committee and Kentuckians for
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Kentucky Senate approves bill to clarify recent teacher and student electronic communication law
by McKenna Horsley Kentucky Lantern January 27, 2026 A bill that aims to revise restrictions on how Kentucky teachers communicate electronically with their students has passed out of the state Senate. The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, builds on her law from last year that required public school teachers and students to electronically
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Kentucky has approved five medical marijuana cultivators and seven dispensaries
BY MELISSA PATRICK KENTUCKY HEALTH NEWS Kentucky has now approved five medical marijuana cultivators, two safety compliance facilities and seven dispensaries that are either open or preparing to open, Gov. Andy Beshear announced Jan. 29. He said nine licensees are undergoing inspection. “Folks suffering from serious medical conditions like PTSD, cancer, multiple sclerosis and more
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New data show ICE arrests in Kentucky are on the rise
BY NADIA RAMLAGAN PUBLIC NEWS SERVICE Nearly 2,000 people in Kentucky were arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement between January and October of last year, and the number is expected to increase, according to new data. The majority of arrests are happening in jails or prisons, but around 25% are occurring at workplaces, residences
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Auditor announces annual drawing contest
Kentucky Auditor Allison Ball’s Commonwealth Office of the Ombudsman announced its annual statewide drawing contest in celebration of Read Across America Day, March 2. The contest invites Kentucky students ages 13 and under to participate by creating a bookmark-sized drawing that features their favorite storybook character discovering the joy of reading. Entries will be accepted
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Proposed bill would increase KY’s minimum wage to $10 per hour
BY NADIA RAMLAGAN PUBLIC NEWS SERVICE A newly proposed bill would increase Kentucky’s minimum wage to $10 per hour, placing it above the federal baseline. The state’s hourly pay rate is among the lowest in the nation, currently matching the nationwide minimum of $7.25, which has not increased since 2009. Sen. Reggie Thomas, D-Lexington, chair
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First medical marijuana processors approved; more dispensaries opening soon
BY MELISSA PATRICK KENTUCKY HEALTH NEWS Gov. Andy Beshear announced Jan. 8 that the state had approved its first cannabis processor, Bison Infused, located in Dayton, Kentucky. Beshear said the approval of Bison Infused is expected to result in multiple products becoming available in the coming weeks. “Our priority is ensuring Kentuckians suffering from serious
