WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2026  ·  EASTERN KENTUCKY'S COMMUNITY NEWS HUB
All the news from the hollows & hills of Eastern Kentucky

Today's Stories 67 stories · Updated 06:05 AM

Kentucky Lantern3h ago

FRANKFORT — With just one working day before breaking for the veto period, the Kentucky legislature still has to approve a two-year state budget. Senate President Robert Stivers told reporters Tuesday night that a final version of House Bill 500, the $31 billion executive branch budget, could be published online later in the evening. “Documents [...]

Kentucky Lantern5h ago

FRANKFORT — The Kentucky Senate has lowered the copays Medicaid patients would have to pay under a bill that proposes a work requirement and other sweeping changes to the federal-state program. House Bill 2 proposed adding copays of $35 for inpatient hospital services and $8 copays for prescription glasses and contacts. In the Senate version, [...]

WTVQ ABC 366h ago

A newly released 14-page report details the death of 48-year-old inmate Marvin Knuckles, who fell down a cliff while on a snow removal detail at the Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex on January 27. The Critical Incident Review team under the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet compiled the report, which includes photos and findings from the area where Knuckles fell....

WTVQ ABC 367h ago

Senate Bill 289, also known as Wynter's Law, faces an uncertain future as the legislative session ticks down. The bill would expand the criteria for issuing an AMBER Alert, helping missing child cases that do not meet current requirements. The legislation is named after a Rockcastle County teen who went missing in October 2025, with no alert issued for...

Kentucky Lantern9h ago

FRANKFORT — Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has vetoed a bill that critics say would block Kentuckians from suing pesticide companies for failing to warn of their products’ hazards. Beshear called it “dangerous for Kentuckians” and something that “flies in the face of making America healthy.” Beshear in his Tuesday veto message said Senate Bill [...]

WTVQ ABC 3610h ago

We finished off the month of March in style on Tuesday across Central and Eastern Kentucky with another unseasonably warm day across the board. With a breezy southwest wind gusting to around 30 miles per hour along with a mix of clouds and sunshine, afternoon highs surged into the upper 70s and low 80s, giving that summer-like feel once again....

Harlan Enterprise10h ago

The Resurrection is one of the most significant events in human history, and yet John sprints through the story in 432 words. The other Gospel accounts are even shorter! John [...]

Kentucky Lantern11h ago

FRANKFORT — A Laurel County Grand Jury has indicted London Mayor Randall Weddle on four felony counts, alleging he made $93,000 in excessive contributions to the 2023 campaign of Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear and the Kentucky Democratic Party. The indictment was returned Tuesday afternoon and announced in a brief news release by Kentucky Attorney General [...]

Mountain Top Media11h ago

SALYERSVILLE, Ky. -- One man has been arrested, but deputies are on the hunt for another, following a drug raid at a Magoffin County home. Magoffin County sheriff's deputies served a search warrant at a Lakeville home of Eddie McFarland, 34, on Sunday. Sheriff Bill Meade tells Mountain Top News the raid was the culmination of a long drug investigation that resulted in several undercover buys. Mead

WTVQ ABC 3611h ago

FRANKFORT, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) - A Laurel County Grand Jury indicted London Mayor Randall Weddle on four felony counts of excessive campaign contributions, Attorney General Coleman announced. The indictment stems from action taken by the Office of the Attorney General. Weddle faces two counts of campaign contribution restriction and expenditure limits for unlawfully contributing more than $2,000

Kentucky Lantern12h ago

FRANKFORT — The Kentucky House has agreed with changes the Senate made to one of its election bills — including raising political donations limits for candidates in the state. When it first left the House, House Bill 139 was an annual “clean up” bill for election policies. The Senate unveiled a new version last week, adding [...]

Mountain Top Media12h ago

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- The Kentucky Public Service Commission has granted Mountain Water District's request to decide its request for a rate increase without a public hearing, but is not ready to rule on the matter yet. In its application filed in November, Mountain Water asked for permission to raise rates across the board. Their proposal would raise residential rates by 22 percent, jumping from about

WTVQ ABC 3612h ago

(ABC 36 NEWS NOW) - A Franklin Circuit Court judge has ruled that the impeachment articles against Fayette Circuit Judge Julie Muth Goodman are null and void stating the Kentucky House of Representatives failed to charge her with an impeachable offense. Judge Phillip J. Shepherd issued the order on Tuesday, declaring that the legislature's impeachment power does not extend to...

Harlan Enterprise16h ago

Wallace Paul Lunsford, 84, of Lexington, Tenn., was welcomed to Heaven on March 30, 2026, at the Lexington Post Acute Nursing Home.He was born Jan. 3, 1942, in Harlan County, [...]

Mountain Top MediaMar 30

Kentucky just made a much-needed hire after the departure of assistant coaches, Alvin Brooks and Josh Hart. Mo Williams, a 13-year NBA veteran, has joined the basketball staff as of today. Mo had a long successful career in the NBA and has many connections to the league that can help Kentucky with recruiting and developing talent for the next level. Just last week, Mark Pope got his first commitme

Mountain Top MediaMar 30

MARROWBONE, Ky. -- A Pike County man has been arrested for drug trafficking, after a caller reported witnessing a drug deal at his home. A caller reported seeing a woman in a silver Chevy Suburban receiving drugs Sunday evening from a home on Left Fork of Dry Fork. Police found the vehicle and arrested the driver, Jessica Shell, 45, of Grundy, for possession of meth and drug paraphernalia. Police

Mountain Top MediaMar 30

ASHLAND, Ky. - The Rice/Stanley Boyd County Classic track meet was held in Ashland this past weekend and when the field was clear, Pikeville High School saw eight track and field participants walk away with personal best records. Despite the chilly temperatures, the following student-athletes finished with highlights of these final results: Junior Cadence Compton Runner Up – 1600m (5:51.65). Junio

Mountain Top MediaMar 30

BETSY LAYNE, Ky. -- A Wise County man is facing a felony assault charge, for allegedly driving drunk when he was involved in an injury crash at Betsy Layne. Deputies were called to the crash which occurred last Wednesday night. When they arrived, they found Carter Ferrell Willey, 23, of Wise, who the police report describes as smelling of alcohol and slurring his speech while being belligerent. Wi

Mountain Top MediaMar 30

Many people may not have heard, but Kentucky has a new professional team to get excited for. The Louisville Kings are the newest addition to the United Football League (UFL) for the 2026 season. The Kings played their first game as a franchise this past Friday, March 27, in front of a sold-out crowd at Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky. Unfortunately, they fell short in their season open

Mountain Top MediaMar 30

A great player for Wheelwright, the first in its great basketball history to ever make the All-State 1st Team, was Jeff Riley. Riley accomplished that feat in his senior season of 1977. Steadily through his high school career, Riley’s stats climbed before exploding in his senior season of 1976-77. As a freshman Riley scored 11 ppg. As a sophomore that average went up to 17 ppg. As a junior it clim

Salyersville IndependentMar 27

SALYERSVILLE – A local artist seeking healing through art and scripture combined the two for an exhibit, now on display at the Magoffin County Public Library. Debbie Lemaster, a retired art teacher from both Johnson County and Magoffin County schools, lost her son 13 years ago this June and said she wanted to do something [...]

Salyersville IndependentMar 27

SALYERSVILLE – A former Herald Whitaker Middle School teacher took a plea deal in Magoffin County Circuit Court last week, accepting five years in prison on charges related to inappropriate communications with a juvenile. Jordan Cobb, 32, of Coon Creek Rd., in Salyersville, appeared in court on Thursday, March 19, and pleaded guilty to one [...]

Salyersville IndependentMar 27

Braelyn Meade, from Johnson County, won first place at the state level for her Conservation Art entry, up against students from the 121 conservation districts across the state. The Johnson County Conservation District Awarded Braelyn with a trophy, plaque and monetary prize for her hard work. Braelyn is the daughter of Justin and Angelica Meade, [...]

Salyersville IndependentMar 26

Skylar Osborne is a 13-year-old student at Herald Whitaker Middle School. She recently attended the USAG State Gymnastics meet in Beckley, West Virginia. Osborne competed as a Level 7 gymnast, where she took the state title on vault and bars, runner-up on floor, and a 3rd-place finish on beam. She also became the state all-around [...]

Salyersville IndependentMar 26

Magoffin County Health Department’s Abbie Conley was honored at the Kentucky Public Health Association Conference last week. Conley received the 2026 Sara C. Stice Award for her work as a health education coordinator. The Sara C. Stice Award honors one person from the state of Kentucky who has made an outstanding contribution in the field [...]

Appalachian News-ExpressMar 26

A bond reduction request for a man charged with the possession of matter portraying sexual performance by a minor has been denied, according to court documents.

Mountain EagleMar 25

In golf, there are links courses, parkland courses and desert courses — and, of course, putt-putt. But down a muddy trail scattered with fallen limestone and sandstone from an old railroad cut, a completely different kind of course is taking shape in Jenkins. When finished, the Boulder Run Disc Golf Course will wind through the woods and climb the side [...] The post A new kind of golf takes fligh

Mountain EagleMar 25

Letcher County Schools will have a new superintendent this fall. Denise Yonts, who has served in the position for the past eight years, announced this week that she will retire at the end of June after 33 years in the district. The Letcher County Board of Education work with the Kentucky School Boards Association to conduct a search for her [...] The post Superintendent stepping down after eight y

Mountain EagleMar 25

As residents across eastern Kentucky struggle with rising electric bills — and worry about the next increase — Kentucky Power has asked state regulators to approve a nearly $200 million project at a coal-fired power plant that helps supply electricity to the region. The utility filed an application with the Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC) earlier this year seeking permission [...] The pos

Mountain EagleMar 25

Kentucky Power Company is asking state regulators to reconsider parts of a recent decision on its proposed rate increase, arguing that cuts ordered by the Kentucky Public Service Commission could harm the company’s financial stability and electric service reliability. In a motion for rehearing filed with the PSC, the utility challenges several elements of the Commission’s February order in its [..

Mountain EagleMar 25

New filings in the Mitchell power plant case show that state regulators and outside groups are closely scrutinizing Kentucky Power’s proposal to spend nearly $200 million on a new cooling tower. The Kentucky Attorney General’s Office and a group representing large industrial customers have filed detailed questions asking the company to explain how the project will be paid for and [...] The post Ne

Mountain EagleMar 25

Turkey populations may be improving statewide, but harvest numbers in Letcher County tell a different story. With Kentucky’s 2026 spring turkey hunting season arriving soon, state officials say recent data shows turkey populations have rebounded in recent years, offering encouraging signs for the 2026 spring season. However, harvest numbers in Letcher County have declined over the past several yea

Mountain EagleMar 25

Eighth-grader Pierre Rondo made his state tournament debut last week for North Oldham, and it’s clear he’s already ahead of schedule. Now in his second varsity season, Rondo averaged 14 points and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 38 percent from 3-point range. Of course, the name sounds familiar. His father, former University of Kentucky standout and NBA star Rajon [...] The post Kentucky’s nex

Mountain EagleMar 25

At last, it’s starting to feel like spring. We may still have a few scattered frosty mornings, but I believe the snow is probably behind us. I’m ready to get my garden started, get my boat ready, and head out for some early spring crappie fishing. There’s an old saying that when the dogwoods bloom, it’s time for crappie to [...] The post When the dogwoods bloom, it’s time to fish for crappie first