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2024 Kentucky World Language Association Teacher of the Year advances to nationals

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2024 Kentucky World Language Association Teacher of the Year advances to nationals


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Three women smile for a posed photo

Stephanie Bellot-Donaldson, center, a Spanish teacher at Hawthorne Elementary School (Jefferson County), stands with Nadine Jacobsen-McLean, left, a Spanish teacher at Hawthorne Elementary School, and M. Beck Sexton, a Spanish teacher at Eastern High School (Jefferson County) and Kentucky World Language Association president. Photo courtesy Kentucky World Language Association

(NASHVILLE) – Stephanie Bellot-Donaldson, a Spanish Literacy teacher at Hawthorne Elementary School (Jefferson County) and 2024 Kentucky World Language Association (KWLA) Outstanding Teacher of the Year, has been selected as the recipient of the 2025 Southern Conference on Language Teaching (SCOLT) regional Teacher of the Year award. She received the award on March 21 at the SCOLT Conference in Nashville.

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This award is intended to elevate the status and the public profile of the language profession at the state, regional and national levels by creating opportunities to recognize accomplished members of the world languages profession. It also recognizes best practices and excellence in the teaching and learning of world languages.

Bellot-Donaldson is a National Board Certified Teacher in Early and Middle Childhood Literacy. She earned her master’s degree in education at Dominican University in River Forest, Ill., and her bachelor’s degree at the University of Kentucky. She teaches Spanish immersion classes at all levels in Hawthorne Elementary School and serves as an elected representative in the school-based decision making (SBDM) council.

Bellot-Donaldson has been integral in developing the Spanish curriculum at Hawthorne Elementary School, including creating accessible resources, lessons and assessments so that all of the diverse learners in her classroom can be successful. She is a tireless advocate for her multilingual students and has worked with teachers who specialize in addressing dyslexia to ensure that her curriculum develops literacy and language skills for all students, even the students who need the most support.

As the new 2025 SCOLT regional Teacher of the Year, she now advances to the national level where she will compete for the National World Languages Teacher of the Year Award in November, given by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).

The Southern Conference on Language Teaching (SCOLT) is a professional organization whose mission is to promote universal world language education supported by the community, valued by political and business leaders, encouraged by parents and peers, and taught by exemplary instructors.

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The Kentucky World Language Association (KWLA) has endeavored to support, celebrate and highlight excellence in teaching world languages in Kentucky schools. Bellot-Donaldson is the latest example of what is already known about education in Kentucky; we have the tools and the talent to do great things and to lead our students to achieve success at high levels!

Alfonso De Torres Núñez serves as chair of the Kentucky World Language Association’s awards committee.




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Kentucky

Kentucky lawmaker introduces federal bill to fight pharmacy benefit managers

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8 hours ago

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December 12, 2025

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Kentucky lawmaker introduces federal bill to fight pharmacy benefit managers


WASHINGTON, D.C. — A Kentucky lawmaker is taking the fight for pharmacists to Washington.

Representative James Comer introduced the Pharmacists Fight Back Act on Thursday.

Kentucky already has a similar law in place that WKYT Investigates’ Kristen Kennedy has been following as the state works to get the law enforced.

Kentucky pharmacists may now get help on the federal level.

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“Rarely does a day go by without hearing from my constituents in Kentucky who are struggling under the weight of soaring prescription drug costs,” Comer said. “The questions I’m consistently asked are, ‘why? Who is benefiting from the system? Why isn’t it patients?’ My response is the same each time. It’s the PBMs.”

Federal bill targets pharmacy benefit managers

Comer says pharmacy benefit managers have outgrown their role in healthcare. State legislators agreed when they passed Senate Bill 188 last year. The law was supposed to increase reimbursement rates for pharmacies and keep PBMs from steering patients to affiliated pharmacies.

The regulations are similar to what Comer wants to do on a federal level.

“Our oversight investigation, which culminated in a report last year with our findings and recommendations, found PBMs have largely operated in the dark,” Comer said. “PBMs have abused their positions as middlemen to line their own pockets by retaining rebates and fees, undermine our community pharmacists and pass along costs to patients at the pharmacy counter. It’s unacceptable, and Congress has a responsibility to act.”

If the act becomes law, it would affect pharmacies across the U.S.

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Pharmacists in Kentucky are already seeing some advantages with the regulations placed on pharmacy benefit managers, but their biggest complaint is that the law isn’t being enforced.

That could change if the federal government gets involved. The Kentucky Pharmacists Association thinks Frankfort has a responsibility to act on the PBM law that passed in the state. They’re still asking the governor to make sure the Department of Insurance is enforcing the law in place.

Stay informed on investigations like this by checking out our WKYT Investigates page at wkyt.com/investigates.

Copyright 2025 WKYT. All rights reserved.



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Several people hurt in Western Kentucky Parkway multi-car accident, officials say

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20 hours ago

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December 12, 2025

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Several people hurt in Western Kentucky Parkway multi-car accident, officials say


MUHLENBERG, Ky. (WFIE) – Kentucky officials says there are multiple people injured in a three-car accident on Western Kentucky Parkway.

According to a post made by the Central City Fire Department, three vehicles were involved in a crash between the 64 and 65 mile markers eastbound of the parkway.

They say both the eastbound and westbound lanes are closed at this time. The closure should last around 3 hours.

Two people were extricated from a vehicle. Four adults and three juveniles are being taken to the hospital. No update has been given on their conditions.

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They say a mass casualty incident was declared, and Ohio County Fire and EMS were called to the scene due to the number of patients.

We will update you when we learn more.

Several people hurt in Western Kentucky Parkway multi-car accident, officials say(Central City Fire Department)

Copyright 2025 WFIE. All rights reserved.



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2027 top in-state prospect talks about his Kentucky unofficial visit on Tuesday

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December 11, 2025

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2027 top in-state prospect talks about his Kentucky unofficial visit on Tuesday


Kentucky’s recruiting efforts in the 2026 class have hit a current rough patch, but things are looking promising in the 2027 class, as the staff has already casted a very wide net in the class, with a number of top targets in the fold. As they’re continuing to pursue mostly national targets, a local star is now on the staff’s radar.

2027 in-state guard Braxton Keathley, one of the state’s top prospects even regardless of class, took an unofficial visit to Kentucky on Tuesday for the game against NC Central. Keathley is native of Martin County, KY, and has took the state by storm as he has really stuffed the stat sheet. Just recently, he dropped a triple-double of 34 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds last weekend.

The Kentucky staff has certainly seemed to take notice really quickly. He’s also getting plenty of other interest, too, including having frequent contact with Louisville, LSU, Purdue, South Carolina, and Florida State, plus offers from Eastern Kentucky, UT Martin, Ohio, and Bowling Green, among others. Keathley sat down with Kentucky Wildcats on SI to talk about his recent visit to Kentucky. What were his impressions of the staff? He shared a conversation he had with them before Tuesday’s game. He also had some interactions with others, too.

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“They really talked about how well I scored it and how they’ve been hearing about me for a long time,” Keathley said of his conversation with the Kentucky staff. “One of the (Kentucky) assistants mentioned he had a coaching friend tell them that they better jump on me quick cause I was really good. I had several fans come up to me and take pictures. Jack Givens welcomed me and talked to me for a little bit and said he’s highly impressed with my game and plans on coming to a game soon. A couple of other UK players came up, they were really nice and said they been keeping up with me.”

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Braxton Keathley | Photo via Jessica Adkins

As a Kentucky kid, Keathley says he been a fan of the Wildcats since he was little, even getting to train with Tyrese Maxey this summer, and he also had some great things to say about what he saw from fellow Kentucky natives and current Wildcats Trent Noah, Jasper Johnson, and Malachi Moreno. “I looked up to players like Tyler Herro, SGA, Tyrese Maxey, Devin Booker, Malik Monk and Reed Sheppard. I got lucky that I got to train with Maxey for a week in August,” Keathley said. “I saw Trent Noah last night having great energy and keeping a smile on his face during warmups. You could tell he loved every minute wearing that Kentucky uniform. He cares and it shows. I saw Jasper and Moreno warming up hard. The one thing about it, and my dad always told me, it’s a different place. You got to be special to play there and be willing to accept everything that comes with wearing that jersey.”

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Interestingly enough, Keathley’s dad coached former Kentucky greats Anthony Epps and Wayne Turner after their time at Kentucky, so Keathley has a family history of being around all that comes with the passion of Kentucky basketball. What did Keathley’s dad learn about the two former Wildcats he got the privilege to coach? “He said they carried a chip on their shoulder and were great leaders always humble but tough. and I have to do the same.” Now, for Keathley, it’s about climbing the ranks nationally. “A couple (recruiting services) don’t have me ranked yet and that’s ok. I’m going to walk in the gym every night and know I outworked you and I’m going to outplay you,” he said. “I’m going to compete like every game is a championship. I’m going to to play with the same passion that the fans have. I’m always all in there’s no going back or in-between.”

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Keathley has so much passion for his community in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky, and he has plans of doing big things at Martin County. He also shared a message Trent Noah’s dad had for him during their interaction at Tuesday’s Kentucky game. “Something he said that really stuck out. ‘Us mountain people have got to stick together.’ He’s right, Eastern Kentucky has great people and basketball players. Kentucky basketball as whole, we got to stick together through the highs and lows. That’s what we do.”

That’s a great message from a parent of a current Wildcat who was in his shoes before, being a fellow native of that part of the state. The Kentucky staff is certainly going to keep an eye on him as he continues the impressive run he is on so far this season, because he just continues to catch more and more people’s attention with his play.



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