Kentucky
A Kentucky county’s recovery from opioid crisis could be a model for Tennessee | Opinion
‘If we pretend that everyone that has made a mistake…should get some sort of economic death penalty where they can never get a job again, we will never overcome this problem.’
Opioid addiction and overdoses on the rise in Tennessee
Cases of opioid addiction and overdoses have increased in recent years in Tennessee.
Mike Fant, Nashville Tennessean
Mandy Gooden grew up in a town that had one of the largest addiction rates in the country, with over five times the OxyContin distribution per capita than the national average in 2000.
After struggling with her own opiate addiction that began with a prescription after surgery in North Carolina, Gooden found recovery in that same hometown – Harlan, Kentucky.
Now, the faded buildings lining Harlan’s downtown are filled with posters for recovery groups, prevention events and nightly AA meetings in an alleyway beside the local bank.
Though the county still had a far higher overdose death rate than the national average in 2021, for the past three years, treatment efforts have increased. And the number of deaths has dropped.
Harlan has established positions devoted to recovery, a recovery-focused drug court, transport programs and reemployment services. Day after day, Gooden has been part of that change. Now in long-term recovery, she helps others recover through a position funded by opioid settlement money.
Over the next 18 years, Harlan is expected to receive over $10 million in additional funds from pharmaceutical companies and distributors who exacerbated the opioid crisis, according to the Kentucky Attorney General’s office.
“In Harlan, sober is the new cool,” said Gooden.
Gooden manages local cases classified under Casey’s Law, shorthand for the Matthew Casey Wethington Act for Substance Abuse Intervention. It was instituted in Kentucky in 2004 after the 23-year-old Casey died from a heroin overdose. The law helps families petition courts to get treatment for loved ones who are unwilling or unable to do so themselves.
Harlan’s success in recovery may provide a model for rural Tennessee communities as the state prepares to receive over $1.2 billion in abatement funds over the next 18 years. Dr. Stephen Patrick, former director of Child Health Policy at Vanderbilt, has been a part of efforts to outline how communities should use these funds, though guidelines for spending are lacking, he said.
In Harlan County, recovery takes a whole community
The money will aid recovery efforts. But for some, it will come too late.
As the coal industry declined through the 1990s, poverty and unemployment soared in Harlan, with over 25 percent of the county’s population of about 25,000 falling below the poverty line.
Tom Vicini, president and CEO of drug prevention and recovery organization Operation UNITE, said some unemployed coal miners sold their prescriptions to support their families or to buy more drugs themselves.
As Gooden and others worked to create an anti-addiction program, Kateena Haynes, CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Appalachia, advocated for children who’ve experienced what she calls “horrific situations and circumstances.”
“They think that, ‘You know, my parents haven’t had a job, and I’m not going to have a job, and so why don’t I just use drugs?’” Haynes said. “I think that the greatest thing that we do is just to give kids hope.”
The Harlan drug court has also stepped in, providing rehabilitation.
The Harlan drug court provides support for those struggling with addiction
Amber Stepp said she landed her first job through the drug court in 2021 after struggling with an OxyContin addiction.
“[Drug court workers] taught me how to grocery shop; they got me to get a bank account; they just taught me to live a normal and productive life,” said Stepp. “They inspired me to find something I wanted to do and something that I’m passionate about and make that my career.”
She became a peer support specialist, someone who is in successful recovery, trained to support others struggling with addiction.
She also helps run local recovery meetings and Harlan’s coalition of Operation UNITE, organizing community outreach events to prevent addiction.
Through efforts led by Dan Mosley, Harlan has further advanced opportunities for people who may not otherwise be able to access recovery.
As Harlan’s Judge-Executive, Mosley helped establish the Harlan County Drug Summit in 2019. He developed Ride for Recovery, which pays community action agencies or private transit providers to transport someone to recovery if they are unable to. Harlan also provides job reentry services.
“If we pretend that everyone that has made a mistake as it relates to their addiction should get some sort of economic death penalty where they can never get a job again, we will never overcome this problem,” said Mosley.
“They were loved back to life here.”
Originally from Nashville, Virginia Hunt is currently a journalism and biology student at Northwestern University with a special interest in public health reporting.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – Severe weather across the Commonwealth has led to downed trees, traffic impacts and thousands of power outages.
Extensive coverage will be available on air and on WKYT+, where people can stay updated on the latest storm threats and impacts.
Franklin County Damage
A house fire was caused by lightning striking the attic space above two bedrooms, the Franklin County Fire Department reports.
A child was reportedly awakened by smoke, and alerted the residents to danger. Everyone was able to get out of the home safely before fire crews arrived.
Crews say they were able to contain the fire to the attic, which reduced further damage to the home.
Grant County damage
The Grant County Judge Executive Chuck Dills declared a state of emergency for Grant County due to severe weather damage.
Mason County damage
The Washington Fire Department says crews have been busy with storm damage reports from early morning storms.
The Mason County Judge Executive Owen McNeill says most of the damage seems to be west of US 68 within or near the Maysville city limits. McNeill says trees and debris are in roads county wide, with several power lines down.
Jessamine County damage
Jessamine County Emergency Management posted on social media that multiple weather-related incidents and power outages Thursday morning have taxed their Emergency service teams
Officials say crews have responded to multiple flooded out roads, downed trees and at least four damaged structures including some commercial occupancies that had collapse of roof or structures.
If you experienced any damage, you are asked to message Jessamine County Emergency Management or submit a damage assessment report.
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 7 said KY 1267 at Cushingberry Lane in Jessamine County is closed due to a downed tree on a phone line.
Following severe weather, Ollie’s bargain outlet’s roof partially collapsed in Jessamine County according to emergency management. Emergency management is on the scene handling the situation.
The whole strip mall is closed due to a water leak and potential gas leak.
Show us your photos
Viewers are encouraged to submit any photos and videos of storm damage and impacts to WKYT. People can submit entries below.
Power outages
As of 8 a.m. on Thursday, June 18, over 4,000 customers in Fayette County are without power, and over 57,000 customers are without power throughout Kentucky, according to Kentucky Power Outages.
In a social media post, Woodford County said it was monitoring outages and was in coordination with utility partners to work to restore power.
The main transmission line that provides power to Falmouth was damaged, leading the city to be without power according to Pendleton County Emergency Management. An LG&E crew is reportedly enroute to fix the problem, but Falmouth will have no power until the damage is repaired.
Road Conditions
Garrard County Emergency Management says several state and county roads are being covered in water due to the weather conditions. They advise for anyone travelling to use extreme caution and be aware of flooded areas.
If encountering a water covered road, turn around and don’t drive through it, Garrard County Emergency Management says. An alternate route is the safest option.
Rolling Acres is closed between Bender Drive and Rancho Drive in Frankfort due to storm damage according to the Frankfort-Franklin County Office of Emergency Management. Utility crews are making preparations for repair onsite.
U.S. 127 Business at mile point 1.4 in Anderson County was closed due to a downed tree, according to KYTC, and Midway Road is closed between Old Frankfort Pike and US 60 in Woodford County.
KYTC reports a downed tree at mile point 3.1 on Bryan Station Road in Fayette County. The road is currently blocked. Information will be provided as updates become available.
Old Frankfort Pike is also closed between Pisgah Pike and the Fayette County line due to a tree on utility lines, KYTC said.
The Harrodsburg Police Department says that the road at Moberly Road and Scooter Avenue is not drivable due to high water, and barricades are in place to prevent drivers from attempting to cross.
KYTC encouraged drivers to use caution while traveling and watch for roadway hazard, including downed trees, debris and powerlines.
Copyright 2026 WKYT. All rights reserved.
By West Kentucky Star Staff
Jun. 17, 2026 | 10:25 PM
| PADUCAH
A drug trafficking investigation landed a Paducah man behind bars.
The weeks-long investigation by Paducah Police led them to 54-year-old Byrone K. Burns. Burnes was believed to be involved in moving illegal drugs through the area.
An undercover purchase was arranged, and detectives reportedly came away with more than ten grams of methamphetamine. Burns was arrested at his job just before 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Following his arrest, detectives searched two locations in Paducah connected to Burns. They reportedly seized more than two pounds of marijuana, a hydrocodone pill, several thousand dollars in cash, and items consistent with trafficking.
Burns, who is said to have an extensive criminal history related to drugs and weapons, was charged with trafficking in methamphetamine and marijuana, and possession of hydrocodone. He was booked into the McCracken County Regional Jail.
J Batt excited about Will Stein’s coaching debut for Kentucky football
Kentucky athletics director J Batt praises football coach Will Stein’s energy and recruiting efforts as he settles into the job.
Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux, once labeled by ESPN as the No. 1 sports bar in America, is coming to Lexington, Kentucky.
The new dining establishment will be located at 1030 S. Broadway, in the former Tilted Kilt space, and will use the next-door site of KSBar & Grille, which closed in June, as a game-day location with a Kentucky Sports Radio presence.
The first Walk-On’s location in Kentucky — although its Clarksville, Indiana, location is just minutes from downtown Louisville — will feature at least 50 TVs for fans to watch UK games and other sporting events.
Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux will open ahead of the 2026 football season. The new restaurant will be led by business partners Jamie Daniel and KSR founder Matt Jones.
“As a Kentucky native and die-hard Kentucky fan, opening a Walk-On’s here was a long time coming,” Daniel said in a news release. “By partnering with Matt and the KSR community, we’re serving a fan base that lives and breathes Kentucky sports. We believe this creates a destination unlike anything else in the market.”
KSBar opened in Lexington in 2018 and has been a staple for Kentucky sports fans. Jones wants to keep the space alive by opening it for game days and other special events while allowing fans to order from the Walk-On’s scratch-made menu.
“KSBar has always been about bringing Kentucky fans together,” Jones said in the release. “This partnership allows us to preserve that spirit while giving fans access to a bigger experience, a larger menu and the resources of one of the most successful sports bar brands in the country. We’ll still be here on game days, broadcasting KSR live and celebrating Kentucky sports, but now with Walk-On’s helping take the experience to the next level.”
Walk-On’s was founded in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 2003 by former LSU basketball walk-ons Brandon Landry and Jack Warner. Since then, the restaurant has opened over 80 locations across the United States with partners like Dak Prescott, Dabo Swinney and co-owner Drew Brees.
Reach sports trending writer Alaina Morris at amorris@gannett.com and follow her on X at @alainammorris.
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