Kentucky
Cities Drive Kentucky License Plate fund aims to support disaster relief across the commonwealth
(LEX 18) — With peak flood season approaching in eastern Kentucky, a new license plate is hitting the road with a mission: helping communities recover when disaster strikes.
The Kentucky League of Cities is launching the Cities Drive Kentucky license plate to raise money for communities affected by natural disasters. The plates are expected to arrive at county clerk’s offices across the state next month.
Kentucky League of Cities CEO J.D. Chaney said the idea grew from watching Kentuckians rally together during past disasters — most notably in 2021, when an EF-4 tornado touched down in western Kentucky as part of a widespread outbreak.
“We saw people from the far east going far west that weren’t even touched,” Chaney said.
Chaney said getting local governments back on their feet quickly is essential to helping residents recover.
“Getting the city up and going to be able to respond to the citizens they serve is absolutely critical for individuals to make recovery,” Chaney said.
The Kentucky League of Cities also aims to serve as a communication hub during disasters, helping local officials manage the flood of offers of support so they can focus on their communities.
“They’ve got [300] or 400 other phone calls they need to be doing, and we help on that other side. So, there’s one point of contact to facilitate those things,” Chaney said.
The need for that kind of support is growing. Research from the organization shows extreme weather caused $22 million in damages in 2025.
Chaney described the license plate program as a safety net for cities across Kentucky.
“It’s an insurance policy, for Kentucky cities to know that they have that backing with other communities that have the resources so they can immediately get back and start serving their constituency,” Chaney said.
“We hope others also see how important that is,” Chaney added.
The Cities Drive Kentucky license plates will be available at county clerk’s offices statewide next month.
Kentucky
Kentucky is poised to land either Donnie Freeman or Sebastian Rancik this weekend, per report
Jones posted on Twitter that “Kentucky will have (absent a major change) either Freeman or Rancik by tomorrow,” while also noting the Wildcats still need to add another shooter and another big to round out the roster.
One of the top targets is Donnie Freeman, a 6-foot-9, 205-pound sophomore forward transferring from Syracuse. Freeman arrived in Lexington on Tuesday night and began his visit on Wednesday before leaving without a commitment. While there was concern he could land at UConn, that visit has since been canceled, leaving Kentucky and St. John’s as the top teams.
Freeman averaged 16.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game last season, while adding nearly a block and a steal per contest. He shot 47.4% from the field but 30.2% from 3-point range across 23 games.
The other option is Sebastian Rancik, a 6-foot-11, 220-pound sophomore forward transferring from Colorado. Rancik visited Kentucky starting Wednesday through Thursday and brings a versatile skill set, averaging 12.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2 assists per game while shooting 33.1% from 3.
Either Freeman or Rancik would provide a significant boost at the power forward position for head coach Mark Pope. Kentucky has already added guards Zoom Diallo and Alex Wilkins in the portal.
Kentucky football coach Will Stein reflects on new position
Will Stein was officially introduced to fans and media as the head coach for the Kentucky Wildcats, replacing Mark Stoops.
LEXINGTON — Kentucky football had its first spring game under new coach Will Stein at Kroger Field on Saturday.
The offense, in blue jerseys, had its moments. So too the defense, donning white uniforms.
Ultimately, the blue squad earned a 23-18 victory in a game called just after noon because of inclement weather.
Stein admitted he “got emotional” as he charged onto the field prior to kickoff.
“I know it wasn’t a real game, but when I ran on the field, I definitely — man, I felt it,” he said. “It was like a wave running over me. And very, very, just cool.”
While it doesn’t count in the standings, Stein walked away pleased.
“I think we got a lot of really good work,” he said. “That’s the goal of spring is to improve with fundamentals and technique, learn how to practice, learn what winning edges that we need throughout spring to go into summer and fall and prepare the team for play. And we came out of the scrimmage clean. There (were) no injuries, which to me, that’s the biggest win of the day. I could (not) care less about the score.
“If we come out clean, that’s good. The Wildcats won.”
New starting QB Kenny Minchey looked about as expected, with sharp passes evened out by moments of inconsistency. Martels Carter Jr., a defensive back who is lining up at running back this spring, scored a touchdown and had several nice runs.
And the defense forced multiple three-and-outs and also picked off one Minchey pass on a two-point conversion.
This story will be updated.
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
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