Kentucky
Every Northern Kentucky city voted to allow medical cannabis operations this election. What happens next?
KENTON COUNTY, Ky. — In a strong show of support, 106 Kentucky cities and counties voted to allow medical cannabis businesses to operate where they live during this November’s election.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear made the announcement during a Nov. 7 Team Kentucky update.
The list includes 10 Northern Kentucky cities: Alexandria, Bellevue, Crestview Hills, Elsmere, Florence, Independence, Ludlow, Southgate, Union and Wilder.
“This signals what we have known for a long time, which is that the jury is no longer out on medical cannabis,” Beshear said. “Kentuckians want their families, friends and neighbors who have serious medical conditions like cancer, multiple sclerosis or PTSD to have safe and affordable access.”
The ample demand for medical marijuana business is met with a low supply of operating licenses, Bellevue Mayor Charlie Cleves said.
“I mean, we are a tiny little piece of this great big puzzle,” Cleves said. “The odds are against us getting it. We’re so tiny and we had so few applications compared to cities like Covington [and] Newport.”
Cleves said voters in his city approved the ballot measure by about three-to-one.
“I was surprised at the amount it passed in Bellevue,” he said. “Some of the residents that I speak to are dead bang against it … a lot of the younger people think of it as a good thing. So I just tell them whatever happens, happens.”
Kentucky Office of Medical Cannabis
A state-run lottery for processor and cultivator licenses has already taken place, with zero licenses issued to businesses in Boone, Kenton or Campbell counties. Kentucky has two more lotteries scheduled this year to deal out dispensary licenses.
The first dispensary lottery, scheduled for Nov. 25, will draw license winners in nine of Kentucky’s 11 medicinal cannabis regions, including the Northern Kentucky region.
Each region will be awarded four licenses, with a limit of one dispensary license per county.
The Northern Kentucky region is comprised of the following counties: Boone, Bracken, Campbell, Carroll, Gallatin, Grant, Kenton, Owen and Pendleton.
That means out of 395 businesses that applied in the Northern Kentucky region, only four will receive licenses.
Kentucky Office of Medical Cannabis
The second lottery will take place on Dec. 16 for Louisville, the Kentuckiana Region, and Lexington, the Bluegrass Region. Due to their size, the counties located within the regions, Jefferson and Fayette counties, will receive an additional two licenses each.
Before medical marijuana operations commence, cities are responsible for creating zoning regulations to make way for (or not allow) those types of businesses to run.
“I think it’s a long shot we’re going to get a business,” Independence Mayor Chris Reinersman said. “We are neither advocating nor trying to deter businesses.”
Reinersman said zoning changes are already in the works, thanks to a “model ordinance” drafted by the Planning and Development Services of Kenton County.
He said the Independence City Council will hold a second reading of the ordinance during its Monday meeting.
“Assuming it passes, we’ll have the zoning in place Jan. 1,” he said.
Reinersman said Independence will review its employment policies too.
“For our 50-plus city employees — particularly, we have police officers and that’s a concern there — we want to make sure we have those bases covered,” he said. “We’re working with other cities and the Kentucky League of Cities [on that].”
According to the Office Of Medical Cannabis, those who apply for a medical marijuana card must be a Kentucky resident, have no disqualifying felony offenses and be diagnosed with at least one of the following medical conditions:
- Any type or form of cancer;
- Chronic or severe pain;
- Epilepsy or other intractable seizure disorder;
- Multiple sclerosis, muscle spasms or spasticity;
- Chronic nausea or cyclical vomiting syndrome and;
- Post-traumatic stress disorder.
Kentucky will begin accepting applications for cards on Jan. 1, 2025. Before applying, those seeking a card must get a “written certification for medical cannabis from an authorized medical practitioner,” according to the Office Of Medical Cannabis.
The high school bowling season started last week in Ohio and Kentucky. Here are some top returners to watch for the season.
Who are the top returning boys bowlers?
Matthew Alvear, Lebanon – He was first-team All-Eastern Cincinnati Conference with a 206.9 average. He shot 629 in the sectional tournament.
Jace Amann, La Salle – The junior was co-bowler of the year in the Greater Catholic League-South. He averaged 208 with a high game of 298. He finished 15th in the state tournament with a 665, including a 269 game. He finished 23rd in the sectional tournament.
Tyler Blume, Simon Kenton – The senior finished as singles runner-up in the Region 5 tournament and finished seventh in the state tournament. He helped the Pioneers finish runner-up in the regional team tourney.
Jayden Brown, Elder – The senior was first-team all-league in the Greater Catholic League-South with a 216.8 average. He had a high game of 269 and a high series of 526 during the season. He finished 18th in the sectional tournament.
Michael Brown, Cincinnati Christian – The senior is the top returner in the Miami Valley Conference with a 195.3 average. He finished 11th in the sectional tournament.
Connor Copeland, Lebanon – The junior last year was the bowler of the year in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference. He had a 210 average including a perfect 300 game. He shot 641 in the sectional tournament to finish eighth.
Dylan Davis, Covington Catholic – The senior led the Colonels to the Region 5 team championship. He finished third in the regional singles tournament and placed ninth in the state tournament.
Tony Fox, Simon Kenton – The junior helped the Pioneers finish runner-up in the Region 5 team tournament and finished 15th in the singles tournament.
Peyton Frank, Reading – The senior was first-team all-league in the Cincinnati Hills League with a 211.6 average, leading the team to the league title. He had a high game of 268.
Drew Freeman, Mason – The senior averaged 205 last year and had a 278 game. He finished third in the sectional tournament with 638.
Maddox Kuryla, Boone County – He had the highest average in the regular season, 222. He won the Region 6 championship and finished fifth in the state tournament and led the Rebels to the second-best record behind Simon Kenton in the regular season.
Joe Mil, Deer Park – The senior was Cincinnati Hills League Player of the Year with a 216 average. He finished fifth in the sectional tournament and shot a 641 in the district tournament.
Ryan Monahan, Mason – The senior is second in the Greater Miami Conference among returning averages with 206.6. He had a 265 game last year.
Easton Pierani, Sycamore – The senior has the top returning average in the Greater Miami Conference with a 210. He shot 644 in the sectional tournament to finish seventh, 730 in the district tournament and 635 at state.
Jordan Rottinghouse, Elder – The junior was first-team all-league in the Greater Catholic League-South with a 213.5 average. He had a high game of 299 and high series of 558.
Tyler Sanders, McNicholas – The senior was the Greater Catholic League-Coed player of the year after averaging 200.3 with a high game of 258. He finished 18th in the sectional tournament.
Bryce Sargent, Campbell County – The junior finished fifth in the Region 5 singles tournament.
Gabe Schmidt, Reading – The senior was first-team all-league in the Cincinnati Hills League with a 207.7 average, helping the team win the league title. He had a high game of 299 and high series of 533. He finished fourth in the sectional tournament.
Carson Singleton, Northwest – The senior was the Southwest Ohio Conference player of the year with 215 average. He had a high game of 259 and high series of 514. He finished 27th in the sectional tourney.
Who are the top returning players in girls bowling?
Alyssa Bechtol, Notre Dame – The sophomore has transferred from Dixie Heights, where last year she was the Region 6 singles champion and helped the Colonels to the team title. She finished 14th in the state tournament. She started this year by breaking Notre Dame’s team records for high game (257) and series (466).
Ella Bohnert, Lakota East – The sophomore won a sectional title last year with a near-perfect 290 and 680 series. She averaged 179 in her first match this season.
Kree Brewer, Pendleton County – The sophomore won the Region 5 singles championship and led the Wildcats to the team title. She finished 19th in the state tournament.
Sophia Carazo, Summit Country Day – The senior is the top returning average in the Miami Valley Conference and finished fifth in the sectional tournament. She averaged 176 in the team’s first match this season.
Kendall Cook, Mercy McAuley – The junior was first-team All-Girls Greater Catholic League after averaging 185 with a high game of 251
Carolyn Edmisten, Georgetown – The senior had the highest average among Southwest Ohio DII bowlers with 202.5, helping her team win the SBAAC-National Division and sectional championships. She won the Cherry Grove sectional championship with a 638 and finished 15th in the district tournament with a 540.
Makayla Geer, Colerain – The junior is the reigning Greater Miami Conference player of the year after averaging 179 last season. She finished 14th in the sectional tourney and 32nd at the district tourney.
Taylor Hooks, West Clermont – The senior is the top returning bowler in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference after averaging 181 last year. She finished 20th in the sectional tournament.
Caitlyn Kober, Lebanon – The senior averaged 178 last year and is the second-best returning average in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference. She finished 14th in the district tourney and 18th in the sectional.
Jacelyn Lawson, Clinton-Massie – The senior is one of the top returners in the SBAAC with a 177 average. She finished second in the sectional tournament and 17th in the district.
Alex McDonald, Taylor – The junior was Cincinnati Hills League player of the year after leading the team to the league championship. She averaged 160 last year and finished 16th in the sectional tournament.
Hayley Pelstring, Notre Dame – She finished ninth in the Region 6 singles tournament.
Izzy Rhoads, Wilmington – The junior is one of three top returners with Kiley Comberger and Mackenzie Pyle for the Hurricane, who won the SBAAC-American championship. She averaged 185 and qualified for the state tourney after finishing eighth in the district tourney.
Abby Sargent, Campbell County – The sophomore finished third in the Region 5 singles tournament and 17th in the state tournament.
Meadow Williams, Indian Hill – The sophomore was first-team All-Cincinnati Hills League with a 155 average. She finished 22nd in the sectional tournament and 36th in the district.
Abree Young, Dixie Heights – The senior finished third in the Region 6 singles tournament and 16th in the state tournament. She helped the Colonels to the regional title.
Facts About the Kentucky General Assembly
Discover key facts about the Kentucky General Assembly, including its history, structure, and state government functions.
The Kentucky House Democratic Caucus has shaken up its leadership team heading into 2026, with a freshman from Louisville joining the ranks.
State House Minority Leader Pamela Stevenson will remain in the role, party officials announced Nov. 14. Rep. Lindsey Burke, a Lexington legislator in her second term, will serve as caucus chair, while Rep. Josh Watkins, in his first term representing a district in central and western Louisville, was chosen as minority whip.
The elections took place at the caucus’ annual retreat in Berea, according to a release.
Burke served as minority whip in the most recent legislative session. As caucus chair, she replaces Rep. Al Gentry of Louisville — he announced last week he would step down from the post in order to put more time toward a national team he joined working on an initiative involving adaptive golf. Gentry will remain in the House and intends to seek reelection to his seat in 2026.
Stevenson served as minority leader during the 2025 session. The west Louisville Democrat is running in 2026 for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by retiring Sen. Mitch McConnell.
She said Burke will provide “experience, expertise, and a fierce commitment to helping families trying to build a good life” while Watkins “can always be counted on for bringing energy, optimism, and a joy to serving others that lifts everyone around him.”
Democrats are significantly outnumbered in Frankfort, where the GOP holds an 80-20 advantage in the House. The party’s leadership team will help determine legislative priorities during the upcoming 60-day session, with a two-year state budget on the agenda.
Burke listed key concerns as “affordable homes, quality education, accessible health care, and the ability (for families) to put food on the table without constant worry.”
While he’s relatively new to the Capitol, Watkins has been open in his push for state lawmakers to take more action on affordable housing and housing in general. He was first elected in 2024 to replace current state Sen. Keturah Herron, who endorsed him in his run.
“We’re at a crucial moment, and we’re meeting it with determination to make our government and our economy work for every Kentuckian,” Watkins said.
Kentucky’s 2026 legislative session is set to begin on Jan 6.
Reach Lucas Aulbach at laulbach@courier-journal.com.
While the Hogs showed some fight in their regular season finale at No. 2 Kentucky, they ultimately fell in a sweep at the hands of the Wildcats (16-25, 20-25, 12-25) as they cruised to their ninth straight outright SEC title.
Graduate Jada Lawson had a great day despite the result with her second double-double in three outings. She posted 14 kills and 10 digs, both team highs on the day. She hit .379 on the day with just three errors on 29 swings, a new personal high clip.
Arkansas finishes the regular season with a 5-21 record, 1-14 in conference play.
Set 1
The two teams exchanged points early until Kentucky rattled off a 6-1 run that doubled the Wildcat lead to 10-5. Kentucky maintained the pace after that, but Arkansas kept pushing and three kills, two from Lawson and one from Thurman, made it 14-11. A 4-0 run by the home team not long after grew the Wildcat advantage to 19-12, and Arkansas struggled to generate the run needed to make a worthwhile comeback. The Hogs added four more points, but Kentucky closed It out 25-16 for a 1-0 lead in the match.
Set 2
It was a back-and-forth battle to start the second set, but a big block by Thurman and Evans and an ace from Remensperger gave Arkansas a narrow 8-7 lead. It didn’t last long though as the Wildcats went on a 5-1 run that put them up 12-9. The Razorbacks stayed close, but Kentucky held a 15-12 lead at the media break. The Wildcats then got the next four straight and grew the advantage to seven, The Hogs settled in slightly and pushed it to 20 points off a kill from Lawson, but the Wildcats went the distance and won 25-20.
Set 3
The first few points of the third set were close, but the Razorbacks got into a dangerous Kentucky service run by Brooklyn DeLeye that saw seven straight for the Wildcats and put them up 11-4 early. While Arkansas found a way to get going eventually, it was a deep hole to dig out of and Kentucky stayed hot to push it to 20-12, at which point Arkansas took a timeout. It did nothing to calm the Wildcats down as they scored five unanswered out of the break, cruising to a 25-12 set three victory for the match sweep.
Up Next
Arkansas will appear in the Allstate SEC Volleyball Tournament next week in Savannah, Ga. The event is returning after a 20-year hiatus. The Hogs will be seeded No. 16, and should face No. 9 Oklahoma in the opening match of the tournament on Friday, Nov. 21 at 11 a.m. CT on SEC Network.
More Information
Visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com for the latest information on all things Arkansas Volleyball. You can also find the Hogs on social media by liking us on Facebook (Arkansas Razorback Volleyball) and following us on Twitter and Instagram (@RazorbackVB).
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