The Kentucky Wildcats stayed hot on the recruiting trail this week as they have started to fill out their roster with transfers to kick off this offseason.

With a quarterback in place, a rebuilt offensive line, and several key players added to the receiver room, Mark Stoops and his staff have now landed the running back they plan to pair alongside Jamarion Wilcox in the 2025-26 season.

According to a report by Hayes Fawcett of On3, Nebraska transfer running back, Dante Dowdell, has committed to Kentucky on his visit. He becomes the tenth transfer commitment of this offseason.

Dowdell, a former four-star recruit and top-200 player in the class of 2023, originally committed to Oregon out of high school before transferring to Nebraska last offseason. Now the Mississippi native will look to play his final two years of eligibility in Lexington.

He did have a solid season in Lincoln this year for the Cornhuskers. Dowdell finished the season with 143 carries for 614 yards and 12 touchdowns. He averaged 4.3 yards per carry, while also adding seven catches for 21 yards on the year.

After an OC change for Nebraska, Dowdell will now look to bring his power running game to the Cats, and be a nice complementary player alongside Wilcox next season.

Things are starting to take shape folks. There is still a lot that needs to be seen, but an argument can be made that the staff has attacked the portal this offseason in the way they needed to.

The legalization of medical marijuana is near in the commonwealth with a program kickoff of Jan. 1, 2025, and plenty wanting to participate.

“Since Dec. 1 of 2024, so that’s just the last 18 days, over 1,800 Kentuckians have visited one of our registered practitioners and received written certifications,” Gov. Andy Beshear said in his Team Kentucky update Thursday, meaning more than 100 daily.

The conditions that have received the most written certifications are chronic pain with 1,374 followed by post-traumatic stress disorder with 599 and multiple sclerosis with 216.

Currently, more than 220 physicians are authorized to write certifications, Beshear said, one of the multiple steps to obtaining a medical marijuana card.

Kentucky Medical Marijuana Apply for a medical marijuana card in Kentucky: Here’s how and when you can do it.

Who qualifies in Kentucky for a medical marijuana card?

According to the Kentucky General Assembly Cabinet for Health and Family Services, applicants who may qualify for medical marijuana in Kentucky must be a state resident (with a few exceptions), have no felony record, have a qualifying medical condition, and have visited a licensed practitioner and received a written certification to use medical cannabis. Applications can be submitted with the Office of Medical Cannabis starting Jan. 1.

Where can I find a doctor to prescribe medical marijuana in Kentucky?

The Office of Medical Cannabis offers an authorized practitioner directory on its website where potential medical card applicants can search for a certified doctor by city, county, zip code or specialty.

There are 65 authorized practitioners Jefferson County as of Wednesday, according to the state database.

How long will Kentucky’s medical marijuana approval process take?

According to the Kentucky General Assembly, the cabinet will acknowledge receiving a first-time or renewal application within 15 days of the receipt, and approve or deny it within 30 days of receiving a completed application.

A written notice will be sent, saying the application was approved or denied. If denied, reasoning will be included. If approved, qualifying patients will receive their identification card within five days of the approval. Those younger than 18 will be denied a card without a caregiver.

How much does a medical marijuana license in Kentucky cost?

Medical marijuana applications will cost $25 in Kentucky. Application fees are nonrefundable and require a credit card or automated clearing house transfer.

What conditions qualify for medical cannabis in Kentucky?

Current conditions eligible for medical marijuana in Kentucky include:

• All types and forms of cancer, regardless of the stage
• Chronic, severe, intractable, or debilitating pain
• Epilepsy or any other intractable seizure disorder
• Multiple sclerosis, muscle spasms, or spasticity
• Chronic nausea or cyclical vomiting syndrome that has proven resistant to other conventional medical treatments
• Post-traumatic stress disorder

What information is required for a medical marijuana application in Kentucky?

The registry identification card application form is available on the Kentucky Medical Cannabis Program website. Applicants who believe they qualify must include:

• Full name, address, phone number, email address, date of birth, social security number and driver’s license number of qualifying patient
• Written certification from a medical cannabis practitioner for qualifying patient
• Name, address and telephone number of the patient’s medical cannabis practitioner
• For those who are designating a caregiver, the full name, address, phone number, email address and date of birth of up to two individuals chosen by the patient as the caregiver
• Application fee of $25
• Question on whether patients want to receive notifications from the cabinet on clinical trials surrounding medical marijuana use
• An attestation to share cardholder information with licensed dispensaries and law enforcement
• A notarized signature page ensuring accurate personal information, understanding of cannabis laws, etc.

How long will a medical marijuana card stay valid in Kentucky?

In Kentucky, a medical marijuana card will be valid for one year, unless indicated by the practitioner to end access sooner. Patients can apply for renewal once the card expires.

Reporter Olivia Evans contributed. Contact breaking news reporter Marina Johnson at Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – Anthony Nichols will have another preliminary hearing in Jefferson County court Friday on murder charges.

Nichols is accused of killing Arica Brown and dumping a her body in the Ohio River. He had a lengthy history of domestic violence charges against the her.

“We were outraged. We were very disappointed and very concerned,” Tammy Taylor, the Center for Women and Families Communications Director, said.

Many times, even survivors who take steps to protect themselves are still at risk.

In this case, Brown had a protection order against Nichols which he violated twice.

“They’re going to do everything they can to gain access to that person and cause harm to them,” Taylor said.

Earlier this year, Kentucky’s Attorney General’s office released an updated Domestic Violence Prosecution Manual as a resource for victims and attorneys.

Attorney General Russell Coleman says he will ask lawmakers for more deterrence laws for repeat offenders.

“So that we can give prosecutors more tools in their toolkit in the domestic violence space to better protect victims to deter this conduct on the front end,” he said.

However deterrence alone is not always enough.

“You have to hold the person accountable for what they have chosen to do,” ZeroV Chief Legal Officer Meg Savage.

Meg Savage and the team at ZeroV have worked to do just that – supporting parts of legislation like House Bill 5 that now make it easier to increase penalties.

While there’s no shortage of words on paper meant to crack down on domestic violence in Kentucky – those laws can often fall short once they are in effect.

“It’s just a case of making sure that they’re enforced consistently and uniformly across the state, which often doesn’t happen,” Savage said. “You can get really widely different results from one county to another.”

“We have to work together – federal, state, and local more effectively to get better outcomes,” Coleman said. “The releases, the lack of accountability, the lack of incapacitation results and lack of deterrence and we’re seeing this play out on our streets.”

As Kentucky addresses these issues, Taylor says it’s important victims have avenues like the Center for Women and Families to Turn to.

“Pick up the phone and give us a call,” Taylor said. “We can provide free safe confidential services to assist you.”

To get help from the Center for Women and Families, call 1-844-237-2331.

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