Kentucky

Government power structure changes may be coming to Covington

Published

2 years ago

July 3, 2024

Government power structure changes may be coming to Covington

COVINGTON, Ky. — A group of business leaders is pushing for a change in the city of Covington’s power structure. It could be on the November ballot if a petition is successful.

What You Need To Know

Covington’s current form of government consists of four elected city commissioners, an elected mayor and a city manager

A group of local business and political leaders is trying to change that

Covington Forward is working to get enough signatures to place an initiative on the November ballot that would adopt the mayor-council form

Joe Meyer, Covington’s current mayor who will be leaving office by the time this would go into effect, supports the new model

Covington’s current form of government is rare among other Kentucky cities. It consists of four elected city commissioners, an elected mayor and a city manager appointed by the commission.

Richard Dickmann, owner of Covington restaurant Smoke Justis, said the current system is not conducive to business.

“One of the concerns I’ve had since I’ve been here is the amount of time it takes to get anything done,” he said. “It takes four meetings a month to run the city because everything has to be done in a public forum. If a company wanted to relocate their business, and they were looking at three different cities, it may take a longer time for the city of Covington to give them the nod.”

Dickmann is the chair of a committee of local business and political leaders, Covington Forward. It’s trying to get enough signatures to place an initiative on the November ballot that would change Covington’s government to the more common mayor-council form.

City councils can have up to 12 members. In contrast to the current form in which the mayor has equal voting power to commissioners, the mayor acts as more of the city’s CEO in the mayor-council format. That includes the power to veto and hiring city workers.

Dickmann said under this format, council members would have less on their plate than the current commissioners.

“You can be more focused on the needs of the community and not the everyday running of the government,” he said. “It’s obvious to a lot of cities that the mayor-council is a better form of government.”

Joe Meyer, Covington’s current mayor who will be leaving office by the time this would go into effect, supports the new model. Before it can go into effect, the group needs to get enough signatures on its petition. At that point, it would be up to the voters.

Covington is the only city in Kenton County with a city manager form of municipal government.

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Kentucky

EXCLUSIVE: A Kentucky Derby-Inspired Movie Filmed at Churchill Downs Is Coming to Hallmark

Published

10 hours ago

January 28, 2026

Press Room

EXCLUSIVE: A Kentucky Derby-Inspired Movie Filmed at Churchill Downs Is Coming to Hallmark

Hallmark has revealed it is teaming up with Churchill Downs to make a Kentucky Derby-inspired movie filmed at the historic racetrack.

The network shared exclusively with TODAY that its new original film, “Kentucky Roses,” will honor the “pageantry, tradition, and enduring spirit of the Kentucky Derby.” The movie will premiere on Hallmark Saturday, May 2, the same day of the 2026 Kentucky Derby. The sporting event is famously held the first Saturday in May every year at Churchill Downs.

“Kentucky Roses,” which will also stream the next day on Hallmark+, will star Andrew Walker and Odette Annable, as well as Ally Ledford, Peyton Meyer, Brynn Thayer and Gregg Henry.

The film’s storyline will take place across two timelines. Sadie Moore, played by Annable, will be at the center of the story in present day. She works at a Churchill Downs greenhouse and dreams of becoming a florist and following in her great-grandmother’s (Ledford) footsteps by supplying the Derby with a display of roses. Sadie then meets Ash Taylor, Walker’s character, who is the son of the Churchill Downs CEO (Henry). Ash has to repair one of the racetrack’s iconic Twin Spires after it is damaged in a storm.

Sadie and Ash develop a connection, but it could be cut short after they discover “a bittersweet love story from the past that threatens to repeat itself.”

Speaking about the collaboration between Hallmark and Churchill Downs, Jessica Callahan, vice president at Hallmark Media, said in part, “Together, we’re thrilled to bring audiences an inspiring story of community, courage and time-honored traditions.”

Along with the romantic flick, Hallmark and Churchill Downs are also partnering to release a collection of jewelry inspired by “Kentucky Roses.” The jewelry will be sold in Hallmark Gold Crown stores.

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Kentucky

Kentucky vs Vanderbilt score today, UK basketball game updates

Published

22 hours ago

January 27, 2026

Press Room

Kentucky vs Vanderbilt score today, UK basketball game updates

NASHVILLE — The phrase, “The only constant is change” aptly describes Kentucky basketball’s starting lineup this season.

In 20 games since the 2025-26 campaign began, the Wildcats have sported nine different starting fives — an altered look nearly every other outing. The reason for the fluidity has been the story of Mark Pope’s two seasons as coach: UK simply can’t avoid injuries.

In 56 games since taking over at his alma mater, Pope has had his full complement of scholarship players available just 10 times — and only five occasions in 41 matchups versus high-major foes.

Stream Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt

But UK forges on.

Another SEC showdown awaits tonight, squaring off with Vanderbilt in Nashville.

“It feels like we’ve been having to adapt every game to (a new roster) and new rotations,” said Kentucky sophomore guard Collin Chandler, who has started 15 times this season. “So, I think it’s just a credit … to everybody in finding roles, finding ways to win.

“That’s the biggest thing — we’re just finding ways to win.”

That’s all the Wildcats (14-6, 5-2 SEC) have done the past few weeks; after a 73-68 home loss to Missouri on Jan. 7, UK has won five straight. The Commodores (17-3, 4-3) are no stranger to winning streaks this season, either, as they started 16-0.

Despite its recent run of success, Kentucky remains unranked in both the USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25. A victory over Vanderbilt (No. 15 coaches, No. 18 AP) might do the trick for UK when the newest rankings are released next week.

Courier Journal sports reporter Ryan Black is at Memorial Gymnasium and will have live updates throughout the game — here and on X, formerly known as Twitter — and complete coverage after. You can follow him on X at @RyanABlack.

Follow along with live updates from today’s game between the Wildcats and Commodores below:

Kentucky has the same starting five for the second straight outing.

Here’s the lineup:

TV channel: ESPN
Livestream: Fubo (free trial)

The game between the Wildcats and Commodores will air nationally on ESPN.

Authenticated subscribers can access ESPN via TV-connected devices or by going to WatchESPN.com or the WatchESPN app.

Those without cable can access ESPN via streaming services, with Fubo offering a free trial.

Stream Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt on ESPN

Betting odds: Kentucky is a 6½-point underdog (-110) on DraftKings, which set the over/under at 159½ points (-110).

Tom Leach (play-by-play) and Jack Givens (analyst) will have the UK radio network call on 840 AM in Louisville and both 630 AM and 98.1 FM in Lexington.

You can also listen online via UKAthletics.com.

Oct. 17: Blue-White game (Click here to read takeaways from the intrasquad scrimmage.)
Oct. 24: exhibition vs. Purdue (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 78, Purdue 65
Oct. 30: exhibition vs. Georgetown University (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Georgetown 84, Kentucky 70
Nov. 4: Nicholls (Rupp Arena) ∣ SCORE: Kentucky 77, Nicholls 51
Nov. 7: Valparaiso (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 107, Valparaiso 59
Nov. 11: at Louisville (KFC Yum! Center) | SCORE: Louisville 96, Kentucky 88
Nov. 14: Eastern Illinois (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 99, Eastern Illinois 53
Nov. 18: vs. Michigan State (Champions Classic; Madison Square Garden, New York) | SCORE: Michigan State 83, Kentucky 66
Nov. 21: Loyola University Maryland (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 88, Loyola Maryland 46
Nov. 26: Tennessee Tech (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 104, Tennessee Tech 54
Dec. 2: North Carolina (Rupp Arena; ACC/SEC Challenge) | SCORE: North Carolina 67, Kentucky 64
Dec. 5: vs. Gonzaga (Bridgestone Arena; Nashville) | SCORE: Gonzaga 94, Kentucky 59
Dec. 9: North Carolina Central (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 103, North Carolina Central 67
Dec. 13: Indiana (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 72, Indiana 60
Dec. 20: vs. St. John’s (CBS Sports Classic; State Farm Arena, Atlanta) | SCORE: Kentucky 78, St. John’s 66
Dec. 23: Bellarmine (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 99, Bellarmine 85
Jan. 3: at Alabama | SCORE: Alabama 89, Kentucky 74
Jan. 7: Missouri (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Missouri 73, Kentucky 68
Jan. 10: Mississippi State (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 92, Mississippi State 68
Jan. 14: at LSU | SCORE: Kentucky 75, LSU 74
Jan. 17: at Tennessee | SCORE: Kentucky 80, Tennessee 78
Jan. 21: Texas (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 85, Texas 80
Jan. 24: Ole Miss (Rupp Arena) | SCORE: Kentucky 72, Ole Miss 63
Jan. 27: at Vanderbilt, 9 p.m.
Jan. 31: at Arkansas, 6:30 p.m.
Feb. 4: Oklahoma (Rupp Arena), 9 p.m.
Feb. 7: Tennessee (Rupp Arena), 8:30 p.m.
Feb. 14: at Florida, 3 p.m.
Feb. 17: Georgia (Rupp Arena), 9 p.m.
Feb. 21: at Auburn, 8:30 p.m.
Feb. 24: at South Carolina, 7 p.m.
Feb. 28: Vanderbilt (Rupp Arena), 2 p.m.
March 3: at Texas A&M, 7 p.m.
March 7: Florida (Rupp Arena), 4 p.m.

Record: 14-6 (5-2 SEC)

Denzel Aberdeen (guard, senior)
Collin Chandler (guard, sophomore)
Mouhamed Dioubate (forward, junior)
Brandon Garrison (forward, junior)
Braydon Hawthorne (forward, freshman)
Walker Horn (guard, senior)
Andrija Jelavić (forward, sophomore)
Jasper Johnson (guard, freshman)
Jaland Lowe (guard, junior)
Malachi Moreno (center, freshman)
Trent Noah (forward, sophomore)
Otega Oweh (guard, senior)
Reece Potter (forward, junior)
Jayden Quaintance (forward, sophomore)
Zach Tow (forward, senior)
Kam Williams (guard, sophomore)

Click here to view the Commodores’ complete schedule.

Want to learn the Commodores’ roster?

Click here for player bios and more.

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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Kentucky

Kentucky State Police

Published

2 days ago

January 26, 2026

Press Room

Bear Branch, KY (January 24, 2026) – On Friday, January 23, 2026, at approximately 6:58 p.m., Kentucky State Police Post 13, Hazard, was notified of a structure fire on Turkey Foot Road in the Bear Branch community of Leslie County.

Kentucky State Police, along with Leslie County Fire Services and the Leslie County Sheriff’s Office, responded to the scene. After the fire was extinguished, the body of a deceased individual was discovered inside the residence. Detectives were notified and initiated an investigation. Preliminary findings indicate the deceased is believed to be the resident, Rex Smallwood, 68, of Bear Branch. Mr. Smallwood was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Leslie County Coroner’s Office.

At this time, no foul play is suspected. The remains have been transported to the Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy. This incident remains under investigation by Detective Darrell Hicks.

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