Five Things to Know Today
Beshear rescinds Medicaid waiver, but asks to keep parts of it
As promised, Gov. Beshear rescinded Matt Bevin’s Medicaid plan, which included work requirements. But Beshear said he wants to keep using four parts of it. (Forward Kentucky)
Starting over: Beshear rebidding managed care contracts
It’s back to the drawing board for the state’s Medicaid Managed Care contracts. Gov. Andy Beshear announced Monday he is cancelling and rebidding the contracts approved in the waning days of the Bevin administration.
Speaking to reporters at the Capitol, Beshear said, “The people of Kentucky should have confidence in the process that ultimately awarded over $8 billion in those contracts.” (Kentucky Today)
The FBI is asking questions about former Gov. Matt Bevin’s pardons
The FBI is asking questions about the pardons Matt Bevin issued during his last weeks as Kentucky governor, The Courier Journal has learned. State Rep. Chris Harris (D-Forest Hills) told reporters that a criminal investigator contacted him last week and asked what he knew about Bevin’s pardons.
Harris did not elaborate on what questions were asked, and he declined to say which law enforcement agency contacted him. (Courier-Journal)
Kentucky legislators talk favorably of taxing e-cigarettes
Electronic cigarettes, which escaped taxation in the General Assembly last year and were then labeled an epidemic among teenagers, are in line to get taxed when the legislature convenes Jan. 7. (Glasgow Daily Times)
‘I got a lot of problems’: Rand Paul airs his grievances as part of ‘Festivus’ tradition
Sen. Rand Paul is not missing his chance to celebrate “Festivus.” The Republican senator from Kentucky took to Twitter on Monday morning to air silly and semi-serious grievances as part of the made-up holiday created by author Daniel O’Keefe and popularized by the TV sitcom “Seinfeld.” Paul has been doing this on Twitter since 2016. (Courier-Journal)
Bonus: Best headline for today
Every morning, we scan hundreds of headlines from hundreds of Kentucky news outlets to find stories for the Forward Five. Today, we ran across a headline that we had to share.
To get the headline, you need the context. It’s a sports story from the Woodford Sun about their local high school boys basketball team. The story starts with this:
The Yellow Jackets may have just figured things out. After a rocky 1-5 start, Woodford County High School’s boys’ basketball team reeled off a pair of impressive victories. The Jackets defeated Scott County for the first time in the 21st century last Tuesday and returned to The Hive Saturday to knock off Oldham County 71-66 in the final game of the Mack Calvert Classic.
And here’s the headline:
Calvert Classic’s concluding contest:
Christmastime comeback conquers Colonels
Did you miss any of these?
Featured Content on Forward Kentucky
([new] indicates new since last Forward Five; 🔥 indicates lots of reads)
News
[new] Bevin hid the financial analysis of his pension proposal. Beshear just released it. – Gov. Andy Beshear has released a financial analysis of a 2017 pension proposal that former Gov. Matt Bevin fought to keep out of the public eye. (read)
[new] 🔥 A lawyer looks at Bevin’s pardons – As a public defender, Jazmin Smith brings a unique viewpoint to the discussion about Matt Bevin’s pardons. Here are this lawyer’s thoughts on the pardons. (read)
🔥 Paducah unions raise $10,000 to help brighten Christmas for 100 disadvantaged children – Christmas will be brighter for 100 disadvantaged school kids in Paducah, thanks to the Western Kentucky AFL-CIO Area Council. (read)
🔥 Another Kentucky-born congressman voted for impeachment – His vote didn’t get much press in the Bluegrass State. But another Kentucky-born congressman supported impeaching President Trump. (read)
🔥 Kentucky congressman snaps back: ‘Hell will be too good for’ President Trump – Rep. John Yarmuth criticized President Trump for implying that fellow Rep. Debbie Dingell’s late husband may be in hell, calling it a reminder that Trump is “rotten to the core” and suggested that “hell will be too good for him.” (read)
Commentary
🔥 A complete and accurate census count is good for Kentucky’s health –An accurate Census doesn’t just determine how many federal dollars we bring back to the state; it has an enormous impact on the health of our commonwealth. (read)
The Saudi mystique – Why does Trump go out of his way to suck up to Saudi Arabia? It’s NOT for oil or any of the other oft-quoted reasons. Ivonne Rovira nails the REAL reason. (read)
[new] Evangelical Christian magazine calls for Trump’s removal – The magazine founded by Billy Graham to “help evangelical Christians interpret the news in a manner that reflects their faith” has called for the removal of President Donald Trump. (read)
When it comes to Trump and impeachment, Andy Barr defends the indefensible – Andy Barr is a smart man, and a good politician. However, his ardent devotion to our Narcissist-in-Chief is not just appalling, but indefensible. (read)
Media
[new podcast] Interview with Emilie Blanton & Don Bacon, plus pardons – This week we interviewed two teachers on why teachers stayed so engaged in this year’s election, and what they expect in the next session. Also, we discussed why the pardon power is important, and what Governor Bevin’s final pardons mean. (listen)
KY says #NoOneIsAboveTheLaw – Our own Del Ramey and Nick Lacy were at the pre-impeachment rallies in Louisville and Frankfort, and captured some great photos. Enjoy and share! (view)
Posts with Most Social Media Shares in Past Fourteen Days
(🔥 indicates post with surge of recent shares)
- 🔥 Paducah unions raise $10,000 to help brighten Christmas for 100 disadvantaged children (3,000+ shares [!!])
- 🔥 Kentucky congressman snaps back: ‘Hell will be too good for’ President Donald Trump (1,000+ shares)
- Beshear says he will sign order Thursday restoring voting rights of 100,000+ felons (647 shares)
- 🔥 Another Kentucky-born congressman voted for impeachment (624 shares)
- 🔥 KY House Dems elect Joni Jenkins as minority leader, and Angie Hatton as whip (463 shares)
The Forward 5 is published Monday to Friday by Forward Kentucky, an independent media organization focused on progressive news and issues in Kentucky, and is re-posted with permission. You can sign up for the email version of the newsletter on their website.
