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Middlemen account for 45% of America’s huge health-care bill, up from 25% in 2013
Americans spend $4.3 trillion a year looking after their health. That is 17% of the nation’s gross domestic product, “twice as much as the average in other rich economies, and yet, American adults live shorter lives and American infants die more often than in similarly affluent places,” The Economistreports. “Pharmaceutical firms and hospitals attract much of the public ire for the inflated costs. Much less attention is paid to a small number of middlemen who extract far bigger rents from the system’s complexity.”
University of Kentucky seeks $2 billion in extra bonding authority to expand hospital
Kentucky Health News and the Manchester Enterprise. University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto says UK needs $2 billion in borrowing authority from the state to expand its Albert B. Chandler Hospital to treat patients who are being turned away for lack of room.
New Lexington park on Kentucky River to be named “Kelley’s Landing”
LEXINGTON, Ky.–A newly acquired park property on the Kentucky River at 8949 Old Richmond Road is set to be named “Kelley’s Landing,” according to an agenda item from Tuesday’s Council Work Session docket.
Lexington considers ban on Source of Income Discrimination in housing: what you need to know
Lexington, KY – On Tuesday, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council’s Social Services and Public Safety Committee will discuss a pressing issue affecting Lexington’s housing market: Source of Income (SOI) Discrimination. Charlie Lanter, Commissioner of the Housing Advocacy and Community Development (HACD), will present a detailed review to local lawmakers, shedding light on how this practice disproportionately impacts vulnerable communities.
DEA investigation leads to methamphetamine distribution charges against Lexington man
Lexington, KY — A criminal complaint filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky on Wednesday has shed light on a significant drug bust involving Christopher D. Smith, also known as "Taz." Smith is accused of conspiring to knowingly and intentionally possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
Two Lexington recovery organizations receive $1.6M in state grants, funded by opioid litigation
LEXINGTON, Ky.--Two Lexington recovery organizations, Recovery Cafe and Voices of Hope, were awarded a total of $1.65 million in state grants Monday. The awards were announced by the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission (KYOAAC) and were funded by money from the National Opioid Settlement, a multi-state litigation against manufacturers and distributors of opioids.
Second round of state grants from settlements with opioid makers/distributors, totaling nearly $14M
Attorney General Daniel Cameron announced the latest round of funding from the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission on Monday, with 34 organizations set to receive nearly $14 million.
Council’s abrupt exit during public comment on housing discrimination raises questions
Lexington, KY — A moment of disarray unfolded during Thursday’s Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council meeting when several councilmembers and the mayor left the chamber just before the public comment section. This procedural misstep nearly blocked comments members of KY Tenants, a local housing advocacy group, who were there to speak on the issue of source of income discrimination in housing.
In Lexington, a decline in gun violence raises questions about police staffing (Opinion)
LEXINGTON, Ky. — In a city grappling with the intricacies of public safety and the role of law enforcement, a curious data point has emerged: Despite a police force that is “over 20% understaffed,” according to a September 17 Facebook post by Fraternal Order of Police Bluegrass Lodge 4 President Jeremy Russell, the incidence of gun violence has seen a notable decline this year. This raises an intriguing question: In an era of burgeoning technology, could Lexington reconsider the size of its authorized police force?
Lexington Council approves $1.07 million for winter warming shelters on West Loudon
LEXINGTON, Ky. — In a move to address the city’s growing homelessness crisis, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council passed a resolution on Thursday allocating $1,072,000 in funding for temporary warming shelters this winter. The resolution received two readings and was approved the same meeting.
Local Business Owners Raise Concerns Over House Bill 544 Regulating Hemp Products
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Earlier this week, an emergency regulations meeting was convened to discuss public concerns over House Bill 544, which aims to regulate the sale of delta-8 and other hemp-derived products. Local business owners, including Joe Boese, owner of CBD Time in Woodhill, have raised concerns that the regulations stipulated could significantly affect small businesses.
Federal indictment unsealed: Scott Co. bust leads to drug trafficking charges, $67,315 cash seized
Lexington, KY — A federal indictment against Jamele Wydale Mundy was unsealed Tuesday, revealing charges of possession with intent to distribute large quantities of fentanyl and cocaine. The federal Grand Jury returned the indictment September 21 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
‘Picture of Homelessness in Lexington’ a stark reality amidst claims of prosperity
LEXINGTON, Ky. — A press conference held Tuesday at Northside Library by “Picture of Homelessness in Lexington” revealed alarming statistics about the city’s homeless population. A comprehensive survey conducted by Catholic Action Center (CAC), Central KY Housing and Homeless Initiative (CKHHI), and Street Voice Council, found that Lexington is home to 2,410 homeless individuals, including 453 children.
California woman enters guilty plea in Lexington drug trafficking and money laundering case
LEXINGTON, Ky. — A California resident, Maria Rubi Ortiz-Lopez, entered a guilty plea on Monday to charges of federal possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Her co-defendant, Esteban Aguilar-Medina, was sentenced on April 25 to 190 months on each count to run consecutively, along with five years of supervised release.
Lexington Council to consider $1.2M contract for Cardinal Run Park bathrooms, funded by ARPA
Lexington, KY — The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council is set to discuss a $1.2 million contract for construction of restroom and maintenance buildings at the new Cardinal Run Park North during its Thursday meeting. The contract, which is on the agenda for its first reading, could be fast-tracked by suspending the rules, a tactic recently employed for a controversial welcome sign contract to the same company.
Lexington Corridors Commission discusses beautification, budget, and new ZOTAs
This staff report was created from notes taken by Max Puchalsky for The Lexington Times Observer Program. Lexington, KY — The Corridors Commission of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government met on Thursday to tackle a variety of issues, including the Commission’s FY2024 budget, maintenance contracts, the North Broadway Greening initiative, and community development projects on Manchester Street.
Indictment secured after Lexington FBI bust seizes over 2 kilograms of cocaine, almost $50K cash
Lexington, KY — A significant narcotics bust led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Lexington Police Department (LPD) has resulted in the indictment of Ricardo Amayo-Gonzalez on charges of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. The indictment was returned Wednesday by a Grand Jury in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
Lexington man sentenced to 10 years for Armed Methamphetamine Trafficking
LEXINGTON, KY — John M. Hoskins III, a 33-year-old Lexington resident, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison on Wednesday for multiple counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
Lexington man pleads guilty to drug trafficking and firearm possession
LEXINGTON, KY — A Lexington man, Demetrius Ramon Gill, also known as Demetrius Ramon Jones, pleaded guilty on Thursday to drug trafficking and firearm possession charges. The plea agreement was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
Anticipated Street Survey findings to challenge official homelessness count in Lexington
LEXINGTON, KY — A forthcoming presentation set for Tuesday promises to shed new light on the severity of homelessness in Lexington. According to the Catholic Action Center, the 2023 Street Survey is expected to reveal at least 2,410 homeless individuals in the community, a number far exceeding the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government’s (LFUCG) official count of 815. With such a disparity in these figures, the stage is set for a pivotal conversation about the crisis and the need for immediate, comprehensive solutions.
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