התמלול המלא של 8.6.26

00:04:34.560 the city's sewage treatment plant. It is currently applying to 66 00:04:34.600 --> 00:04:40.519 the Appalachian Regional Commission for money to expand the treatment plant. 67 00:04:40.959 --> 00:04:44.319 Another major project is the placement of a new water 68 00:04:44.480 --> 00:04:48.160 storage tank to serve Grand View the new high ground 69 00:04:48.199 --> 00:04:52.199 subdivision being built beside US twenty three in the area 70 00:04:52.319 --> 00:04:57.319 formerly known as Slick Rock. Engineers told the city they 71 00:04:57.360 --> 00:05:00.000 have settled on placing the water tank on the Gateway 72 00:05:00.079 --> 00:05:04.000 Industrial site because of the risk of subsidence caused by 73 00:05:04.079 --> 00:05:09.360 underground mining in the area near the subdivision. The city 74 00:05:09.399 --> 00:05:12.120 has a total of twenty six million dollars in funded 75 00:05:12.199 --> 00:05:16.839 infrastructure projects, and the city tapped Planning Firm q K 76 00:05:17.199 --> 00:05:20.759 four to make sure all those projects move forward and 77 00:05:20.879 --> 00:05:25.160 are accountable to the public. Also, at the meeting on 78 00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:29.040 Monday night, the council approved tax rates that remain the 79 00:05:29.040 --> 00:05:35.560 same as last year's rates. The next story is three 80 00:05:35.720 --> 00:05:41.160 indicted in separate cases. Three Electric County residents have been 81 00:05:41.199 --> 00:05:46.120 indicted in Lectri Circuit Court in separate cases involving drug possession, 82 00:05:46.560 --> 00:05:50.839 an alleged assault on a police officer, and a rollover crash. 83 00:05:52.560 --> 00:05:56.680 Angelo Mullen's forty two of two thirty five Gray's Branch Road. 84 00:05:56.800 --> 00:06:00.480 Jenkins is charged with first degree possession of a controlled 85 00:06:00.519 --> 00:06:05.519 substance involving metham fetamine, first offense, possession of drug paraphernalia, 86 00:06:06.240 --> 00:06:10.040 third degree assault of a police or probation officer, and 87 00:06:10.240 --> 00:06:15.839 resisting arrest. According to a uniform citation filed in the case, 88 00:06:16.319 --> 00:06:21.199 Jenkins Police Chief Joshua Richardson was assisting fleming Neon police 89 00:06:21.279 --> 00:06:24.639 Chief Dustin Jackson at a residence along Kentucky eight O 90 00:06:24.839 --> 00:06:29.079 five near Haymond on July sixth when they encountered Mullins. 91 00:06:30.279 --> 00:06:34.319 Richardson wrote that Mullins appeared to be highly intoxicated and 92 00:06:34.439 --> 00:06:39.240 said she had used metham fetamine. A citation says a 93 00:06:39.279 --> 00:06:42.519 glass pipe and a bottle containing a white crystal like 94 00:06:42.560 --> 00:06:48.160 substance were found in Mullins's purse. Richardson alleged that Mullins 95 00:06:48.199 --> 00:06:50.399 tried to run away as he attempted to place her 96 00:06:50.480 --> 00:06:53.959 in a patrol vehicle, then kicked and kneed

him in 97 00:06:54.040 --> 00:06:56.560 the chest as he tried to fasten her seat belt. 98 00:06:57.720 --> 00:07:01.680 Richardson wrote that Mullins later unbuckled herself and kicked and 99 00:07:01.759 --> 00:07:07.199 headbutted the cage inside the vehicle. Richardson testified before the 100 00:07:07.240 --> 00:07:15.360 grand jury. Travis Tackett, forty six, of fifty pine Wood Drive, Ermine, 101 00:07:15.959 --> 00:07:18.920 is charged with first degree possession of a controlled substance 102 00:07:19.000 --> 00:07:24.160 involving metham fetimin first offense, possession of marijuana, possession of 103 00:07:24.199 --> 00:07:29.399 drug paraphernalia, and public intoxication involving a controlled substance other 104 00:07:29.439 --> 00:07:35.439 than alcohol. According to a uniform citation, Richardson was stopped 105 00:07:35.439 --> 00:07:38.759 by a concerned citizen July seventh and told that a 106 00:07:38.800 --> 00:07:41.720 man wearing a white T shirt appeared to be passed 107 00:07:41.759 --> 00:07:45.199 out beside Kentucky Ato five near the turn off to 108 00:07:45.360 --> 00:07:50.079 Joe's Branch. Richardson wrote that he found Tacket sitting on 109 00:07:50.160 --> 00:07:54.319 the steps of a residence, slumped over and initially unresponsive. 110 00:07:55.680 --> 00:07:59.519 The citation alleges that Tackett repeatedly reached toward his pockets 111 00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:04.759 while police were checking his identification. During a search, police 112 00:08:04.800 --> 00:08:09.360 allegedly found a glass pipe tucked behind Tacket's belt, a 113 00:08:09.360 --> 00:08:12.920 folded piece of paper containing a white crystal like substance 114 00:08:13.040 --> 00:08:17.040 believed to be methamphetamine, and a bag containing a green 115 00:08:17.160 --> 00:08:22.160 leafy substance believed to be marijuana. Cigarette rolling papers also 116 00:08:22.199 --> 00:08:26.959 were found. According to the citation. Richardson testified before the 117 00:08:27.000 --> 00:08:33.759 grand jury. Christian Adams twenty seven of twelve fifty one 118 00:08:33.879 --> 00:08:39.000 Craft Collige road Ermine is charged with careless driving, operating 119 00:08:39.000 --> 00:08:42.440 a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or other substances, 120 00:08:43.159 --> 00:08:48.120 tampering with physical evidence, three counts of first degree wanton endangement, 121 00:08:48.840 --> 00:08:53.960 and being a second degree persistent felony offender. According to 122 00:08:54.000 --> 00:08:58.639 a Kentucky State Police citation, trooper Khalil Sloan responded shortly 123 00:08:58.720 --> 00:09:02.480 after three a m July eighteenth to a report of 124 00:09:02.519 --> 00:09:08.559 a crash with injuries on Limestone Drive in Whitsburg. Sloane 125 00:09:08.600 --> 00:09:12.240 wrote that a Dodge Challenger carrying four people, had left 126 00:09:12.279 --> 00:09:16.639 the road, struck a rock, overturned several times, and come 127 00:09:16.679 --> 00:09:20.799 to rest in a ditch. One passenger told police that 128 00:09:20.840 --> 00:09:24.360 the driver appeared to be intoxicated and had been swerving 129 00:09:24.440 --> 00:09:29.679 before the crash. The passenger also alleged that the driver 130 00:09:29.879 --> 00:09:33.519 moved the damaged vehicle across the roadway after the crash 131 00:09:34.120 --> 00:09:37.600 and threw beer bottles down a hillside in an attempt 132 00:09:37.639 --> 00:09:42.639 to hide them before police arrived. Adams told Sloan that 133 00:09:42.679 --> 00:09:45.320 he had been driving to show the passengers and overlook 134 00:09:45.399 --> 00:09:48.320 on Pine Mountain when an animal he believed was a 135 00:09:48.360 --> 00:09:52.639 black bear entered the roadway, causing him to swerve. According 136 00:09:52.639 --> 00:09:57.039 to the citation, Sloan wrote that Adams admitted drinking four 137 00:09:57.240 --> 00:10:03.519 large Budweiser beers before driving. A preliminary breath test registered 138 00:10:03.679 --> 00:10:08.240 zero point one two, and Sloan reported observing several signs 139 00:10:08.279 --> 00:10:13.080 of impairment during field sobriety tests. Adams was taken to 140 00:10:13.120 --> 00:10:17.879 Wisburg rh and refused breath, blood, and urine tests after 141 00:10:17.960 --> 00:10:22.039 being advised of Kentucky's implied consent law and being given 142 00:10:22.120 --> 00:10:27.519 time to contact an attorney. The citation says Sloan testified 143 00:10:27.559 --> 00:10:32.600 before the grand jury. An indictment is an accusation and 144 00:10:32.679 --> 00:10:40.000 does not establish guilt. The next story is city officials 145 00:10:40.159 --> 00:10:45.960 reviewing preliminary hotel plans with hope for forty two rooms. 146 00:10:47.240 --> 00:10:50.879 Preliminary plans for the Daniel Boone Hotel in Whitsburg have 147 00:10:51.039 --> 00:10:53.399 been submitted to the city and are now in the 148 00:10:53.440 --> 00:10:58.759 process of being revised. Mayor Tiffany Kraft said Joseph and 149 00:10:58.879 --> 00:11:02.679 Joseph Architects, the firm selected for the second phase of 150 00:11:02.720 --> 00:11:06.200 the project, has asked for the first payment of one 151 00:11:06.279 --> 00:11:09.120 hundred sixty four thousand, nine hundred thirty one dollars and 152 00:11:09.240 --> 00:11:13.240 seventy five cents, and the Lecture County Fiscal Court, which 153 00:11:13.279 --> 00:11:16.000 is acting as the city's fiscal agent for the grant, 154 00:11:16.519 --> 00:11:20.840 approved the payment last week. E k Y Heritage Foundation 155 00:11:20.960 --> 00:11:25.480 Incorporated is advising the city on the project. We had 156 00:11:25.480 --> 00:11:27.919 to make some adjustments to those plans and we've sent 157 00:11:27.960 --> 00:11:33.000 it to them now. Kraft said. The first plan included 158 00:11:33.240 --> 00:11:36.480 king beds sweeps, and the city has asked for Queen's 159 00:11:36.480 -->

00:11:39.240 suites instead in an attempt to fit more rooms into 160 00:11:39.240 --> 00:11:45.600 the hotel. We're predicting forty two rooms. She said. The 161 00:11:45.639 --> 00:11:49.240 current project will include windows and doors and cleaning the 162 00:11:49.279 --> 00:11:53.960 outside of the building. The first floor will be white boxed, 163 00:11:54.519 --> 00:11:58.320 meaning walls will be completed and painted white, but fixtures 164 00:11:58.320 --> 00:12:02.399 will not be installed. That will allow a potential retail 165 00:12:02.480 --> 00:12:06.360 tenant to finish the space as it chooses. We want 166 00:12:06.399 --> 00:12:09.840 people to come in who have private businesses, Kraft said. 167 00:12:11.279 --> 00:12:14.519 The basement is also expected to be completed, possibly with 168 00:12:14.559 --> 00:12:17.919 a ball room and conference rooms, but that plan hasn't 169 00:12:17.960 --> 00:12:23.000 been finalized. Whatever it includes, Craft said she would like 170 00:12:23.039 --> 00:12:27.159 to keep the exposed brick in that area the basement. 171 00:12:27.240 --> 00:12:30.679 We just talked about electrical and plumbing, she said. We're 172 00:12:30.720 --> 00:12:33.000 talking about things we would like to see that could 173 00:12:33.000 --> 00:12:37.519 go down there, but we haven't decided. The nine thousand, 174 00:12:37.519 --> 00:12:41.039 two hundred twenty four square foot building opened on Independence 175 00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:44.639 Day weekend in nineteen twenty and was last used as 176 00:12:44.679 --> 00:12:50.080 a hotel in nineteen seventy four. Mountain Comprehensive Health Corporation 177 00:12:50.279 --> 00:12:53.519 converted it into a clinic and office space in nineteen 178 00:12:53.519 --> 00:12:57.720 seventy five. In the nineteen nineties, it served as the 179 00:12:57.720 --> 00:13:00.840 Electra County court House while the court building down the 180 00:13:00.879 --> 00:13:05.759 street was being renovated. The Dallhare family gave the one 181 00:13:05.840 --> 00:13:08.080 hundred and six year old hotel to the city in 182 00:13:08.080 --> 00:13:11.279 two thousand and nine, and it sat empty until the 183 00:13:11.360 --> 00:13:16.399 roof and floors collapsed from a leaky skylight. The first 184 00:13:16.440 --> 00:13:20.679 phase of renovations was in twenty nineteen, when now retired 185 00:13:20.759 --> 00:13:27.120 architect Bill Richardson designed Renovations and SSRG, a Cincinnati firm 186 00:13:27.240 --> 00:13:31.879 known for historic restorations, stabilized the building and replaced the 187 00:13:31.960 --> 00:13:36.360 roof and sub floors and built a new elevator shaft. 188 00:13:36.679 --> 00:13:40.080 That work cost about one point five million dollars, but 189 00:13:40.200 --> 00:13:42.840 it still left the building with just the basic shell 190 00:13:43.000 --> 00:13:47.159 and structural elements. That original work was paid for by 191 00:13:47.200 --> 00:13:52.240 a grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission. The new phase 192 00:13:52.279 --> 00:13:55.039 of work is being funded through a three million dollars 193 00:13:55.120 --> 00:14:00.720 state earmark approved by the Kentucky General Assembly. According to 194 00:14:00.720 --> 00:14:05.200 the city, Joseph and Joseph Architects brings extensive experience in 195 00:14:05.360 --> 00:14:11.200 historic rehabilitation and community centered design. The first projects include 196 00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:16.120 the Dream Hotel and jo La Hotel in Louisville, Angels 197 00:14:16.200 --> 00:14:20.519 env Distillery in Louisville, New Albany City Hall in Indiana, 198 00:14:21.279 --> 00:14:26.399 and Mixer's Fort Nelson Distillery, also in Louisville. City officials 199 00:14:26.440 --> 00:14:30.000 said the Daniel Boone Hotel project is expected to create 200 00:14:30.120 --> 00:14:34.759 new lodging and retail opportunities while preserving the character and 201 00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:41.440 legacy of one of Wlisburg's most iconic buildings. The next 202 00:14:41.480 --> 00:14:45.159 item is the caption of two photographs Flood of July 203 00:14:45.320 --> 00:14:51.759 two thousand, twenty two being remembered through artwork. Seen in 204 00:14:51.799 --> 00:14:55.799 these photographs are a mosaic mural project which reflects the 205 00:14:55.879 --> 00:14:58.919 one thousand year flood of July twenty eighth, two thousand 206 00:14:58.960 --> 00:15:03.600 twenty two and the history of our region. Located in 207 00:15:03.720 --> 00:15:06.960 downtown Watchburg behind the old post Office, it is a 208 00:15:07.000 --> 00:15:10.240 project of the Kallan Community Action Group at the Kallan 209 00:15:10.279 --> 00:15:14.320 Community Center and mainly consists of both things broken by 210 00:15:14.320 --> 00:15:18.519 the flood as well as historical pieces. Seen in both 211 00:15:18.519 --> 00:15:23.159 photos is the mural's creator and designer, renowned Appalachian artist 212 00:15:23.279 --> 00:15:27.960 Lacey Hale and her summer intern Julian Holt, a Electric County 213 00:15:28.039 --> 00:15:33.120 native studying fine art at Eastern Kentucky University. One photo 214 00:15:33.200 --> 00:15:36.679 features a mirror from the old Southeast Coal Company bath 215 00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:40.799 house at Cicco, where the miners all cleaned up after work. 216 00:15:41.919 --> 00:15:45.679 The mirror was donated to the project by Debbie togl Pendley, 217 00:15:46.200 --> 00:15:52.480 a historian, musician, and artist living in Cicco. The next 218 00:15:52.480 --> 00:15:57.039 story is Jenkins would like its own ambulance service, but 219 00:15:57.120 --> 00:16:02.279 the cost is overwhelming. Despite concerns from council members and 220 00:16:02.360 --> 00:16:05.639 other officials, the city of Jenkins will not be getting 221 00:16:05.679 --> 00:16:10.759 its own ambulance service anytime soon. After a report from 222 00:16:10.840 --> 00:16:14.399 Fire Chief

Corbette, the council decided the city could not 223 00:16:14.480 --> 00:16:19.279 afford the nearly one million dollar startup cost. Corbett was 224 00:16:19.320 --> 00:16:21.879 asked by the city council to look into the possibility 225 00:16:21.919 --> 00:16:26.799 of an ambulance service. Because of long response times, Neon 226 00:16:27.000 --> 00:16:30.639 fire and rescue handles calls county wide now after the 227 00:16:30.639 --> 00:16:35.200 shutdown of lecture ems and fire departments, and local officials 228 00:16:35.240 --> 00:16:38.039 are concerned it doesn't have enough staff to reach patients 229 00:16:38.080 --> 00:16:41.759 quickly enough. Fire chiefs say they often have to rely 230 00:16:41.879 --> 00:16:45.240 on ambulances from other counties to respond because there is 231 00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:51.120 none available inside the county. Emergency medical technicians volunteering at 232 00:16:51.159 --> 00:16:54.919 fire departments have been providing first response for many calls 233 00:16:55.279 --> 00:16:59.600 and taking care of patients until an ambulance arrives. Which 234 00:17:00.039 --> 00:17:02.440 fire department is the only department in the county with 235 00:17:02.679 --> 00:17:06.440 paid firefighters on duty around the clock, though it still 236 00:17:06.559 --> 00:17:11.279 is classed as a volunteer fire department. Corbett told the 237 00:17:11.400 --> 00:17:17.119 Jenkins Council the Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services KBEMS 238 00:17:17.240 --> 00:17:20.519 said new ambulances cost around four hundred thousand dollars each 239 00:17:21.119 --> 00:17:24.279 and the city would need two. That would mean a 240 00:17:24.359 --> 00:17:26.920 department serving only the city would come up in the 241 00:17:26.960 --> 00:17:31.599 negative unless it had three thousand runs per year. We 242 00:17:31.599 --> 00:17:35.200 were told there would be about fifteen hundred here, he said. 243 00:17:36.279 --> 00:17:38.400 He said the good news for the city is that 244 00:17:38.680 --> 00:17:41.519 if it were able to start an emergency ambulance service, 245 00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:45.599 it would indeed the state's approval for it. They say 246 00:17:45.680 --> 00:17:47.960 a city or a county does not need a certificate 247 00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:50.799 of need as long as they are using the ambulance 248 00:17:50.839 --> 00:17:55.319 service for nine to one one, Corbett said. He said 249 00:17:55.440 --> 00:17:59.920 KBEMS also recommended starting as a basic life support service 250 00:18:00.319 --> 00:18:05.519 instead of opting for advanced life support immediately. Basic life 251 00:18:05.559 --> 00:18:09.240 support service use emergency medical technicians, who have a much 252 00:18:09.359 --> 00:18:13.200 narrower scope of practice than paramedics and are paid less. 253 00:18:14.519 --> 00:18:18.359 BLS ambulances do not carry the wide variety of medicines 254 00:18:18.559 --> 00:18:22.519 that als ambulances

do, and do carry some of the 255 00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:26.920 more expensive equipment, such as electron heart monitors. With built 256 00:18:26.920 --> 00:18:32.839 in defibrillators, Paramedics can administer a wide variety of medicine, 257 00:18:33.319 --> 00:18:38.599 read ECGs, intubate patients, and perform other tasks similar to 258 00:18:38.640 --> 00:18:42.440 those a patient would receive in an emergency room. Equipping 259 00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:45.720 an ALS ambulance is much more expensive because of the 260 00:18:45.759 --> 00:18:49.119 medications and equipment needed for paramedics to make a difference. 261 00:18:51.200 --> 00:18:54.400 Councilman Rick Damrun indicated he did not know the city 262 00:18:54.440 --> 00:19:00.000 could run BLS ambulances, but Corbett assured him it could. 263 00:18:59.799 --> 00:19:03.440 Said Pikeville had a BLS until recently and is now 264 00:19:03.480 --> 00:19:07.799 switched to ALS. That's good information, but I would still 265 00:19:07.839 --> 00:19:11.440 like to see us get one here. Dannren said, maybe 266 00:19:11.480 --> 00:19:14.119 if we could get some business around here and more people, 267 00:19:14.519 --> 00:19:19.720 more tax dollars coming in, we could get one. And 268 00:19:19.839 --> 00:19:24.720 next is a photograph with the caption along for the ride. 269 00:19:24.759 --> 00:19:28.200 A small bird, believed to be an Eastern phoebe, perches 270 00:19:28.279 --> 00:19:30.519 on the back of a young buck as the deer 271 00:19:30.599 --> 00:19:36.960 grazes in Electric County. Birds sometimes help deer by eating ticks, fleas, flies, 272 00:19:37.000 --> 00:19:40.599 and other biting insects from their coats. Although the little 273 00:19:40.599 --> 00:19:47.599 passenger may simply have been enjoying a convenient perch. The 274 00:19:47.640 --> 00:19:52.400 next story is Feds ending Medicare drug plan. What will 275 00:19:52.440 --> 00:19:57.839 the cost be? Millions of older adults on Medicare prescription 276 00:19:58.000 --> 00:20:03.160 drug coverage could face deeper monthly costs in twenty twenty seven, 277 00:20:03.440 --> 00:20:07.640 after the Trump administration concludes a temporary subsidy program that 278 00:20:07.720 --> 00:20:12.119 has helped offset premiums for the past two years, The 279 00:20:12.160 --> 00:20:15.640 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has announced it would 280 00:20:15.640 --> 00:20:18.920 wrap up the program, which was initially implemented by the 281 00:20:18.920 --> 00:20:23.279 Biden administration in twenty twenty four, to lower patients Medicare 282 00:20:23.319 --> 00:20:27.160 Part D prescription drug costs in response to effects of 283 00:20:27.200 --> 00:20:32.599 the twenty twenty two Inflation Reduction Act. While federal officials 284 00:20:32.680 --> 00:20:36.359 insist the financial impact on Medicare beneficiaries will be minimal, 285 00:20:37.119 --> 00:20:41.599 the decision opens the Republican led administration to

potential political 286 00:20:41.599 --> 00:20:46.559 consequences in a high stake's mid term election year. Voters 287 00:20:46.599 --> 00:20:49.960 have identified cost of living as a top concern, and 288 00:20:50.039 --> 00:20:52.920 many older adults who tend to vote in high numbers 289 00:20:53.400 --> 00:20:57.960 are on fixed incomes where every dollar counts. The roughly 290 00:20:58.039 --> 00:21:02.559 twenty five million Americans with Medicare Part D plans will 291 00:21:02.599 --> 00:21:05.400 find out about their twenty twenty seven rates in the 292 00:21:05.440 --> 00:21:11.640 fall when they are casting ballots in November's elections. Democrats 293 00:21:11.759 --> 00:21:15.240 slammed cms's move as part of a pattern of federal 294 00:21:15.240 --> 00:21:20.440 attacks on healthcare affordability. Alongside federal Medicaid cuts and the 295 00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:24.519 expiration of Affordable Care Act subsidies that had reduced premium 296 00:21:24.519 --> 00:21:29.119 costs for working age Americans. In that program, the Trump 297 00:21:29.200 --> 00:21:33.160 administration is actively raising prescription drug costs for twenty five 298 00:21:33.200 --> 00:21:37.359 million seniors. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote on X 299 00:21:37.759 --> 00:21:40.960 in response to the news, which was first reported by 300 00:21:40.960 --> 00:21:47.519 The Wall Street Journal, heartless, cruel, and completely by choice. 301 00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:52.000 CMS administrator doctor mermet Oz last week said ending the 302 00:21:52.039 --> 00:21:56.200 subsidy program would prevent billions of taxpayer dollars from being 303 00:21:56.319 --> 00:21:59.960 funneled to insurance companies. It costs the agency and n 304 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:03.880 estimated three point six billion dollars in twenty twenty six. 305 00:22:05.319 --> 00:22:08.440 He said most Medicare beneficiaries would see less than a 306 00:22:08.480 --> 00:22:11.759 ten dollars per month increase, and some would even see 307 00:22:11.759 --> 00:22:17.400 lower premiums than beforehand. Every Medicare beneficiary still has access 308 00:22:17.440 --> 00:22:20.640 to low cost plans, and we will continue to lower 309 00:22:20.680 --> 00:22:25.799 prescription drug prices for every American patient from more MFN 310 00:22:25.920 --> 00:22:29.839 deals to our policy giving seniors access to GLP ones 311 00:22:29.880 --> 00:22:34.559 for fifty dollars a month, he wrote on social media. 312 00:22:35.079 --> 00:22:39.480 The federal government also negotiates directly with pharmaceutical companies to 313 00:22:39.640 --> 00:22:42.279 lower the prices of some of the most expensive drugs 314 00:22:42.279 --> 00:22:46.079 in Medicare through a program created by Congress in twenty 315 00:22:46.119 --> 00:22:51.200 twenty two. The decision has no impact on the out 316 00:22:51.200 --> 00:22:54.400 of pocket cap that limits the amount that older adults 317 00:22:54.440 --> 00:22:58.519 with standalone Medicare drug coverage spend on their prescription drugs 318 00:22:58.559 --> 00:23:01.519 over the course of a year. That was set at 319 00:23:01.519 --> 00:23:05.039 two thousand, one hundred dollars in twenty twenty six and 320 00:23:05.200 --> 00:23:07.880 is projected to rise to two thousand, four hundred dollars 321 00:23:08.119 --> 00:23:14.279 for twenty twenty seven. Part D beneficiaries paid an average 322 00:23:14.279 --> 00:23:17.160 of thirty six dollars a month this year for their 323 00:23:17.200 --> 00:23:21.039 prescription drug premiums. With the subsidies in place, according to 324 00:23:21.079 --> 00:23:26.400 the healthcare research nonprofit KFF, the subsidies offset the average 325 00:23:26.440 --> 00:23:30.319 premium by sixteen dollars in twenty twenty six, according to 326 00:23:30.359 --> 00:23:35.599 the Federal Medicare Payment Advisory Commission MEDPACK. It's not yet 327 00:23:35.680 --> 00:23:38.920 known how many Americans the change will effect or how 328 00:23:39.000 --> 00:23:43.279 much more they'll pay. Older Americans have the opportunity to 329 00:23:43.359 --> 00:23:47.880 shop for plans each year, and prices vary widely between them. 330 00:23:48.839 --> 00:23:51.960 CMS has said it will release information about next year's 331 00:23:52.000 --> 00:23:58.039 premiums in September. AARP executive vice president Nancy Lee Mand 332 00:23:58.240 --> 00:24:02.559 said her organization, which serves Americans fifty and older, had 333 00:24:02.559 --> 00:24:07.079 supported the temporary subsidy. While it's too early to know 334 00:24:07.119 --> 00:24:10.160 the full impact of this change, it would be unfortunate 335 00:24:10.279 --> 00:24:14.079 if this decision made Part D coverage less affordable, just 336 00:24:14.119 --> 00:24:17.240 as we're beginning to see billions in savings from Medicare 337 00:24:17.319 --> 00:24:23.599 drug price negotiation, she said in a statement. Juliette Kubanski, 338 00:24:23.960 --> 00:24:27.079 vice president and Director of the Program on Medicare Policy 339 00:24:27.119 --> 00:24:31.000 at KFF, said the price increases may be marginal for 340 00:24:31.079 --> 00:24:35.319 some consumers but impactful for others when combined with higher 341 00:24:35.359 --> 00:24:41.319 prices in other areas like groceries, gas, and housing. What's 342 00:24:41.319 --> 00:24:43.880 going to matter most for consumers is how much more 343 00:24:44.000 --> 00:24:45.599 or less they have to pay at the end of 344 00:24:45.599 --> 00:24:48.160 a month, and how much they have left after the 345 00:24:48.160 --> 00:24:51.920 bills are paid. She said, this could just make it 346 00:24:51.960 --> 00:24:55.359 more challenging for some people to make that math work. 347 00:24:57.759 --> 00:25:02.359 The next story is Imagine Nation Library delivers one hundred 348 00:25:02.359 --> 00:25:08.079 thousand books to kids here. Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of 349

00:25:08.119 --> 00:25:11.960 Electric County has reached a major milestone, mailing more than 350 00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:15.799 one hundred thousand free books to local children since the 351 00:25:15.839 --> 00:25:21.799 program began here in January twenty twelve. The program mail's 352 00:25:21.880 --> 00:25:26.319 one age appropriate book each month to participating children from 353 00:25:26.359 --> 00:25:30.200 birth until their fifth birthday. There is no cost to 354 00:25:30.240 --> 00:25:35.359 their families. The Rotary Club of Whitesburg launched the Imagination 355 00:25:35.519 --> 00:25:39.920 Library program in Lectric County to promote early childhood literacy 356 00:25:40.359 --> 00:25:45.480 and help children prepare for kindergarten. According to program figures, 357 00:25:45.480 --> 00:25:49.559 approximately one thousand fifty nine children in Lectric County are 358 00:25:49.599 --> 00:25:54.759 eligible to receive books through the Imagination Library. Of these, 359 00:25:54.960 --> 00:25:58.759 nine hundred seventy are registered and receiving a book each month. 360 00:26:00.759 --> 00:26:05.359 Organizers say the one hundred thousand book milestone represents thousands 361 00:26:05.359 --> 00:26:08.960 of occasions when children and their caregivers have sat together 362 00:26:09.119 --> 00:26:12.119 to read and develop skills that will help prepare the 363 00:26:12.200 --> 00:26:18.119 children for school. For some families facing financial difficulties, organizers 364 00:26:18.160 --> 00:26:21.359 said the books provided through the program may be the 365 00:26:21.440 --> 00:26:26.160 only children's books in the home. Early exposure to books 366 00:26:26.160 --> 00:26:30.599 can help children build their vocabularies, strengthen language development, and 367 00:26:30.720 --> 00:26:35.200 improve their chances for success in school. Organizers said the 368 00:26:35.240 --> 00:26:39.400 program is especially important in Electric County, where kindergarten readiness 369 00:26:39.400 --> 00:26:44.319 continues to be a concern. Members of the Rotary Club 370 00:26:44.359 --> 00:26:48.400 of Whitesburg said they remain committed to enrolling more eligible 371 00:26:48.480 --> 00:26:53.519 children and continuing efforts to improve literacy in the county. 372 00:26:54.519 --> 00:26:58.279 The program is supported by local volunteers and Rotary Club members, 373 00:26:58.799 --> 00:27:04.240 Whitesburg ARH Babies at Birth Initiative, community donors, businesses, and 374 00:27:04.319 --> 00:27:09.160 grant providers. Organizers also credited The Mountain Eagle for regularly 375 00:27:09.200 --> 00:27:13.799 publishing information about the program. Donations may be made to 376 00:27:13.839 --> 00:27:17.839 the Whitesburg Rotary Foundation and mailed to Post Office Box 377 00:27:17.880 --> 00:27:23.480 four six, Watchburg, Kentucky four one eight five eight. Children 378 00:27:23.559 --> 00:27:29.079 younger than five may be registered online at imaginationlibrary dot com. 379 00:27:30.640 --> 00:27:35.319 The next story is line Forkman sixty seven succumbs to 380 00:27:35.440 --> 00:27:42.799 motorcycle crash injuries passengers still hospitalized. A Line Forkman died 381 00:27:42.920 --> 00:27:46.400 Friday in a Tennessee hospital of injuries he received in 382 00:27:46.400 --> 00:27:52.279 a motorcycle accident two days earlier. Charles Gregg Bentley, sixty seven, 383 00:27:52.359 --> 00:27:56.400 of Line Fork, died at Johnson City Medical Center from 384 00:27:56.480 --> 00:27:59.720 multiple injuries caused by the crash July twenty ninth at 385 00:27:59.759 --> 00:28:04.880 Line Coreen Fraser, a passenger on the motorcycle, remains in 386 00:28:04.960 --> 00:28:08.440 critical condition in the Intensive Carry Unit at the Johnson 387 00:28:08.519 --> 00:28:15.279 City Medical Center. This concludes the reading of The Mountain Eagle. 388 00:28:16.079 --> 00:28:19.839 Your reader has been billed an arsenal. Now please stay 389 00:28:19.880 --> 00:28:23.799 tuned for continued programming on behalf of everyone here at 390 00:28:23.880 --> 00:28:27.200 Radio I. Thank you for listening and have a good day.