FRANKFORT, Ky. (Feb. 5, 2026) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear provided updates on economic development, the state’s response to severe winter weather, a decrease in unemployment across all 120 counties and medical cannabis. Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman provided updates on Team Kentucky’s Pre-K for All initiative and new graduates from the Kentucky State Police Training Academy. First Lady Britainy Beshear encouraged Kentuckians to donate blood following a nationwide shortage; and to participate in the statewide Shop & Share donation drive this Saturday. Dr. Steven Stack, secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, joined the Governor to provide an update on the Our Healthy Kentucky Home initiative. The Governor named Tyler Childers as this week’s Team Kentucky All-Star, following the Kentuckian’s first Grammy win.
Economic Development
On Tuesday, Gov. Beshear joined local officials and company leaders from Tate Inc. to celebrate the largest job creation project in Barren County in 18 years. The new $76 million facility will be the company’s largest site worldwide and create 400 new manufacturing jobs once fully operational.
The Governor announced that Poe Cos. will invest over $600 million in Louisville to renovate the Humana building into a 1,000-room hotel with over 100,000-square-feet of meeting space and spaces for restaurants and bars.
Gov. Beshear announced that more jobs are being filled in Kentucky as unemployment rates fell in all 120 counties between December 2024 and December 2025. The county unemployment data was reported by the Kentucky Center for Statistics and released Thursday morning through the Education and Labor Cabinet.
State’s Response to Severe Winter Storm
The Governor provided an update on the state’s response to the winter storm that took place primarily between Jan. 23 and 26, where areas in Kentucky received up to 9 inches of snow and significant ice accumulation. The Governor stated that there is a potential for more snow tomorrow, a dusting of 1 inch or less, but this can still impact roadways, so Kentuckians should remain vigilant.
On Monday, the Governor confirmed 16 weather-related deaths on his social media. Since then, fatalities have increased to 22. These additions include:
- A 79-year-old woman from Floyd County;
- A 77-year-old man from Grayson County;
- A 59-year-old man from Hardin County;
- A 92-year-old man from Hart County;
- A 68-year-old man from Leslie County; and
- A 69-year-old woman from Madison County.
Power outages: There were 604 reported power outages as of 12:30 p.m. EST, down from around 73,590 at the height of outages Jan. 25. The current level of outages is considered “normal” for a typical day in Kentucky.
Water and Wastewater Systems: Statewide, 13 drinking water systems are on limited operations. Several line breaks have prompted boil water advisories for 12,154 customers.
Warming Centers: During the height of the storm, Team Kentucky was sheltering over 900 Kentuckians in warming centers and at Red Cross sites. There are still 85 shelters set up across the commonwealth. To find a warming center near you, visit kyem.ky.gov.
Kentucky State Police (KSP): KSP telecommunicators have received 28,757 calls for service related to the winter storm since Friday, Jan. 23. Additionally, troopers and officers have conducted 1,957 wellness checks and responded to 1,174 requests for motorist assistance.
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet: Since Friday, Jan. 23, state and contracted plow crews have driven over 1 million miles for storm response. Visit snowky.ky.gov for driver tips and resources, like traffic cams. Travel conditions are available on the GoKy map.
Medical Cannabis
Today, Team Kentucky sent a letter to legislative leadership recommending the General Assembly expand Kentucky’s list of qualifying medical conditions for medical cannabis in the 2026 Regular Session. The recommendation includes serious conditions such as ALS, Parkinson’s, Crohn’s disease, sickle cell anemia, fibromyalgia, glaucoma and terminal illness, among others.
“Expanding the list to include these conditions could help provide relief to approximately 430,000 Kentuckians,” said Gov. Beshear. “In most other states that have medical cannabis, these conditions are included, and this recommendation aligns with the Kentucky Board of Physicians and Advisors, which unanimously supported expanding qualifying conditions.”
Two new dispensaries are opening in the commonwealth: on Jan. 31, Kentucky Alternative Care celebrated its grand opening in Jefferson County; and on Feb. 7, Bluegrass Cannacare in Boone County will host a ribbon cutting. So far, five cultivators, two safety compliance facilities, one processor and seven dispensaries are approved to operate in the commonwealth. These numbers are expected to grow this month, as two processors, two dispensaries and one cultivator are scheduled for inspection.
More than 18,500 Kentuckians have been approved for medical cannabis cards. Over 510 practitioners are registered to issue certifications.
Pre-K for All
Lt. Gov. Coleman provided an update on Team Kentucky’s Pre-K for All initiative. Today, the Lieutenant Governor announced that 91 school superintendents – half of Kentucky’s school districts – have endorsed Pre-K for All. This is in addition to the previously announced 46 local and regional chambers of commerce, 63 county judge/executives, 34 mayors and the Kentucky Association of School Administrators that have endorsed Pre-K for All. Additionally, over 65,000 Kentuckians have written to their state legislators asking them to support expanding pre-K access.
“Kentuckians, business leaders and educators all have one thing in common: They want Pre-K for All,” said Lt. Gov. Coleman. “In fact, we’ve found that 87% of Kentuckians support pre-K for Kentucky’s 4-year-olds. This is long overdue. So please, call your representatives. Our success depends on this. And we can get this done, together. Let’s make Pre-K for All a reality.”
Four Kentucky superintendents joined the Team Kentucky Update to share why they support Pre-K for All.
“Schools have a life-changing power. I would not be standing here today without public education, and right now, Kentucky has the opportunity to change our state, to change lives,” said Dr. Dustin Howard, Clark County superintendent. “Let’s make the most important investment in our children by supporting Pre-K for All. The question is no longer if we can afford it, but how can we afford not to?”
“We need Pre-K for All because it is the single most effective way to ensure every child arrives in kindergarten ready to learn,” said Dr. Lori Jones, Woodford County superintendent. “We want every student to be successful, so working with the General Assembly, let’s make the decision get this done and make Pre-K for All happen.”
“Over my 30 years in education, I have seen it firsthand. Pre-K has immediate and lasting benefits,” said Mark Kopp, Franklin County superintendent. “When fewer than half of Kentucky’s kids are ready for kindergarten, we need to act. We need to make sure every student has a chance to succeed, so let’s get this done, let’s pass Pre-K for All.”
“Pre-K for All is something that will help get students started off on the right foot, lower costs and help parents get back to work,” said Sheri Satterly, Frankfort Independent Schools superintendent. “This will be a win-win-win for parents, kids and school districts. Let’s all work together to get this done and keep moving Kentucky forward.”
KSP Training Academy Graduation
Lt. Gov. Coleman announced the graduation of 32 cadets from the KSP Training Academy, marking the start of their careers as state troopers and officers ready to serve and protect communities across the commonwealth.
Blood Drives
The Red Cross recently announced a blood shortage following the winter storm, as many blood drives were cancelled due to severe weather and dangerous weather conditions also made it tougher to transport vital blood products. Today, Mrs. Beshear encouraged Kentuckians to donate blood to help end this shortage. The Governor and First Lady will host a blood drive in Frankfort on Feb. 12, and there are numerous other drives taking place across the commonwealth where Kentuckians can donate close to home. Visit Governor.Ky.Gov/GiveBlood to learn more.
“Giving blood is a simple act, but it can truly save lives. It’s one of the most impactful ways we can show love to our community,” said the First Lady. “Together, we can end this shortage. We’ve done it before, and we can do it again.”
Shop & Share
The First Lady invited Team Kentucky to Shop & Share this Saturday, Feb. 7, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time to help support survivors of domestic violence. Each year, the First Lady partners with ZeroV to host this one-day donation drive on the Saturday before the Super Bowl. The annual Shop & Share drive will provide critical supplies for the commonwealth’s state-designated regional domestic violence shelter programs. Participating grocery stores, lists of most-needed items in each region and volunteer information can be found at ZeroV.org/ShopandShare.
Our Healthy Kentucky Home
Dr. Stack provided an update on Our Healthy Kentucky Home, an initiative to promote simple, positive and attainable goals to inspire and motivate Kentuckians on a journey to health and wellness. For February, the initiative is focusing on maternal, infant and toddler health. Dr. Stack highlighted resources for new moms and babies such as Health Access Nurturing Development Services, which supports expecting parents and families with children from pregnancy up to age three; Kentucky Early Intervention System, which serves families of infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities; and the Women, Infants and Children program, which has nutrition education, financial support for healthy foods, breastfeeding support and connections to community resources.
Team Kentucky All-Star
The Governor named Tyler Childers as this week’s Team Kentucky All-Star, following the Kentuckian’s first Grammy win. On Feb. 1, Childers won Best Country Song for “Bitin’ List” from his most recent album, “Snipe Hunter.” He was also nominated in the categories of Country Album, Country Duo/Group Performance and Country Solo Performance.
“I’m proud to call Tyler a friend. He and his wife, Senora May, are both Eastern Kentucky natives who have made significant contributions to Appalachian communities through their help following natural disasters, supporting addiction recovery and more,” said Gov. Beshear. “Congratulations, Tyler, on this well-deserved recognition and thank you for representing Team Kentucky so well.”
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To view the Governor’s Team Kentucky Update, click here.