Medicaid Relief in Frankfort: Gov. Andy Beshear says Kentucky will use a $255 million budget surplus to reverse a planned 4% cut to Medicaid reimbursement rates, delaying any reductions through the fiscal year ending June 2027, and also funding senior meals and Michelle P. Waiver slots after providers were told in June to expect the Aug. 1 drop. Meta Trial Hits Kentucky: A landmark federal case begins Tuesday in Oakland, with California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey arguing Meta designed Facebook and Instagram to be addictive for minors and mishandled children’s data; the states seek damages up to $1.4 trillion and platform changes, while Meta denies wrongdoing and says it has strong teen protections. Data Center Policy Tension: Kentucky’s executive-order approach to data centers faces questions about enforceability and whether regulators can be compelled without state law, as companies continue filing plans and communities raise concerns about power, water, and environmental impacts. Local Governance Watch: Barren County’s first comprehensive zoning ordinance draft is set to be discussed by a land use committee Thursday, with working copies guiding multiple review stages before a fiscal court vote. Public Safety Tech Debate: Independence residents packed a council meeting to weigh expanding Flock Safety license plate reader cameras, with police citing investigation wins and residents questioning oversight. STEM Investment in NKY: Villa Madonna Academy dedicated a new STEM wing honoring Chase and Cole Fischer, adding labs and equipment for medicine, chemistry, physics, biology, and hands-on making.