A Kentucky man has been charged in connection with the death of Crystal Rogers, a mother-of-five who vanished without a trace during the Fourth of July weekend in 2015. Joseph Lawson, 32, was arraigned in Nelson Circuit Court on Thursday where he pleaded not guilty to charges of criminal conspiracy to commit murder and complicity in tampering with physical evidence. His bond was set at $500,000 cash. The conspiracy to commit murder charge was filed 24 July and the charge of tampering with evidence was filed in June, according to Nelson County circuit court documents. Ms Rogers was not mentioned by name in the indictment, but Attorney Kevin Coleman, who represents Mr Lawson, acknowledged his client’s case is in relation to the mother’s death, according to WRDB. He declined to comment further. Mr Lawson has not been charged with Ms Rogers’ murder, but instead faces a conspiracy charge which means prosecutors believe he was involved in some way. The indictment states that on July 3, 2015, and/or July 4 2015, “the above-named Defendant, committed the offense of Criminal Conspiracy to Commit Murder, when, with the intention of promoting or facilitating the crime, when he agreed to aid one or more persons in the planning or commission of the crime or an attempt or solicitation to commit the crime, when he, and/or a co-conspirator, intentionally caused the death of another.” Ms Rogers has not been seen or heard from since the evening of 3 July 2015. Her red Chevrolet Impala was found abandoned the same day at mile marker 14 on Bluegrass Parkway. The car had a flat tire and inside were her keys, phone and purse, according to the FBI’s office in Louisville. Her boyfriend at the time, Brooks Houck, who is also the father to her youngest child, was named a suspect just months after she went missing, but has never been charged. He’s considered to be the last person who saw her alive. Several homes in Bardstown, Kentucky have been searched over the years, including the homes of Houck family farm, the homes of Mr Houck and his brother, Nick, and a storage unit belonging to Ms Rogers. Her case was taken over by the FBI in 2020. The FBI is also investigating the death of her father, Tommy Ballard, who was shot and killed in 2016 while hunting on his own property more than a year after his daughter went missing. Read More Mother charged after New Jersey investigators solve 1984 ‘Baby Mary’ cold case DNA evidence links man to three sexual assaults over more than a decade Police name man who died in custody after being held for murder of missing woman

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The Biden administration on Monday urged states to slow down their purge of Medicaid rolls, citing concerns that large numbers of lower-income people are losing health care coverage due to administrative reasons. The nation's Medicaid rolls swelled during the coronavirus pandemic as states were prohibited from ending people's coverage. But that came to a halt in April, and states now must re-evaluate recipients' eligibility — just as they had been regularly required to do before the pandemic. In some states, about half of those whose Medicaid renewal cases were decided in April or May have lost their coverage, according to data submitted to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and obtained by The Associated Press. The primary cause is what CMS describes as “procedural reasons,” such as the failure to return forms. “I am deeply concerned with the number of people unnecessarily losing coverage, especially those who appear to have lost coverage for avoidable reasons that State Medicaid offices have the power to prevent or mitigate,” Health and Human Services Secretary Secretary Xavier Becerra wrote in a letter Monday to governors. Instead of immediately dropping people who haven't responded by a deadline, federal officials are encouraging state Medicaid agencies to delay procedural terminations for one month while conducting additional targeted outreach to Medicaid recipients. Among other things, they're also encouraging states to allow providers of managed health care plans to help people submit Medicaid renewal forms. Nobody "should lose coverage simply because they changed addresses, didn’t receive a form, or didn’t have enough information about the renewal process,” Becerra said in a statement. States are moving at different paces to conduct Medicaid eligibility determinations. Some haven't dropped anyone from their rolls yet while others already have removed tens of thousands of people. Among 18 states that reported preliminary data to CMS, about 45% of those whose renewals were due in April kept their Medicaid coverage, about 31% lost coverage and about 24% were still being processed. Of those that lost coverage, 4-out-of-5 were for procedural reasons, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In Arkansas, Florida, Idaho and Oklahoma, about half or more of those whose eligibility cases were completed in April or May lost their Medicaid coverage, according data reviewed by the AP. Those figures may appear high because some states frontloaded the process, starting with people already deemed unlikely to remain eligible. CMS officials have specifically highlighted concerns about Arkansas, which has dropped well over 100,000 Medicaid recipients, mostly for not returning renewal forms or requested information. Arkansas officials said they are following a timeline under a 2021 law that requires the state to complete its redeterminations within six months of the end of the public health emergency. They said Medicaid recipients receive multiple notices — as well as texts, emails and phone calls, when possible — before being dropped. Some people probably don't respond because they know they are no longer eligible, the state Department of Human Services said. Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has dismissed criticism of the state’s redetermination process, saying Arkansas is merely getting the program back to its pre-pandemic coverage intentions. But health care advocates said it's particularly concerning when states have large numbers of people removed from Medicaid for not responding to re-enrollment notices. "People who are procedurally disenrolled often are not going to realize they’ve lost coverage until they show up for a medical appointment or they go to fill their prescription and are told you no longer have insurance coverage,” said Allie Gardner, a senior research associate at the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families. __ Associated Press writer Andrew DeMillo contributed from Little Rock, Arkansas. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Speaker McCarthy eyes new commission to tackle nation's debt, but many Democrats are wary Connecticut to adjourn largely bipartisan session in contrast to rancor in other states Missouri governor signs ban on transgender health care, school sports

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Manchester City right-back Kyle Walker has played down fears he could miss the Champions League final with a back injury. The England international did not feature in an open training session on Tuesday as City continued preparations for Saturday’s clash with Inter Milan in Istanbul. The 33-year-old looked in discomfort as he was substituted in the final minute of City’s FA Cup final triumph over Manchester United at Wembley. But Walker was one of a number of players made available for media interviews later on Tuesday and he insisted the problem was not serious. “I’m fine, I’m just getting old,” he told Sky Sports News. “I’m completely fine, it’s just an extra day of recovery. “I’ve played a lot of minutes over the last number of weeks so the manager said, ‘Just stay inside and come Saturday you will be raring to go’. “I’m fine, the minutes that I’ve played when everyone else was injured, I was there digging my heels in and getting through it. I won’t be missing the Champions League final for anything.” Manager Pep Guardiola also said Walker’s absence from training was only precautionary. “He has had a disturbance in his back,” said Guardiola at a press conference. “Yesterday he was not good, today he was a little bit better but we didn’t want to take any risks. We will see what happens in the next days.” City are bidding to win the Champions League for the first time and complete a glorious treble after their Premier League and FA Cup successes this season. They are also looking to erase the memory of their painful loss to Chelsea in the 2021 final. As three-time winners, Inter boast the greater European pedigree but City will go into the match as firm favourites against the side that finished third in Serie A this term. Guardiola, however, insists what has happened in the past – and even current form – counts for little now. He said: “It’s really good to travel in a few days to Istanbul. We go together and it is a dream to be here. “Two years ago we were there but in different situations with Covid. For history, they are better than us but it is about what you have to do to be better than the opponent in 95 minutes Pep Guardiola “We’re going to try to do our best and we know the final is how you behave in that specific 95 minutes, not history. “For history, they are better than us but it is about what you have to do to be better than the opponent in 95 minutes. “It doesn’t count what you have done in the group stages or the Premier League or the FA Cup. We have to be better than them.” Guardiola is comfortable with the tag of favourites. “We are used to it,” he said. “Why should it be more dangerous? Accept the role and go out there knowing the quality of the opponents. We accept what people say, no problem.” City’s form in the latter part of the season, when they reeled in Arsenal to win the Premier League and powered past Bayern Munich and Real Madrid to reach this weekend’s showpiece, has been outstanding. Guardiola acknowledges confidence is high in the City squad but insists there will be no complacency. He said: “It is a final against a top team and we have to do it. We are confident, I’m so optimistic, but at the same time I cannot deny the quality of the opponent. “I have never done that and especially not in the final of the Champions League.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Merger of golf’s warring factions sends shockwaves through sport London Irish suspended as takeover deal collapses London Irish’s highs and lows as the club face suspension

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Today's USMNT rumors include Tyler Adams to Newcastle, Johnny Cardoso to Napoli andBrian Schwake to Brighton.USMNT rumors: Tyler Adams to NewcastleThe USMNT contingent at Leeds United will now be looking to get out of the club following their drop down to the Championship. Weston McKennie h...

HUNTSVILLE, Ala.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 21, 2023--