A dog was the surprise guest in a Kentucky courtroom.

Our Toby Gibbs explains that and more in tonight's look at headlines around Kentucky.

And a Louisa based addiction recovery center is cutting employees and reorganize housing services due to cuts in Medicaid reimbursement.

Officials with addiction recovery care didn't say how many of its 1350 employees would lose their jobs.

Appalachian news reports the staff changes come amid an FBI investigation into addiction recovery, care for possible health care fraud.

According to the newspaper last year, addiction recovery care took in $130 million in state Medicaid funds and has expanded from a single halfway house to a statewide network of recovery programs and residential centers.

In 24 counties across Kentucky.

A Benton man charged under Kentucky's newly expanded animal torture law pleaded not guilty in front of the dog.

The law is named after the Paducah Sun reports.

David Morris is one of the first people to be prosecuted under Ethan's law, which went into effect this year.

And allows a person to be charged with a felony the first time they torture a dog or cat.

Ethan the dog and his owner, Jeff Callaway, attended Morris's arraignment hearing in Marshall County.

Morris is accused of shooting his dog, fidget with a pellet gun.

Investigators say a video of the incident was posted on Facebook.

He faces a Class D felony.

He has pleaded not guilty.

21 businesses in Lexington have been awarded for their sustainability efforts.

And the U.K. reports this is the green check programs largest class.

12 of the businesses were newly recognized and nine of them were recertify.

The award program is through Lexington's Environmental Quality and Public Works Division.

Flora Clif Nature Sanctuary and a designer jewelry store in Lexington were among the winners.

It's a new record for a Bardstown distillery.

The Kentucky Standard reports Bardstown Bourbon Company won the men's team title at the 2024 World Championship barrel relay and did it in a record time of 50.2 8 seconds.

Independent State Company has hosted the relay for more than 30 years.

Ten distilleries from around the state participated with headlines around Kentucky.

I believe it.