 U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell hosted the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy director Dr. Raul Gupta, the drug czar, and volunteers of America President Jennifer Hancock in Clay County Thursday, August 17. The czar met with local officials and community stakeholders on efforts to combat the opioid and substance abuse epidemic. It was amazing to have our White House drug czar here along with Leader McConnell and other state officials, President Stivers, Mayor Rasmus from Corbin, all of us working together to address the opioid epidemic. It takes federal, state, and local partners and volunteers of America has just been honored to have their partnership, their investment of resources, and really boots on the ground with us in these communities. Are you ready for a new school year? What better way to start a new school year upright than with a new device on the network that keeps our students and teachers connected? Appalachian Wireless. Whether you need a new smartphone, wearable, or an iPad, we have your back to school solution. Visit AppalachianWireless.com or go into one of our 26 retail locations for our back to school deals that will help you show up and show out this school year. We are you. We are Appalachian Wireless. Kentucky is just one of eight states that saw a decrease in fatal overdoses with a 5% decrease in 2022. In light of the pandemic and what we saw in terms of the skyrocketing rates of overdose across the nation and certainly here in Kentucky, it was refreshing to have our federal partners and state leaders together, celebrating the fact that here in Kentucky were one of only eight states in the entire nation to have a modest reduction of 5%. And that 5% is really important because those are real people's lives and families who now have their loved ones with them who are continuing on their journey. So Dr. Gupta from the White House said at best, we've got to double down our efforts to continue this forward progress. I'm convinced we have the right partners to do that. Reporting for Mountain Top News, I'm Brianna Robinson.