Paul is doing more than just "considering" running for president as he's states, the Kentucky Republican is clearing a path to seek the 2016 Republican presidential nomination with a series of upcoming early primary state visits, a beefed up political operation and a plan to raise his profile.

His first major appearance is Friday night when he's scheduled to be the featured guest at the Iowa Republican Party's annual spring fundraiser. That's considered a plum speaking gig in the state expected to host the leadoff caucuses.

Paul's road is expected to be far from easy, given other big names in the prospective field and the national GOP's wide divide. But he enjoys tea party backing and access to his father Ron Paul's past presidential campaign networks.

Rand Paul heads to New Hampshire later this month and to South Carolina in June, two other early primary states.

A jury has found Barren County Sheriff Chris Eaton guilty on two counts of witness tampering stemming from the arrest of a suspect who claims he was beaten.  The same jury Thursday night returned not guilty verdicts for two other law enforcement officers. 

After eight hours of deliberations, a jury acquitted Eric Guffey on all four counts against him.   Guffey helped subdue suspect Billy Stinnett who led Barren County officers on a dangerous car and foot pursuit on February 24, 2010.  The officers were accused of using excessive force and covering it up to the FBI.  Louisville Attorney Brian Butler represented Guffey and called the accusations against him shameful.  Butler said if anything, his client was a hero that day.

"Eric Guffey stopped him from running through ditches, around roadblocks, and running citizens off the road," stated Butler.  "If he wouldn't have had the foresight to block that road, there's no telling what would have happened in Barren county.  And then Eric got out of that truck and ran after a meth head who was violent."

Also acquitted on all charges was Deputy Aaron Bennett, who was represented by Glasgow Attorney Buddy Alexander.

"It's obviously going to be closure for my client and his family.  Chris' family is going to be in turmoil from now until August and possibly thereafter," said Alexander.

Sheriff Chris Eaton was charged in an eight-count federal indictment and was found guilty on two counts of witness tampering.  He left the U.S. District Courthouse in Bowling Green without comment.  He will be sentenced August 1 and faces up to 20 years in prison on each count.

After months of deliberations, Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear has decided to expand Medicaid in Kentucky under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare—a move that's won praise from Democrats and health advocacy groups.

Beshear said Thursday that expansion benefits Kentucky in many ways.

"This move makes sense not only for our health but also for our pocketbook. More important it makes sense for our future," he says.

The expansion will insure more than 308,000 Kentuckians. And according to studies done by PriceWaterhouseCoopers and the Urban Studies Institute at the University of Louisville, Medicaid expansion would bring about $800 million to Kentucky between next year and 2021.

Beshear says critics of the expansion are more worried about politics than good policy.

"They express vague and broad anxieties about costs, fears which the facts refute and they fall back on partisan national politics. If Kentucky expands Medicaid they ask, won't Kentucky be supporting Obamacare, they ask. Well to them I say, Get over it," he says.

The Kentucky Bourbon Trail is expanding to include a small distillery that's tucked in the shadows of skyscrapers in downtown Louisville.

Heaven Hill Distilleries' new distillery will become the eighth stop on the popular tourist attraction that has drawn more than 2.5 million visitors in the past five years.

Mayor Greg Fischer said Thursday that bringing the Bourbon Trail to Louisville will enhance the city's bourbon tourism efforts.

The Kentucky Bourbon Trail takes visitors to several rural and rustic settings to visit the places where iconic bourbons such as Maker's Mark, Wild Turkey, and Woodford Reserve are crafted.

Kentucky is home to 95 percent of the world's bourbon production.