A prescribed burn will be conducted next week at Taylorsville Lake Wildlife Management Area. (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources)

Portions of Taylorsville Lake Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Spencer County will be closed to the public for two days between Oct. 28 and 31 to facilitate a prescribed fire project as part of ongoing hardwood forest improvements on the property, according to a release from the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.

The department says prescribed burns will be conducted when weather conditions are optimal from both environmental and safety standpoints.

Burns are planned on a 1,600-acre section of the Briar Ridge unit of the WMA south of KY 3228 on the first of the two-day closure, followed by a second day for evaluation to ensure all fires are out. The WMA will not be accessible via KY 3228 if traveling west from KY 248 during this time. The shooting range will be closed on the day of the burn project as smoky conditions are possible, but will reopen the following day. Other public access to Taylorsville Lake and the remainder of the 9,417-acre WMA should not be affected.

Project managers will take into consideration wind, air temperature, relative humidity, soil moisture and other factors before determining when to conduct the burns. If favorable conditions do not occur, this project may be pushed to a later date.

Signs will be posted and gates closed at all access points to the project location and adjacent landowners are being notified of the planned burns. The prescribed fire areas will be monitored until all fire, embers and smoke are extinguished before reopening to the public.

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources will announce the work date through an update on its website (fw.ky.gov) and X (@kyfishwildlife).

Media arts nonprofit Appalshop is based in Southeastern Kentucky. (Appalshop)

Appalshop, the 55-year-old media arts nonprofit based in the coalfields of Southeastern Kentucky, was among 19 recipients of National Humanities Medals at a White House ceremony Monday.

Recipients included Robin Wall Kimmerer, scientist and author; Jon Meacham, historian and author; Aaron Sorkin, playwright, screenwriter and director; Lavar Burton, actor and literacy advocate. Chef and author Anthony Bourdain was honored posthumously.

The National Humanities Medal honors an individual or organization whose work has deepened the nation’s understanding of the human experience, broadened citizens’ engagement with history or literature, or helped preserve and expand Americans’ access to cultural resources, according to a news release from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Applashop said in a release that since 1969 it has “helped Appalachians tell their own stories through such media as documentary film, radio, music, theater, and more.”

Appalshop Executive Director Tiffany Sturdivant was accompanied to the ceremony by past Executive Director Alexander Gibson and long-time staff member Tommy Anderson. Sturdivant says, “It was important to me, as the new executive director, to spotlight and celebrate the hard work and dedication that made this medal possible. I am honored to bring Alex and Tommy to take part in this important moment in Appalshop history.”

Julia Turner of Bowling Green waves to drivers while holding a sign for a local candidate in Bowling Green on primary Election Day, May 21, 2024. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Austin Anthony)

Kentuckians have until 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7, to register to vote in this year’s election.

Registering can be completed online, via mail or by returning voter registration cards to your county clerk’s office.

The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Excused in-person voting is Oct. 23-25 and Oct. 28-30. No excuse in-person voting is Oct. 31-Nov. 2.

Kentucky’s online absentee ballot request portal is open through Tuesday, Oct. 22.

According to the State Board of Elections, the qualifications for voters to register in in Kentucky are:

• Be a U.S. citizen and a Kentucky resident for at least 28 days before the election. Non-U.S. citizens and U.S. nationals do not qualify.
• Be at least 18 years old by the general election.
• Cannot be a convicted felon. For some with an expungement, executive pardon or executive order, the right to vote may be restored.
• Cannot have been judged mentally incompetent in a court of law or have voting rights removed.
• Cannot claim the right to vote outside Kentucky.

To complete a new or updated voter registration, request an absentee ballot or learn more information about voting in Kentucky, visit govote.ky.gov.

Voters in the Bluegrass State will consider a ballot that includes the presidential race between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, congressional races, a number of legislative races, two constitutional amendments and more. Some regional and local elections include a Supreme Court race in Central Kentucky and a Court of Appeals race in Western Kentucky.

Douglas Brinkley

Author and presidential historian Douglas Brinkley will talk about the 2024 election at the University of Kentucky in Lexington on Oct. 8.

The lecture, which begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Singletary Center for the Arts, is free to the public.

After his presentation Brinkley will participate in a panel discussion led by Kentucky journalist Al Cross and including UK political science professor Stephen Voss and associate public policy professor Annelise Russell.

The event marks the 10th anniversary of the Wendell H. Ford Public Policy Lecture held in honor of the late Kentucky governor and U.S. senator from Owensboro. Ford lectured at UK’s Martin School of Public Policy and Administration after retiring from the Senate in 1999.

The Martin School hosts the lecture, which is co-sponsored by UK Libraries and the College of Communication and Information.

Brinkley, an expert on U.S. presidents and American history, is the Katherine Tsanoff Brown Chair in Humanities and professor of history at Rice University. His appearance at UK will come exactly four weeks before the Nov. 5 election.

“Douglas Brinkley is one of the foremost historians and political observers of our time,” said Ron Zimmer, director of UK’s Martin School. “We are looking forward with great anticipation to hearing his perspective on the upcoming presidential election.”

Bestselling Canadian novelist and essayist Emily St. John Mandel will discuss her work — including “Station Eleven,” a 2014 novel about a global pandemic’s aftermath —? at 6 p.m. on Oct. 17 at Transylvania University in Lexington.

The event is part of this year’s Bale Boone Symposium organized by the Gaines Center for the Humanities at the University of Kentucky.

Mandel will participate in a moderated conversation with Gaines Center director Michelle Sizemore, who says Mandel’s “work could not be more relevant for our time.”?

In “Station Eleven,” which has been translated in 33 languages and was adapted into an HBO miniseries, “a global pandemic ravages the human population and survivors search for meaning and purpose after civilization’s collapse. The story follows the remarkable journey of the Traveling Symphony, a Shakespeare troupe dedicated to making and sharing art amid the devastation.

“The group’s mantra, ?Survival is Insufficient,’ reinforces not only the basic needs of food, shelter, clean air and water, and health care for our lives, but simultaneously, the necessity of the arts and humanities for our existence,” said Sizemore.

Former President Barack Obama named “The Glass Hotel” one of his favorites books of 2020. In it the Canadian novelist “weaves several narratives together as it tells a story of financial corruption, greed and a massive Ponzi scheme,” according to CBC Books. Some of the plot unfolds in Mandel’s native Vancouver.

Like all Gaines Center events, Mandel’s appearance will be open to the public, but registration is required at “An Evening with Emily St. John Mandel.”?

A book signing will follow the discussion.

Shawn "Mickey" Stines has resigned as Letcher County sheriff and faces a murder charge. (Leslie County Detention Center)

The Eastern Kentucky sheriff charged with murdering a judge entered a not guilty plea Wednesday and was put on notice by Gov. Andy Beshear that if he does not resign by Friday the governor will act to remove him.?

Letcher County Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stines, 43, appeared remotely for his first appearance since District Judge Kevin Mullins, 54, was gunned down Sept. 19 at? the Letcher County Courthouse. Stines surrendered to authorities at the courthouse and was charged with first degree murder.

Stines told Special Judge Rupert Wilhoit III he does not have a lawyer but was accompanied by attorney Josh Miller, director of the state Department of Public Advocacy’s capital trial branch.

Beshear’s office on Wednesday released a letter to Stines from its general counsel, C. Travis Mayo, sent in care of the Leslie County jailer. The letter asks Stines to tender his resignation by the end of Friday, and says that if he does not, Beshear will “move forward with removal” under a Kentucky law.

Stines is jailed at the Leslie County Detention Center.

Naloxone for reversing opioid overdoses is available to the public at the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department on Newtown Pike. (Lexington-Fayette County Health Department)

The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department has issued an overdose alert for Lexington.

The health department reports a spike in suspected nonfatal drug overdoses with 24 reported in four days, Sept 17-20, according to information from the Overdose Detection Mapping Application System (ODMAP).

“This is an important time to carry naloxone, used to reverse opioid overdoses, especially if you or someone you know has substance use disorder,” said the department’s communications officer Kevin Hall in a news release Friday. “Fentanyl has been found in all types of regulated drugs, so naloxone may help regardless of the drug taken.”

The department’s Harm Reduction Program provides naloxone to anyone who needs it. Naloxone kits are available 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays, 3-6:30 p.m. Wednesdays and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursdays in the Dr. Rice C. Leach Community Room at the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department, 650 Newtown Pike. People picking up the free naloxone also receive a 10-15-minute class in how to use it.?

The department recommends:

• Don’t use drugs alone
• If you or someone you know needs help with substance use disorder, visit https://findhelpnowky.org/ky to search for available treatment options (or call 1-833-859-4357 during business hours or 1-800-854-6813 after business hours)
• Check in on friends, family members, neighbors and others to share this information
• Call 911 if you suspect an overdose.

Portion of a flyer issued by law enforcement on Sept. 8, the day after the shootings. (Source: FBI)

Kentucky officials on Tuesday announced a shift in the search for the suspect in the Sept. 7 shootings on Interstate 75 to focus on increasing police presence and patrols in nearby communities.

Gov. Andy Behsear said that on the manhunt’s 11th day there remains only a low probability of finding Joseph Couch, 32, in the Daniel Boone National Forest. Monitoring of the forest will continue by aircraft and surveillance cameras placed in the 28,000 acres that have been searched, officials said.

Beshear said the main goal now is to reassure people they’re safe and can go about their lives.

“It’s a reallocation not a reduction,” Beshear said during a noon briefing by state, federal and local law enforcement in London.

Couch, who left behind a car and an AR-15 rifle, is believed to have fled into the forest. Schools in southern Kentucky canceled classes and football games in response. Laurel County schools reopened Tuesday for the first time since the shootings.

Couch is charged with attempted murder and assault for allegedly shooting at cars from a ledge overlooking I-75. Five people were wounded; all have been released from hospitals.?

FBI Special Agent Quincy Barnett said the fugitive search will continue from the bureau’s London office.

Beshear advised against using the area of the national forest under surveillance for recreation, saying images picked up by surveillance cameras could prompt a law enforcement response.

Saturday's Kentucky Wild event will include a presentation on Kentucky's freshwater mussels, like this one in the Licking River, its whitened end worn by erosion. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Liam Niemeyer).

Bats, butterflies and a native plant sale will be featured at a celebration of Kentucky Wild’s sixth birthday Saturday, Sept. 21, in Georgetown.

A news release from the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources says the public is invited to the event which is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern) at Country Boy Brewing’s taproom at 101 Innovation Way in Georgetown.

The program will? feature:

• Demonstrations on how to support wildlife in your own yard, 10 a.m.
• “Bat Chat” program, 12 p.m.
• Monarch butterflies presentation, 1 p.m.
• Freshwater mussel filtration program, 2 p.m.
• Native plant sale, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. (while supplies last)

Attendees ages 21 and older can try a special Kentucky Wild Honey Ale and receive a commemorative pint glass. Kentucky Wild staff will also sell new merchandise, including t-shirts, hats, beanies and stickers, and various Kentucky Wild partners and conservation organizations will have tables at the event.

Kentucky Wild is a membership-based program dedicated to conserving Kentucky’s native wildlife that are not hunted, fished or trapped. Membership fees support conservation efforts for vulnerable and declining species such as songbirds, raptors, freshwater mussels, pollinators, bats and amphibians. To learn more about Kentucky Wild, visit fw.ky.gov.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and his vice presidential prospects had been the center of speculation in his home state for weeks. (Kentucky Lantern photo by McKenna Horsley)

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear in a social media post Tuesday morning said it was an honor to have been considered as a possible vice presidential nominee and pledged his support to the Harris-Walz ticket.

Vice President Kamala Harris’ choice of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate ended speculation about Beshear’s chances of getting the nod and kicked off speculation about whether he would have a place in a Harris administration.

Beshear called Walz “a great friend and a great choice. I fully support this new ticket and will work to elect Kamala Harris as our next President of the United States,” he said on X.

Andy Westberry, a spokesperson for the Republican Party of Kentucky, called the news unsurprising. “With the Kentucky Democrats’ echo chamber in the local press and social media coming to an end, it’s no surprise Kamala Harris took a pass on Andy,” Westberry said in a statement. “His years of controversy and lack of policy wins made choosing him a liability.”??

Wesberry called the vice president’s pick of Walz “a liability to our nation’s economy.”?

Kentucky Democratic Party Chair Colmon Elridge applauded Harris’ choice and Walz’s “years of service in public school classrooms and as a congressman and governor. He said Walz is “a devoted champion for working families, and has protected access to affordable health care, cut child poverty, protected reproductive rights, guaranteed meals for kids in public schools, and more.”?

Beshear, a two-term Democratic governor was mentioned in media reports as recently as the weekend as a longshot possibility for the vice presidential nod. Harris met Sunday with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona and Walz. Also mentioned as vice presidential prospects were Transportation Secretary Pete Buttegieg and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, who took his name out of contention.?

Beshear, who has repeatedly said he wants to serve until the end of his term in 2027, last month said “the only way I would consider something other than this current job is if I believed I could further help my people and to help this country.”

Citizen Foster Care Review Boards?are hosting virtual town halls around Kentucky this month. (Getty Images)

The public is invited to virtual town hall meetings this month to discuss how to improve outcomes for Kentucky families and children in the foster care system. The meetings are hosted by Citizen Foster Care Review Boards.

The first regional meeting was Aug. 1. Others will be held Aug, 6, 13 and 16. Registration is required.

Findings from the meetings will be reported to the Kentucky Citizen Foster Care Review Board and will be included in its annual recommendations to the Supreme Court, governor and legislature, according to a news release from the Administrative Office of the Courts, which administers the program.

The Citizen Foster Care Review Boards, created in 1982, also are seeking members. Get more information and apply at bit.ly/CFCRBvolunteer.

Regional meetings are among the reforms called for in House Bill 1, the adoption and foster care legislation enacted in 2018 to improve outcomes for children in out-of-home care.

Here is the meeting schedule:
Aug. 6
11 a.m.-noon CT/noon- 1 p.m. ET
Registration required at https://kcoj.info/Aug6CFCRB.
For residents in these counties: Adair, Bath, Bell, Boyd, Breathitt, Carter, Casey, Clay, Clinton, Cumberland, Elliott, Floyd, Green, Greenup, Harlan, Jackson, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Leslie, Letcher, Lewis, Magoffin, Marion, Martin, McCreary, Menifee, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Perry, Pike, Powell, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Rowan, Russell, Taylor, Washington, Wayne, Whitley and Wolfe

Aug. 13
11 a.m.-noon CT/noon – 1 p.m. ET
Registration required at https://kcoj.info/Aug13CFCRB.
For residents in these counties: Bullitt, Fayette and Jefferson

Aug. 16
11 a.m. -noon CT/noon -1 p.m. ET
Registration required at https://kcoj.info/Aug16CFCRB.
For residents in these counties: Anderson, Boone, Bourbon, Boyle, Bracken, Campbell, Carroll, Clark, Estill, Fleming, Franklin, Gallatin, Garrard, Grant, Harrison, Henry, Jessamine, Kenton, Lee, Lincoln, Madison, Mason, Mercer, Nicholas, Oldham, Owen, Owsley, Pendleton, Robertson, Scott, Shelby, Spencer, Trimble and Woodford

Rep. Daniel Grossberg, D-Louisville. (LRC Public Information)

Democrats in the Kentucky House have temporarily suspended Rep. Daniel Grossberg of Louisville from their caucus and asked the Legislative Ethics Commission to investigate allegations that he sent inappropriate text messages to women.

Grossberg’s attorney, Anna Whites, said Wednesday afternoon that Grossberg “appreciates the hard work the Legislative Ethics Commission does, looks forward to answering any questions and looks forward to a favorable result.”

The Lexington Herald-Leader reported Tuesday that the Legislative Research Commission (LRC) is investigating Grossberg, who is serving his first term in the legislature.

The Herald-Leader reported that three women had independently confirmed that they had been contacted by LRC investigators and asked about text messages sent by Grossberg. The newspaper did not identify the women but said they work for nonprofit organizations and routinely interact with lawmakers. They shared messages with the newspaper from Grossberg which they described as “weird” or “creepy;” they said the messages from Grossberg often came late at night and included compliments about their physical appearance. A fourth source also confirmed an LRC investigation, the Herald-Leader reported.

Grossberg in a statement from his lawyer Tuesday evening told the Herald-Leader that he had done nothing wrong, saying, “I steadfastly deny any impropriety.”

On Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the House Democratic Caucus released this statement: “This morning, Kentucky House Democratic Caucus members voted to temporarily suspend state Representative Daniel Grossberg from the caucus and to request a formal investigation by the Legislative Ethics Commission.? We believe this is the appropriate organization to review the issues that have been raised.? Given the sensitive nature of these allegations, we have no further comment at this time. – Kentucky House Democratic Caucus Leaders Derrick Graham, Cherlynn Stevenson and Rachel Roberts.”

Also Wednesday, Kentucky Democratic Party chair Colmon Elridge released this statement: “The series of allegations made against Representative Daniel Grossberg are unsettling. KDP has zero tolerance for sexual harassment and any form of sexual misconduct. Every individual should be held accountable for their own actions — particularly those who represent Kentuckians in the halls of our Capitol.”

Randall Weddle, then a candidate for London mayor, listens as Gov. Andy Beshear helps celebrate the opening of WB Transport's new warehouse in April 2022. (Screenshot with permission of WYMT)

The Society of Professional Journalists has recognized Tom Loftus with a Green Eyeshade Award for his investigative reporting in the Kentucky Lantern.

The Green Eyeshades, begun in 1950 and the oldest regional journalism competition, recognize outstanding work by journalists in 11 southeastern states in print, television, radio and digital.

Loftus was awarded second place in Investigative Reporting/Online for the entry “Following the political money,” which included Loftus’ revelation that hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions to Gov. Andy Beshear’s campaign were linked to London Mayor Randall Weddle. Two months after Loftus broke the story, Beshear’s campaign refunded $202,000 that had been placed on Weddle’s credit card. The Kentucky Registry of Election Finance opened a civil investigation after last year’s election into the donations.

Loftus also reported about large corporate donations to the Republican Party of Kentucky Building Fund, including $1 million from pharmaceutical giant Pfizer. The Kentucky legislature in 2017 allowed political parties to establish building funds that can accept unlimited contributions, including from corporations.

Loftus has been a freelance reporter and writer for the Kentucky Lantern since its launch on Nov. 30, 2022. His long career in Kentucky journalism includes four years as Frankfort bureau chief for The Kentucky Post and 32 years as Frankfort bureau chief for The Courier Journal.?

The nonprofit Lantern is part of the nationwide States Newsroom network, supported by donations from foundations and individuals.

A wild turkey hen and her brood. (Photo by Pat Howard courtesy of Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources)

State fish and wildlife agencies are conducting scientific research to shed more light on the status of turkey populations — and need the public’s help, according to a news release from the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.

The department is encouraging anyone who observes wild turkeys in Kentucky during July or August to enter some basic information about their sightings into an online survey portal. Data collected through this survey help the department to better understand turkey population trends over time.

To report sightings, visit fw.ky.gov and enter the key words “turkey survey” in the search bar to access the summer turkey online survey portal. A printable form of the survey may also be downloaded, printed and filled out, then scanned or photographed with a smartphone and emailed to [email protected].

Turkey observation data gained through public participation are used in conjunction with research findings, making this citizen-science data set vital for long-term conservation, says KDFWR.

“The turkey population is studied by department staff and graduate student researchers, but they can only cover a limited area of the state,” said Zak Danks, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Wild Turkey Program coordinator. “Keen-eyed volunteers who report turkey sightings through this survey really expand our ability to monitor the flock.”

The turkey program compiles data from these observations from interested citizens and staff into a statewide index of hatch and survival of young turkeys, or “poults.” This index helps department biologists assess reproductive success, which is important to the sustainability of the wild turkey population.

While Kentucky turkey hunters have reported near-record statewide harvests each of the past two spring hunting seasons, hunters across the southeastern U.S. have reported seeing fewer turkeys in recent years.

“A lot has changed across the Commonwealth since this survey began in 1984, back when turkeys were being released to restore a statewide population,” Danks said. “Today, turkey flocks face many pressures, including predation and disease. Whether we’re talking turkeys or Kentucky’s other native species, having an engaged citizenry to help monitor wildlife will be key to helping us adapt into the future.”

Gov. Andy Beshear and First Lady Britainy Beshear, photographed at his inauguration in December 2023, will travel to Japan and Korea with other members of the administration next week. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Arden Barnes)

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear will travel next week to Japan and Korea on what his office describes as “an economic development trip to bring new jobs to the state.”

Also on the trip will be ?First Lady Britainy Beshear, Cabinet for Economic Development Secretary Jeff Noel, Transportation Cabinet Secretary Jim Gray and other members of the executive branch. They will be meeting with “companies and trade organizations to determine future investment and job-creation opportunities in the state,” according to a news release from the governor’s office.

The news release says Kentucky has nearly 540 internationally owned operations that employ more than 117,000 people statewide; Kentucky is home to 200 Japanese-owned facilities that employ 47,000 people and seven Korean-owned facilities that employ 1,200 people.

Beshear and Gray will also meet with the National Police Agency of the Republic of Korea to sign a Driver’s License Reciprocity Agreement, allowing employees relocating to the United States for an extended period to have effective transportation to jobs.

“There is no better place to do business in the United States than right here in Kentucky, and this visit will allow us to share that message directly with business leaders in Japan and Korea,” says Beshear in the release. “We look forward to meeting with existing employers and developing new relationships that will bring good jobs to the commonwealth.”

Doris Y. Wilkinson (Photo provided by University of Kentucky)

Doris Y. Wilkinson, a University of Kentucky sociologist and part of its first class of Black undergraduates, died June 23. She was 88.?

Wilkinson entered UK in 1954, the year a U.S. Supreme Court decision outlawed racial segregation in public education and the first year that Kentucky’s flagship public university accepted Black undergraduates.

She had graduated from Lexington’s segregated Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, where, according to her obituary, she was valedictorian and homecoming queen.

Wilknson went on to earn master’s and doctoral degrees from Case Western Reserve University and in 1985 a master’s in public health from Johns Hopkins University. She taught at Kent State University in Ohio before returning to UK in 1969, where she became the first Black woman to secure a full-time faculty position, joining the Department of Sociology.

She was director of the Project on African American Heritage in the UK sociology department, the winner of many honors and author of numerous articles and eight books, according to the Notable Kentucky African Americans Database. She was a Ford Foundation Fellow at Harvard University in 1989-90.

In honor of UK’s 70 years of integration, in 2019, Wilkinson was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters — “a testament to her lifelong commitment to academia and social justice,” says a UK release.

UK President Eli Capilouto described Wilkinson as “powerful, influential and, at times, larger than life.”

“It is with deep sadness that I learn of her passing, but I am comforted in knowing that her legacy continues to run deep across the foundation of our community. Throughout her life, she faced adversity with the kind of fierce determination and unwavering grace that pushed open doors and ensured they never closed,” Capilouto said. “We are grateful to be beneficiaries of her goodness and intellect, her perseverance and drive, her passion for education and devotion to progress. We are proud to count her as an indelible part of the UK family.”

Doris Yvonne Wilkinson was born ?June 13, 1936 in Lexington to Howard T. and Regina L. Wilkinson. She was preceded in death by her sister, Carolyn Wilkinson-Baker, and is survived by many first cousins. She was a member of East Second Street Christian Church and attended Historic Pleasant Green Missionary Baptist Church.

Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 29, at Milward Funeral Home, 391 Southland Drive in Lexington. Visitation will be prior to the service from? 11 a.m. to 1 p.m Internment will be at Cove Haven Cemetery, 984 Whitney Avenue, Lexington.?

Royal Theater, 1801 - 1815 West Broadway in Louisville. (OneWest)

Revitalizing the historic Royal Theater in Louisville’s West End will be the focus of a community discussion Tuesday afternoon.

OneWest, a community development nonprofit, will host the event in collaboration with Luckett & Farley Architects.

“Opened in the 1920s, the theater quickly became a cultural landmark, known for showcasing the latest films and hosting community events,” according to a news release. “Its elegant design and vibrant atmosphere made it a central hub for entertainment and social gatherings in the West End. However, over the decades, the theater has fallen into disrepair, and OneWest aims to revitalize this landmark and collaborate with community members to shape a next chapter,” says the release.

The discussion on June 25 will be structured to accommodate different groups:

1 p.m., city officials;

2 p.m., community groups and schools;

3 p.m., business Leaders;

4:15 p.m., community residents.

The event will be held at 1803 W. Broadway, with parking available on the side and back of the building.

Attendees are strongly encouraged to RSVP using the following link: RSVP for The Royal Project Discussion.

Rep. Andy Barr of Kentucky, right congratulated Rep. Mike Johnson, on his election as speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Oct. 25, 2023 in Washington, D.C. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Republicans in Kentucky’s congressional delegation have denounced the guilty verdicts against former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, while the lone Democrat said the New York jury has shown that in this country “no one’s above the law.”

The Republican Party of Kentucky (RPK) posted a statement Thursday night blaming the Biden administration for Trump’s prosecution and conviction and saying that the “overwhelming majority of Kentuckians firmly stand with President Trump.”

The RPK accused the Biden administration of strategically placing the case in “one of the most liberal legal venues in the country,” even though Trump was indicted by a grand jury in Manhattan and the case against him was prosecuted by Alvin Bragg, Manhattan’s elected district attorney.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell

Shortly before 9 p.m. Thursday, McConnell’s account on X posted: “These charges never should have been brought in the first place. I expect the conviction to be overturned on appeal.”

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul on X

“How long can our Republic survive once partisans have taken over the judicial process? This verdict will tragically undermine Americans’ confidence in impartial justice. A sad day for America…”

U.S. Rep. James Comer, R-1st District

“Today is a sad day for all Americans. This verdict in New York is another example of Democrats being relentless in their pursuit to weaponize the courts, abuse America’s judicial system, and target President Joe Biden’s political opposition. One thing is clear: Democrats are afraid to face Donald Trump. Americans will make their voices heard this November.”

U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-2nd District

“This was a baseless trial brought by a partisan hack prosecutor solely to stop President Trump from regaining the White House. This kangaroo court is an insult to the American justice system and to the very foundation of our constitutional democracy. This is an outlandish abuse of our criminal justice system.”

U.S. Rep. Morgan McGarvey, D-3rd District

“A New York jury has spoken: Donald Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a felony (34 to be exact). In America, no one’s above the law. Donald Trump is now a convicted felon. He is also the presumptive Republican nominee for president and he is unfit to serve in any public office, especially President of the United States.”

U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-4th District

“Guilty on 34 counts, but no underlying crime. Partisan hacks serving as judges, investigators, and prosecutors have turned our legal system into a farce at both the state and federal level.”

U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers, R-5th District, on X

“Trump’s trial was an outrage & deeply unfair. It’s a political travesty & will be reversed on appeal. It is a weaponization of the courts for political gain. Biden forces claim victory, but it will backfire & elect Trump. They claim they won this battle, but we will win the war.”

Rep. Andy Barr, R-6th District

“A corrupt New York district attorney pursued this conviction through a sham trial of President Trump, marked by outrageous and unconstitutional tactics. It won’t stop me and millions of Americans from acquitting the President of these politically motivated charges and sending him back to the White House in November.
“After four years of record high inflation, open borders, and foreign policy disasters, Joe Biden has another five months before he will be sentenced to permanent retirement by the American people.”

The campus of the University of Kentucky, where trustees are set to give final consideration to controversial internal governance changes on Friday. (Photo by Mark Cornelison | UK Photo)

The University of Kentucky on Thursday will conduct a “full-scale active aggressor crisis exercise” from 8 a.m. until the afternoon.?

“If you see large numbers of emergency response teams on campus, including police, fire and EMS, do not be alarmed,” says a UK release, “this is only a drill.”

The training provides an opportunity for first responders to run drills they cannot run while classes are in session at the Lexington campus, says the release. The UK Police Department will be working with personnel from UK HealthCare, UK Public Relations and the UK Emergency Operations Center to practice coordinating a response with internal and external stakeholders in the event of an active aggressor situation. Local and state law enforcement will participate as well.

This drill is taking place in partnership with Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service, which specializes in emergency management and preparedness training.

Kentuckians will be voting this fall on two constitutional amendments. This is the view approaching the Sugar Maple Square polling site in Bowling Green, May 21, 2024. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Austin Anthony)

Kentucky voters provided no surprises or upsets in primaries for national office.

Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden carried the top of the ticket, although Republican support for Trump was stronger than Democratic support for Biden.

Democrats nominated Hank Linderman in the 2nd Congressional District to take on Republican U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie. In the 6th Congressional District, Democrats chose Randy Cravens to challenge Republican U.S. ?Rep. Andy Barr. Republican Mike Craven will challenge Kentucky’s only Democrat in Congress, Rep. Morgan McGarvey, who easily won his party’s nomination in the 3rd Congressional District.

Republican U.S. Reps. Hal Rogers in the 5th Congressional District and Thomas Massie in the 4th Congressional District easily won their primaries.

These are unofficial but final vote totals from Kentucky’s Tuesday primary election.

U.S. president

Republican

Donald J. Trump – 214,932, 85%

Nikki R. Haley – 16,227, 16%

Uncommitted – 8,979, 8%

Ron DeSantis – 7,798, 3%

Chris Christie – 2,458, 1%

Vivek Ramaswamy – 1,640, 1%

Ryan L. Binkley – 900, ~0%

Democratic

Joseph R. Biden Jr. – 131,439, 71%

Uncommitted – 32,905, 18%

Marianne Williamson – 11,188, 6%

Dean Phillips – 8,741, 5%

U.S. Congress

1st District

Republican

James R. Comer - Uncontested

Democratic

Erin Johnson - Uncontested

2nd District

Republican

Brett Guthrie - Uncontested

Democratic

Hank Linderman - 12,508, 57%

William Dakota Compton - 9,303, 43%

3rd District

Republican

Mike Craven - 15,397, 75%

Danny Ormerod - 5,074, 25%

Democratic

Morgan McGarvey - 44,275, 84%

Geoffrey M. “Geoff” Young - 5,874, 11%

Jared Randall - 2,491, 5%

4th District

Republican

Thomas Massie - 39,929, 76%

Michael McGinnis - 6,604, 13%

Eric Deters - 6,060, 12%

5th District

Republican

Hal Rogers - 39,423, 82%

Dana Edwards - 5,112, 11%

Brandon Monhollon - 2,673, 6%

David E. Kraftchak Jr. - 997, 2%

6th District

Republican

Andy Barr - Uncontested

Democratic

Randy Cravens - 9,305, 26%

Todd Kelly - 9,104, 25%

Shauna Rudd - 8,627, 24%

Jonathan Richardson - 4,433, 12%

Don B. Pratt - 4,335, 12%

Voter enters Ashland Elementary School polling place in Lexington Tuesday morning. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Jamie Lucke)

Polls will be open until ?6 p.m. as Kentuckians vote in primaries for president, Congress, the Kentucky General Assembly and many local offices.

Any voter who is in line by 6 p.m. will be allowed to cast a ballot.?

Kentucky does not have same-day registration. But if you registered to vote 29 days before the election and your name is not on the precinct roster, you may request a provisional ballot.

Proof of identification is required to vote in Kentucky. Accepted forms are a drivers license, college ID, military ID or another ID issued by the state or a county or city that has the voter’s name and photograph. Voters lacking ID can cast a provisional ballot. More details about voters’ rights can be found on the State Board of Elections website.

Mail-in absentee ballots must be received by the local county clerk before 6 p.m. on Election Day.?

Voters may report suspected election law violations and voting irregularities to the Attorney General’s Office via its Election Fraud Hotline. The hotline will be staffed on Tuesday from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The number is 1-800-328-VOTE, or 1-800-328-8683. Suspected violations of election law also can be reported to the AG here The number of complaints logged by the hotline will be posted on the office’s website.?

For details about your local polling place, including an address, visit the State Board of Elections website and select your county. More information can be found at govote.ky.gov.?

To view a sample ballot, visit the secretary of state’s website.

Live election results will be available online from the State Board of Elections.?

Some hotly debated bills in the 2024 session flamed out but can be expected to rise from the ashes to return in some form. (Getty Images)

FRANKFORT — Kentucky lawmakers filed more than 1,200 bills this session — the most in more than 20 years? — and passed about 215 of them before adjourning Monday, according to a news release from the Legislative Research Commission.?

That’s a lot of legislating to keep up with. So we put together a scorecard of what made it into law and what didn’t

A couple of high-profile bills — a rewrite of the open records law and restrictions on diversity, equity and inclusion in higher ed — fizzled out in the Senate. But they’ll likely be back in some form, said top lawmakers. In the months ahead, during the interim between regular sessions, representatives and senators will be meeting in committees to plan for the 2025 session.?

Meanwhile, some hotly debated bills never made it to the finish line, including loosening child labor laws, restrictions on SNAP eligibility, moving fish and wildlife to agriculture and what was described as “this year’s anti-drag bill.”

Other legislation never made it out of the starting gate, including anything having to do with abortion.

Come November, Kentucky voters will decide on only two constitutional amendments, although lawmakers could have put four on the ballot. Perhaps mindful of recent amendments’ defeats, lawmakers demurred from advancing one that would have allowed them to call themselves into special session.

Here’s a look at some of what passed and some of what didn’t:

Bills that made into law

HB 5 (Rep. Jared Bauman) Tough-on-crime bill including “street camping” ban. Became law after veto override.

SB 349 (Sen. Robby Mills) Makes it harder to retire coal-fired power plants. Became law after veto override.

SB 2 (Sen. Max Wise) School districts can employ armed “guardians” for vacant law enforcement positions. Became law without the governor’s signature.

SB 299 (Sen. Damon Thayer) A new government corporation will oversee horse racing and charitable gaming. Became law without the governor’s signature.

HB 10 (Rep. Kim Moser) “Momnibus” (passed within SB 74) directs Kentucky to take steps to improve maternal health. Signed by governor.?

HB 11 (Rep. Rebecca Raymer) Limits what kind of vaping products can be sold in Kentucky. Signed by governor.?

SB 16 (Sen. John Schickel) Criminalizes filming or photographing food processing or confined animal feeding operations. Became law over governor’s veto.

HB 18 (Rep. Ryan Dotson) Bans local source-of-income discrimination ordinances. Became law after veto override.?

SB 167 (Sen. Lindsey Tichenor) Makes cursive writing a course of study in elementary schools. Signed by governor.?

HB 8 (Rep. Jason Petrie)? Eases way for legislature to cut income tax rate in the future, exempts currency and bullion from sales tax.?

HB 136 (Rep. Jared Bauman) Limits the power of Louisville’s air pollution control district. Became law after veto override.

SB 151 (Sen. Julie Raque Adams) Helps kinship caregivers qualify for foster care payments.

SB 1 (Sen. Robert Stivers) Creates endowment for collaborative research by public universities.?

HB 258 (Rep. Susan Witten) Ethan’s law makes torture of a dog or cat a felony on first offense.?

SB 198? (Sen. Danny Carroll) New research authority dedicated to advancing nuclear energy

Died along the way

HB 509 (Rep. John Hodgson) Limit access to public records created on private electronic devices. Died in Senate.

SB 6 (Sen. Mike Wilson) Limit diversity, equity and inclusion in public higher education. Died in Senate after House amendments.

HB 255 (Rep. Phillip Pratt) Loosen child labor laws for older teens. Died in Senate.

HB? 500 (Rep. Phillip Pratt) Employers no longer required to give workers lunch, rest breaks. Died in House.

SB 147 (Sen. Lindsey Tichenor) restricts “sexually explicit” performances. Died in House.

HB 626 (Sen. John Blanton) Making interrupting legislative proceedings a crime. Died in Senate.?

SB 34 (Sen. Whitney Westerfield) $551 million worth of? support and assistance for mothers, children. Died in Senate.?

SB 142 (Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe) Four weeks paid parental leave for state employees. Died in House.

SB 97 (Sen. Cassie Chambers Armstrong) Exempt diapers from the sales tax. Died in Senate.

HB 367 (Rep. Wade Williams) Paved way for work requirements for ?Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as SNAP. Died in Senate.?

SB 203 (Sen. Danny Carroll) $300 million for child care and early childhood education. Died in Senate

SB 242 (Sen. Danny Carroll) Establish a mental health facility for juveniles in detention. Died in House.

HB 199 (Rep. Jason Nemes) Pave the way to opening freestanding birth centers by removing the certificate of need requirement. Died in Senate.

SB 8 (Sen. Mike Wilson) Choose Kentucky Board of Education through partisan elections. Died in House.

SB 3 (Sen. Jason Howell) Fish and Wildlife Commission would be appointed by state agriculture commissioner. Died in House.

SB 4 (Sen. Jimmy Higdon) Changes how teachers are paid for sick days upon retirement. Died in House.?

HB 141 (Rep. Mark Hart) End water fluoridation requirement

HB 85 (Rep. Bill Wesley) Reduce required mine emergency technicians (METs) in underground coal mines. (Died in Senate)

SB 230 (Sen. Whitney Westerfield) Protects workers who have natural hairstyles associated with race. Died in Senate.

HB 467 (Rep. Nancy Tate) ‘Alternatives to abortion’ perinatal palliative care mandate.

HB 346 (Rep. Nancy Tate) Baby Olivia Act requires schools to show computer-generated video about pregnancy. (Died in House)

HB 228 (Rep. James Tipton) Higher ed faculty must be reviewed every four years for “performance and productivity.” (Died in House)

Certificate of need: None of the bills reforming certificate of need laws passed the full legislature.?

Abortion: None of the bills filed to loosen the state’s strict abortion ban advanced.?

In vitro fertilization: None bills to specifically protect access to IVF passed.?

Constitutional amendments

On the ballot in November:

SB 143 (Sen. Jason Howell) Prohibit people who are not United States citizens from voting in elections held in Kentucky.?

HB 2 (Rep. Suzanne Miles) Gives General Assembly authority to give public dollars to non public schools. On ballot in November.?

Didn’t make the cut

HB 4 (Rep. David Osborne) Legislature can call itself into special session. Died in House.

SB 10 (Sen. Chris McDaniel) Elect governor and other constitutional officers in presidential election years. Died in House.?

SB 126 (Sen. Chris McDaniel) Limit governors’ pardon power around elections. Died in House.

A poster, handprinted by Just a Jar Design Press in Marietta, Ohio, will be available for sale. (Appalshop)

Appalshop has announced the lineup for Seedtime on the Cumberland June 1 in Whitesburg.

The free annual festival will feature live music, jam sessions, food and art, including a quilt exhibit hosted by the Southeast Kentucky African American Museum and Cultural Center.

Performers for the 2024 festival include Sunrise Ridge, John Haywood, Jay Skaggs, Randy Wilson, The Heavenly Voices (from Williams Chapel AME Zion Church in Big Stone Gap, Virginia), Mike Ellison, Coaltown Dixie, Matthew Sidney Parsons featuring Logan Cooper, and Sarah Kate Morgan.

The punk show will feature the Laurel Hells Ramblers, Appalachiatari, Kareem Ledell, geonovah, Dungeon, LIPS, Hedonista and Killii Killii.

The main event will be held from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. June 1 at Appalshop’s Solar Pavilion at 91 Madison Avenue in downtown Whitesburg. The? punk show will begin at 7 p.m. at the Whitesburg Skate Park, 122 Arizona Avenue.

Founded in 1969, Appalshop is an arts, media and education nonprofit based in Whitesburg that seeks to document and revitalize the traditions and creativity of? Appalachia. A news release says Seedtime on the Cumberland “furthers Appalshop’s mission by celebrating Appalachian culture, music, and stories that commercial media won’t share; challenging stereotypes; supporting grassroots efforts to achieve justice and equity; and celebrating cultural diversity.”?

For more information, call (606) 633-0108, visit appalshop.org/seedtime, or email [email protected].

(McKenna Horsley)

Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman has called on Blair to resign. (Getty Images)

A Kentucky prosecutor, who allegedly helped criminal defendants in exchange for sexual favors and methamphetamine, is facing federal wire fraud charges.

Perry County commonwealth’s attorney Scott Blair, 51, of Hazard, was charged with committing honest services wire fraud in a federal criminal complaint Friday, according to a release from the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky.

Federal law defines honest services wire fraud as a scheme or artifice to deprive another of the intangible right of honest services.”

The complaint, according to the release, alleges that from April 2020 to March 2024 Blair used his position of public trust and authority to assist various individuals who were facing criminal charges in Perry County. The complaint further alleges there are numerous instances in which Blair requested something of value, including sexual favors and methamphetamine, from multiple individuals, in exchange for taking actions in his official capacity to help those individuals.

The release says the charges were jointly announced by Carlton S. Shier IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael E. Stansbury, special agent in charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman, and Col. Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., commissioner of the Kentucky State Police.

The investigation preceding the complaint was conducted by the FBI, Kentucky Attorney General’s Office and KSP, says the release. .

Blair’s initial appearance is cheduled for Monday at 2:45 p.m.

Coleman, the Kentucky attorney general, issued a statement Friday calling on Blair to resign.?

Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman has called on Blair to resign. (Getty Images)

More Kentucky juveniles would be tried as adults under a bill that has now been approved by both chambers of the legislature.?

‘Victims before perpetrators:’ Senate passes bill to try certain juveniles as adults?

The House on Tuesday approved Senate Bill 20 which mandates that juveniles 15 or older would be transferred to circuit court for trial as an adult if they are alleged to have used a firearm while committing a Class A, B or C felony.?

Democratic Rep. Lindsey Burke of Lexington opposed the bill, saying it would rush kids in the “school to prison pipeline” to the “finish line.”

Burke and Rep. Keturah Herron noted that the bill reverses a change the legislature made just three years giving juvenile judges discretion to decide whether to transfer a gun case to adult court.

Rep. Patrick Flannery, R-Olive Hill, who introduced the measure in the House, said SB 20 is aimed at “very violent criminals.” It is sponsored by Sen. Matthew Deneen, R-Elizabethtown.

A national advocacy group says a bill approved by the Kentucky legislature will criminalize investigations of industrial agriculture abuses. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

After rejecting protections for whistleblowers and accidental violations, the House on Tuesday approved Senate Bill 16 restricting drone photography of food production plants and animal feeding operations.

Democratic Rep. Al Gentry of Louisville offered an amendment protecting whistleblowers who film violations of safety or health laws.?

Overbroad bill risks turning food plant workers, government inspectors, neighbors into criminals

Rep. Chad Aull, D-Lexington, offered an amendment to clarify that unintentionally leaving on a phone camera or recorder would not constitute a violation.

Both amendments were defeated on party line votes after Rep. Richard Heath, R-Mayfield, told his colleagues that the bill’s sponsor and the lobbyist for Tyson Foods considered both proposals unfriendly amendments. Sen. John Schickel, R- Union, is the bill’s sponsor.

The House voted 72-25 in favor of the measure sought by the poultry industry.

Opponents have warned that imprecise language in what they call an “ag-gag” bill could be used to punish citizens and even government inspectors trying to document hazardous conditions, including pollution and food safety violations.?

The bill will now go to Gov. Andy Beshear.

Kentucky Humanities has chosen “Scissors, Paper, Rock” by Fenton Johnson as the 2024 Kentucky Reads selection.?Nonprofit organizations that want to hold a discussion of the novel can receive 15 copies for a $50 booking fee. Kentucky Humanities will pay an honorarium to a participating scholar to lead the discussion or to a discussion leader chosen by the group.

Learn more here.

The ceremony begins at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6. p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

This year’s living inductees are:

George C. Wolfe, “titan of the American theatre,” according to The New Yorker.

The playwright and three-time Tony award winning director of plays and movies grew up in Frankfort. Among Wolfe’s many creative achievements, he directed Tony Kushner’s “Angels in America: Millennium Approaches.” Wolfe’s “Rustin,” now on Netflix, is a biography of Bayard Rustin, whose contributions to the civil rights movement have been obscured because he was gay.

Fenton Johnson, whose “Scissors, Paper, Rock” was the first major fiction about the AIDS crisis’ in rural America.

Johnson’s fiction and nonfiction are steeped in the culture and history of his native Nelson County and his family’s association with the Abbey of Gethsemani. His novels include “The Man Who Loved Birds” and his nonfiction includes “Geography of the Heart: A Memoir” and “Keeping Faith: A Skeptic’s Journey among Christian and Buddhist Monks.”

Mary Ann Taylor-Hall, a transplant to Kentucky whose fiction and poetry are suffused with the landscape and life of her rural Harrison County home.

Her novel “Come and Go, Molly Snow” is about Bluegrass music and a gifted fiddler’s struggle after a tragic loss sends her into the care of two older women on a small farm. “At the Breakers,” set in a hotel under renovation in coastal New Jersey, plumbs family and personal renewal.

The posthumous inductees are:

• Mary Lee Settle (1918-2005), a National Book Award winner for her novel “Blood Tie.” Spent her childhood in Pineville and was a founder of the annual PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction.
• Paul Brett Johnson (1947-2011), a landscape painter who wrote and illustrated children’s books, including “The Cow Who Wouldn’t Come Down” and “Farmers’ Market” inspired by Lexington’s farmers’ market.
• Billy C. Clark (1928-2009), a writer of? prose and poems who grew up in Catlettsburg. Time magazine said his autobiography is “as authentically American as Huckleberry Finn.”

Also, the second Kentucky Literary Impact award will be presented to the late Mike Mullins, who was director of the Hindman Settlement School from 1977 until his death in 2012. As director, he built the annual Appalachian Writers Workshop into a nationally known program and promoted the careers of many Kentucky writers.

The Hall of Fame was created by the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning in 2012 to recognize outstanding writers with strong ties to Kentucky, according to a release from the Lexington nonprofit.?

Hall of Fame members are chosen by committees at the Carnegie Center and the Kentucky Arts Council that include accomplished Kentucky writers.

A? longtime adult corrections official will head the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice, Gov. Andy Beshear announced Thursday.?

The new commissioner, Randy White, worked in the Kentucky prison system for 27 years in multiple roles, including correctional officer, warden and most recently more than five years as deputy corrections commissioner, according to a release from the governor’s office. He retired in December.

White joins recently appointed leaders in the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet.

Beshear appointed? Keith Jackson justice secretary in February. Jackson, who had been the? cabinet’s deputy secretary since 2021, previously served as Lexington’s chief of fire and emergency services and commissioner of the state Department of Veterans Affairs.

Jackson succeeds Kerry Harvey who retired in January.

Mona Womack, the ?justice cabinet’s new deputy secretary, has extensive experience in state government, including 26 years at the Cabinet for Health and Family Services as an attorney, division director and deputy general counsel.

The state’s understaffed juvenile detention facilities have been plagued in recent years by violence and abuse, drawing criticism of Beshear from Republican lawmakers and a critical audit. Lawmakers boosted funding for juvenile facilities and staff pay last year and are expected to do more?this year.

White succeeds Vicki Reed, who retired in January.

A news release from the governor’s office says White will “prioritize reducing youth crime and recidivism, increasing mental health treatment, enhancing employee training and securing all 27 juvenile facilities to better protect youth and staff, while continuing to implement the administration’s aggressive plan to enhance safety in response to violent incidents.”

In addition to eight secure detention centers, the department also runs six youth development centers, group homes and day treatment programs across the state.

The release quotes White: “Juveniles entering the criminal justice system are committing harsher crimes and require stronger rehabilitative programs than when I started in corrections 27 years ago, and as a former deputy commissioner I had a lot of interaction with these juveniles when they would transfer to adult prison,” he said. “And for Kentucky to truly reduce the juvenile population, we must focus our efforts on alternatives to detention, education, programming, employment and mental health. Our juveniles need our support, and I pledge to do just that.”?

The board plans to send its recommendation to the Kentucky Senate for confirmation by the end of the month. (Kentucky Department of Education)

The Kentucky Board of Education is set to start contract negotiations with a finalist for state education commissioner after two days of candidate interviews.

Three finalists named in Kentucky’s education commissioner search

The board authorized its chair,? Sharon Porter Robinson, to enter into negotiations with the preferred candidate, said a news release from the Kentucky Department of Education. The proposed contract will be presented to the full board at a future special called meeting and the selected candidate will be announced when the contract is approved.

The KBE intends to name a new commissioner and submit that individual to the Kentucky Senate for confirmation by the end of March, says the release.?

The board named three finalists on March 11:?

• Buddy Berry, Eminence Independent Schools superintendent,?
• Robbie Fletcher, Lawrence County Schools superintendent,
• Jim Flynn,? Kentucky Association of School Superintendents executive director.

Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman (Kentucky Lantern photo by Mathew Mueller)

Kentucky’s Russell Coleman is among 16 state attorneys general threatening legal action if Maine enacts a law shielding its medical providers from penalties for providing reproductive and gender-affirming care to residents of other states.

The Republican attorneys general assert such a law would be “extraterritorial bullying” and “could also trigger a rapid tit-for-tat escalation that tears apart our Republic.”?

??The Maine legislature is debating a bill that would ensure out-of-state patients and Maine medical professionals aren’t penalized by other states’ laws against abortion and gender-affirming treatments.

“We will not allow laws like LD 227 to deter us from protecting the integrity of our States’ democratic processes. If Maine pursues LD 227’s constitutionally defective approach, we will vigorously avail ourselves of every recourse our Constitution provides,” says the letter dated March 11 on Tennessee AG Jonathan Skrmetti’s letterhead.

It is addressed to Maine’s Gov. Janet T. Mills, Attorney General Aaron Frey, and the top leaders of Maine’s Senate and House.

On Tuesday, Frey, Maine’s attorney general, called the claims “meritless” and an attempt to intimidate proponents of the proposed shield law.

Frey cited Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s attempt to subpoena records from a children’s hospital in Seattle, Washington, that Paxton alleged violated Texas law by providing gender affirming care to Texas youths.

“Unfortunately, shield laws have become necessary due to efforts in some objecting states to punish beyond their borders lawful behavior that occurs in Maine and other States,” Frey wrote.

He also dismissed the Republican AGs’ claim that LD 227 would be unconstitutional “because Maine will honor out-of-state judgments as long as they were issued in accord with basic requirements for due process and the court had sufficient jurisdiction.”?

Frey added, “Harmony between our states would be best preserved and promoted by the exercise of restraint by all parties seeking to control health care related policy choices in other states.”

If the bill becomes law, Maine would join other Democratic-led states that have enacted laws shielding providers and out-of-state patients from prosecution or other action by states that have enacted abortion bans and limits on transgender care.? “Shield laws” protect medical providers and in some cases, volunteers and patients, from legal or professional consequences from other states’ bans on certain types of health care. According to the Guttmacher Institute, 22 states and Washington, D.C. have passed shield laws protecting abortion and eleven of those states and D.C. also have protections specifically for gender-affirming care.

Kentucky has enforced? an almost-total ban on abortion since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion in 2022. Last year the legislature banned gender-affirming medical care for minors.?

Maine lawmakers are also considering additional reproductive rights bills. One proposal would enshrine the right to reproductive autonomy in the state Constitution while another would require insurance providers to cover over-the-counter contraceptives without passing along costs to customers.????

In Kentucky, bills to add exceptions for rape and incest to the state’s abortion ban have not been given a hearing by legislative leaders.

The Maine Morning Star contributed to this report.

Angela Anderson of the Brighton Center in Newport participated in the grant announcement Monday in Washington, D.C. The center provides a range of human services and opportunities in eight counties in Northern Kentucky. (Doris Duke Foundation photo)

Kentucky will share in a $30 million grant seeking to build supports for families who fall through cracks in the child welfare system.?

The Doris Duke Foundation is funding the three-year initiative called Opt-in for Families (Opportunities for Prevention and Transformation). Pilot sites will be in Kentucky, South Carolina, Oregon and Washington, D.C.

A release from the foundation said the program is specifically focused on reaching families who get referred to Child Protective Services for “well-being needs rather than safety concerns that do not warrant investigation of neglect or abuse — and who therefore often get no help at all.”

“The child welfare system’s narrow focus on removal is a system design flaw that fails communities, fails many good intentioned caseworkers, and, most of all, fails the children and families who need support and compassion to succeed,” said Sam Gill, Doris Duke Foundation President and CEO. “This effort is intended to demonstrate the potential gains from redesigning a system to ask a new question: what do children and families need to thrive? Kentucky was selected for its commitment to and progress in developing new ways of supporting families.”

Eric Friedlander, secretary of Kentucky’s Cabinet for Health and Family Services, said Kentucky is “committed to demonstrating how to build a multi-dimensional child wellbeing system for families who we know are at risk of foster care without waiting for children to experience harm compounded by the trauma of family separation,” according to the release.

The release also says: “The three-year funding, on-the-ground expertise, and staffing provided through Opt-in for Families will enable Kentucky to serve families in new and innovative ways. Opt-in for Families will give Kentucky families options and support, when they need it the most. This groundbreaking partnership connects Kentucky’s Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) with community-based organizations to provide resources and support to children and families. Opt-In for Families supports family choice and supports new pathways for DCBS to support families.”

Additional information can be found at www.ddf-opt-in.org.

The Kentucky State Penitentiary on Lake Barkley near Eddyville houses 26 inmates on Kentucky’s death row. (Kentucky Department of Corrections)

FRANKFORT — Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman is moving to restart executions in Kentucky.

Coleman announced Friday that he has filed a motion in Franklin Circuit Court seeking to end what a news release from his office called a “nearly 15-year ruling that has blocked the imposition of the death penalty in Kentucky.”

Coleman said the Beshear administration last week published an amended capital punishment regulation that would bring state “policy into full compliance” with earlier court rulings that had identified constitutional and other flaws in the state’s regulations and protocols.?

Kentucky death row inmates spend years waiting for executions that aren’t coming

In 2010, Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd?halted a planned execution and enjoined further executions until the state updated its regulations. The Kentucky Supreme Court upheld Shepherd’s ruling, which had found that the state lacked safeguards to prevent the execution of intellectually disabled or insane defendants and also held that the protocols conflicted with state law.

The state revised its regulations, but in 2019 Shepherd ruled them unconstitutional because they failed to provide an automatic stay if a Department of Corrections review showed “reasonable grounds to believe the condemned inmate is intellectually disabled.”

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2002 that executing defendants who have an intellectual disability is a cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the U.S. Constitution’s Eighth Amendment .?

Twenty-six inmates on Kentucky’s death row await execution. One of them was sentenced more than 40 years ago.?

Bipartisan bills to abolish the death penalty and replace it with life imprisonment without parole have been introduced in both chambers of the Kentucky legislature in this session but have not moved.?

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, often at odds with former President Donald Trump, endorsed him Wednesday for president.

Trump sewed up the Republican nomination the day before with multiple victories in Super Tuesday primaries.

Trump’s remaining GOP challenger, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, announced Wednesday morning that she was leaving the race.

Shortly after, multiple news outlets reported that McConnell was endorsing Trump. The Kentuckian had long said he would support the Republican nominee.

McConnell issued the following statement: “It is abundantly clear that former President Trump has earned the requisite support of Republican voters to be our nominee for President of the United States. It should come as no surprise that as nominee, he will have my support. During his Presidency, we worked together to accomplish great things for the American people including tax reform that supercharged our economy and a generational change of our federal judiciary — most importantly, the Supreme Court. I look forward to the opportunity of switching from playing defense against the terrible policies the Biden administration has pursued to a sustained offense geared towards making a real difference in improving the lives of the American people.”

Last week McConnell, the Senate’s longest serving party leader ever, ?announced that he would not seek another term as Republican leader, acknowledging that “the politics within my party at this particular moment in time” did not favor him continuing as leader. Trump had recently said he didn’t know if he could work with McConnell.

McConnell has said he intends to continue representing Kentucky in the U.S. Senate. His term runs through January 2027.

Senate Republicans will choose a successor to McConnell in November.

Kentucky Republicans line up behind Trump

On Tuesday, Kentucky Republican Attorney General Russell Coleman shared on X, formerly Twitter, that he and other GOP constitutional officers — Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell, Treasurer Mark Metcalf and Auditor Allison Ball — endorsed Trump. The missing statewide elected Republican was Secretary of State Michael Adams.

“Kentucky can’t afford four more years of President Biden,” Coleman said. “To secure our borders and protect our families, we are united in endorsing President Trump.”

Trump previously appointed Coleman as the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Kentucky. Coleman has also served as McConnell’s legal counsel.

Adams was an attorney for Haley’s campaign. His spokesperson, Michon Lindstrom, said an in Wednesday email to the Kentucky Lantern that Adams was “proud of how Nikki Haley conducted her campaign from start to finish.”

“Secretary Adams is a Republican, and votes Republican, but as the chief election official his focus is on helping people to vote rather than telling them whom to vote for,” Lindstrom said.

Adams was asked by Trump and McConnell to serve as co-chairs to their campaigns in 2020, but declined both for similar reasons, she added. Later that year, Adams worked toward several election process changes during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and concerns about his objectivity could have been raised if he had accepted.

Kentucky’s top Democrat, Gov. Andy Beshear, endorsed President Joe Biden ahead of his own reelection in October.

Trump won Kentucky’s electoral votes in 2016 and 2020.

File photo of Rep. Emily Callaway, R-Louisville. (LRC Public Information)

Kentuckians who have been convicted of crimes would get a better shot at a second chance under a bipartisan bill that cleared a House committee Wednesday, its supporters say.

House Bill 124, sponsored by Rep. Emily Callaway, R-Louisville, would allow individuals to find out in advance if their criminal records would disqualify them from receiving an occupational license or working in a state government job.

Also, if the bill becomes law, a criminal conviction would have to directly relate to the job an ex-offender is seeking to justify disqualification from state employment or an occupational license. The bill also requires hiring or licensing authorities to request information and allow an applicant a hearing before deciding on eligibility and to provide written findings of fact to the applicant upon determination.

“Kentucky has made some important strides on reentry in the last 10 years, but there are still so many obstacles that citizens face when trying to rebuild their lives and be strong contributors to their community,” said Marcus Ray, president of the Kentucky NAACP, ?in a release from the Kentucky Smart on Crime Coalition. “This bill is going to save job applicants the time and expense of preparing for tests and boards when they would be deemed ineligible for their record.”

“We urge House members to support HB 124,” said Kate Shanks, senior vice president of public affairs for the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, speaking for the Kentucky Smart on Crime Coalition. She called the bill “another step we can take to address the commonwealth’s workforce issues.? Employment is key to reducing recidivism.”

??Kentucky Smart on Crime is a coalition of 14 organizations working for what they call “common sense justice reforms.”

Twenty-one states already have such laws, according to the coalition’s news release.

The bill was approved by the House Licensing, Occupations, & Administrative Regulations Committee Wednesday morning and now awaits a vote in the House.

Lewis Ritchie pulls a kayak through floodwater after delivering groceries to his father-in-law on July 28, 2022 outside Jackson in Breathitt County. (Photo by Michael Swensen/Getty Images)

Almost $300 million in federal aid is a step closer to reaching Eastern Kentucky to help rebuild from devastating floods, U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell announced Wednesday.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has approved Kentucky’s 2022 Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CBDG-DR) action plan, McConnell announced.

The ?plan determines how $297,994,000 in federal long-term recovery funding will be distributed in 20 Eastern Kentucky counties affected by the July 2022 floods, which took more than 40 lives and damaged or destroyed thousands of homes and businesses, said a release from McConnell’s office.

Counties eligible to receive funding through the CDBG-DR program: Breathitt, Casey, Clay, Cumberland, Floyd, Harlan, Johnson, Knott, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lincoln, Magoffin, Martin, Owsley, Perry, Pike, Powell, Whitley, and Wolfe.

“It’s been nearly two years since flooding of historic proportions ravaged Eastern Kentucky. I saw first-hand where the floods leveled entire communities, destroyed homes, and took the lives of more than 40 Kentuckians. In the aftermath of this tragedy, I made a commitment to stand by the side of Eastern Kentuckians and fight in Washington for big, real-dollar investments in disaster recovery.

“Today, I’m proud to see nearly $300 million in long-term recovery funding move closer toward rebuilding homes and communities, revitalizing the local economy, and supporting survivors who still need our help. I will continue to partner with local leaders in the region and work to ensure these federal dollars are responsibly invested into Eastern Kentucky,” McConnell, Kentucky’s senior senator and the Senate’s minority leader.

Auto workers rallied at a local union hall in Louisville in September. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Liam Niemeyer)

The United Auto Workers and Ford have reached a tentative local agreement in Louisville, the UAW announced Wednesday.

“After months of negotiations over local issues, UAW Local 862 has reached a tentative local agreement with Ford Motor Co., averting a potential strike this week” at the Kentucky Truck Plant, the union said in a release.

The release goes on: “Workers at Ford’s most profitable plant were set to walk off the job over local issues related to skilled trades, health & safety, and ergonomics. The tentative deal addresses these and other core issues of concern to KTP autoworkers.

“There are dozens of remaining open local agreements across the Big Three automakers, while the national contracts were ratified this fall after the union’s Stand Up Strike secured record contracts.”

Ford said in a statement it was “pleased to have reached a tentative agreement,” according to CNBC.

The plant manufactures the?Ford Super Duty and?Ford Expedition and the Lincoln Navigator.

President Eli Capilouto speaks at University of Kentucky graduation, May 5, 2023. (Mark Cornelison/UKphoto)

University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto is publicly opposing proposed restrictions on higher education that are pending in the General Assembly, including a Senate-approved bill aimed at curbing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

“As the University of Kentucky’s president, let me be clear: I am opposed to the legislation regarding both DEI and tenure,” Capilouto said in a message to campus last week. “I have voiced my stance in a manner that I hope is respectful and thoughtful. I will continue to do so.”

No university presidents testified before the committee that heard Senate Bill 6, sponsored by Sen. Mike Wilson, R-Bowling Green, on Feb. 9. The bill would allow the attorney general to bring a civil action against a university or college that penalized a student or employee for rejecting any of 16 “discriminatory” concepts enumerated in the bill. Universities and colleges also would be required to publish course descriptions, syllabi and assigned or recommended textbooks online, among other new requirements.

Conservative student testifies ‘I’m used to being in the minority’ as anti-diversity bill advances

The Republican-controlled Senate on Feb. 13 approved the measure on a party line vote. The next day Capilouto sent out his message entitled “Important Legislative Update.”

Capilouto noted that the legislature has adopted a performance-based funding formula that penalizes institutions that fail to enroll and graduate students from underrepresented backgrounds and groups. One of the legislature’s goals in 2016 for moving to a more performance-based funding model was to close?achievement gaps by growing degrees and credentials earned by minority, low income and underprepared students

“Across this campus, staff and faculty work to support students of color and from underrepresented backgrounds. We should value and support that work, not diminish it. Clearly, our policymakers believe in these efforts. The funding formula they have adopted measures progress on, among other things, our success in enrolling and graduating students from underrepresented backgrounds.

“The truth is that our world and our state are changing. We are growing more diverse. Indeed, we must, if our state is to grow economically. We should embrace that change and harness the opportunities it presents, not shrink from it.”

Another measure, House Bill 9, would bar universities and colleges from expending “any resources” to support DEI programs or DEI officers. Its sponsor, Rep. Jennifer Decker, R-Waddy, issued a statement saying the bill would “ensure the postsecondary system in Kentucky is held accountable to dismantle the failed and misguided DEI bureaucracies that have made college more divided, more expensive, and less tolerant.” The bill is awaiting a hearing in the House Education Committee.

House Bill 228, sponsored by House Education Chair James Tipton, would allow the removal of? faculty members who fall short of new “performance and productivity” requirements “regardless of their status.” The boards of public universities and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System would be required to establish a process to review faculty on the new standards every four years.

Tipton presented the bill in committee on Jan. 22 but no vote was taken.?

Capilouto said, “The faculty employment bill does not suggest altering or abolishing tenure. In fact, many of the policies contemplated are already in place at UK and are adhered to more strictly than what is proposed.

“Yet, among so many, the proposal raises questions about our commitment to tenure as a critical tool and symbol. It’s the idea that a university is a place that safeguards the unfettered pursuit by all our faculty — tenured or not — of discovery and learning, no matter how uncomfortable the questions are or where they take us. “

Rep. Sarah Stalker, D-Louisville, voted to lower educational requirements for substitute teachers but warned the measure is a Band-Aid "on a situation that requires surgery." (LRC Public Information)

FRANKFORT — A proposal to lower the educational requirements to be a substitute teacher in Kentucky easily cleared the House Wednesday.

Before voting in favor of House Bill 387, Democratic Rep. Sarah Stalker of Louisville warned that the need for the bill is a symptom of a larger problem: the state’s shortage of teachers and other school employees. Stalker described the measure as a Band-Aid “on a situation that requires surgery.”

Education measures aim to protect students, certify more substitute teachers, examine funding

Substitute teachers now are required to have at least 64 hours of college credit. If HB 387 becomes law, a high school diploma or equivalent would suffice to qualify for a one-year emergency certification from the Education Professional Standards Board. The board could give applicants with a bachelor’s degree a five-year emergency certificate and a ten-year certificate to anyone eligible for a Kentucky teaching certificate or who previously had a Kentucky teaching certificate.

The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Timmy Truett, R-McKee, an elementary school principal, says the bill will help ease a shortage of substitute teachers.

Rep. Daniel Grossberg, D-Lousiville, said he was voting against the bill because nothing in it would prevent a teenager from being certified as a substitute teachers and because it has no sunset date.

The measure, which passed 88-4, now goes to the Senate.

Lexington, the inspiration for Big Lex, the Blue Horse, was born in 1850 and was the greatest Thoroughbred sire of his time. (City of Lexington)

In honor of the 250th anniversary of its founding next year, Lexington is seeking proposals for an outdoor work of art to be placed in the Robert F. Stephens Courthouse Plaza.

“Lexington has a long history with the arts, and a new work of art in the heart of downtown for our city’s 250th anniversary provides a meaningful connection between our early identity as the ‘Athens of the West’ and the cultural legacy that we are building,” said Mayor Linda Gorton.

The 250 Lex Commission is inviting professional and practicing artists residing in the United States to submit qualifications to propose a permanent, unique, 3D artwork in recognition of the city’s anniversary, according to a news release.

A a prominent outdoor site along Main Street in front of the Robert F. Stephens Courthouse Plaza is the selected site for the permanent artwork, according to the release which said it will be “the largest work of public art ever commissioned by the City of Lexington.”

Artists and design teams interested in this project can access the official request for qualifications (RFQ) on the 250 Lex Commission website. Artists must submit their qualifications through CAFé – Call For Entry. All interested and qualified applicants must submit qualifications by 11:59 p.m. MST – Mountain, Thursday, February 29 (in Lexington, 1:59 a.m. EST-Eastern, Friday, March 1).

A selection committee composed of City of Lexington personnel, artists, arts professionals, and other community stakeholders will review the credentials of professional, practicing artists and design teams that can demonstrate experience in successfully executing large-scale public sculpture projects. Entries not meeting requirements will not be considered.

Upon review of all qualified RFQs, three finalists will be invited to submit a proposal for the design of a site-specific public artwork. Finalist proposals should represent a unique commission in ample detail.

For more information, go to https://www.lexingtonky.gov/250lex.

When considering job applicants, schools would have more information about any record of sexual misconduct with students if House Bill 275 becomes law. It awaits consideration in the Senate. (Getty Images)

FRANKFORT — Kentucky school districts would be unable to offer competitive teacher salaries under the state budget proposed in the Kentucky House, according to a survey of Kentucky school administrators.

The Kentucky Association of School Administrators (KASA) says 96% of respondents said the “proposed budget increase will not enable the district to attract and retain teachers.”

Ninety-three of the state’s 171 districts responded to the survey.

Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear has proposed funding an 11% raise for all public school staff.

By contrast, the budget proposed in the Republican-controlled House directs school districts to make salaries competitive by using “additional resources” that the legislature would allot to the basic school funding formula, known as Support Education Excellence in Kentucky or SEEK. The current state budget used the same approach, leaving raises up to local discretion, without specifically earmarking money for teacher pay increases.

The school administrators association says the House budget proposal falls short of the legislature’s intent to raise teacher pay and actually decreases SEEK funding from the previous state budget.

“When comparing the total SEEK investment proposed in this budget to the previous one, this budget invests approximately $3,000,000 less,” says the KASA release.?

“While leaders in surrounding states, including Tennessee, Ohio, and Indiana, are establishing minimum starting teacher salaries at or around $50,000, Kentucky’s average starting teacher salary rests at a meager $38,010. In one district in Kentucky, a beginning teacher makes only $34,000 — after taxes and mandatory pension contributions are deducted, this drops to less than $25,000 per year,” says the KASA release.?

House Speaker David Osborne on Monday discounted the educators’ warnings.?Speaking to reporters, he said, “I would say if you’d taken that poll any of the last 50 years, you would have gotten the exact same results.”

“They never believe that there’s going to be enough money. And yet at the same time, I will tell you that as they continue to ask for full funding of education, for the last four or five years I’ve asked every single time, ‘Tell me what full funding means.’ And they’ve yet to be able to put a number on it,” Osborne said. “We’re constantly evaluating what the ultimate level of funding will be. And then the Senate proposal will do the same.”?

This story has been updated with comments from Speaker David Osborne.

Liam Niemeyer contributed to this report.

Kentucky Association of School Administrators release:

KET will debut "Becoming bell hooks" on Feb. 27 and 29. (KET)

KET will celebrate the February premiere of its documentary “Becoming bell hooks” with preview screenings in Louisville and Lexington.

A KET release says the documentary “explores?the life and legacy of Kentucky-born author bell hooks, who wrote nearly 40 books and whose work at the intersection of race, class and gender serves as a lasting contribution to the feminist movement.

“The one-hour film examines bell’s childhood in Hopkinsville, her return to Kentucky in the early 2000s to join the faculty at Berea College, and how her connection to Kentucky’s ‘hillbilly culture’ informed her belief that feminism is for everybody,” says the release.

The film features selections from hook’s work read by Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer and includes interviews with friends and family, including feminist activist Gloria Steinem, Kentucky writers Crystal Wilkinson and Silas House, her younger sister Gwenda Motley and many others.

Steinem said bell was “one of the most universal writers and universal people” who made the feminist movement more accessible to all by going beyond issues of gender, race, class and geography. “It’s hard to imagine anyone who wouldn’t be enchanted, educated and made happier by her books.”

“Becoming bell hooks“?is a KET production, produced by Elon Justice and Sarah Moyer. It is funded in part by the KET Endowment for Kentucky Productions.

The documentary will air on KET at 9/8 p.m. Feb. 27 and Feb. 29.

Free preview screenings will be held at:

6:30 p.m. Feb. 20 at the Lyric Theatre & Cultural Center ?in Lexington.

7 p.m. Feb . 22 at the Speed Art Museum in Louisville.

To RSVP for a screening or find more information, visit KET.org/bellhooks.

This story has been updated. An earlier version contained errors in the dates of the preview screenings.

Eastern Kentucky University. (EKU photo)

Eastern Kentucky University is seeking vendors to study the feasibility of opening a public college of osteopathic medicine.

The private University of Pikeville has been training osteopathic physicians at its Kentucky College of Osteopathy since 1997.

In a release, EKU President David McFaddin said: “It is our commitment to our students and the Commonwealth to continuously analyze the market and innovate to meet the needs of our community and beyond. Shortages in the health care workforce, especially recognized in eastern Kentucky and rural parts of the state, spurred us to ask how EKU can help fill these workforce gaps.?

“The initiation of the feasibility study marks the first step in comprehending both the imperative need for the program and EKU’s capacity to deliver an exceptional Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree. If this is a demonstrated need, EKU is willing and ready to serve Kentucky’s workforce in this way.”

EKU has issued a request for proposals for conducting an analysis and making a recommendation. EKU’s goal is to conduct the study in the summer of 2024, the release said.

A new online portal helps Kentuckians with some common legal situations including uncontested divorce, probate, child support, small claims, name change, expungement and more. (Administrative Office of the Courts)

Kentuckians handling legal affairs without an attorney have a new online resource. A Legal Self-Help Portal has been added to the Kentucky court system’s website.

An interactive program helps users complete forms for common legal situations including uncontested divorce, probate, child support, small claims, name change, expungement and more, says a news release from the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC). The program – A2J Guided Interviews – walks users through a series of questions and uses the responses to fill out legal forms that can be filed with the courts, says the release.

The self-help portal can be found at kcoj.info/SelfHelpPortal.

The AOC news release also says:

“The portal also provides links to legal information categorized by topic on kyjustice.org, the online legal advice clinic ky.freelegalanswers.org, lawyer referral services and Kentucky’s regional civil legal aid programs. These legal aid programs provide free legal assistance to eligible individuals in civil legal matters. The Administrative Office of the Courts legal forms library is also available through the portal. Here, users will find an array of standardized legal forms, including the recently developed forms packet for uncontested divorces involving no children.

“In addition to being accessible from any internet-connected device, the portal can be accessed at public computer workstations the AOC is installing in judicial centers/courthouses across the state. These workstations are now available in Offices of Circuit Court Clerk in 48 counties and will be in most of Kentucky’s other 72 counties by June. The counties that have the stations now are Allen, Bath, Boone, Bourbon, Bullitt, Calloway, Campbell, Christian, Clark, Clay, Cumberland, Fleming, Franklin, Gallatin, Grant, Grayson, Hancock, Hardin, Henderson, Hopkins, Jackson, Jefferson, Kenton, Laurel, Lincoln, Magoffin, Marshall, Mason, McLean, Menifee, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Muhlenberg, Nelson, Nicholas, Pulaski, Robertson, Rowan, Scott, Shelby, Simpson, Spencer, Todd, Trigg, Warren, Whitley and Woodford.

“‘The resources, their centralization into a self-help portal and the workstations are major steps toward our continuous goal to improve access to justice for everyone,’ Chief Justice Laurance B. VanMeter said. ‘For non-attorneys, the legal system can be a mystery. A one-stop shop with user-friendly technology is our solution to this challenge. The portal makes it far easier for the many people who can’t afford an attorney or choose to handle their own everyday issues.’

“Supreme Court Justice Michelle M. Keller chairs the Kentucky Access to Justice Commission. ‘I’m proud of the work of the courts and the commission to bring the portal to life. With it, we’re breaking down barriers to justice and making it possible for people to handle their court business in an easier and more efficient manner.’

“Since going live as a soft launch March 31, 2023, the portal has been visited by nearly 107,000 different users.

“The Kentucky Access to Justice Commission was established in 2010 by Supreme Court order to make access to justice a priority for the Judicial Branch. The KAJC works to increase access to the courts and legal representation for people of low and moderate income through innovative partnerships with Kentucky’s civil legal aid programs, the judiciary, court officials, the Kentucky Bar Association, the private bar, law schools, trained non-lawyers, businesses, and community and faith-based organizations.

“The AOC is the operations arm for the state court system and supports the activities of nearly 3,300 employees and 413 elected justices, judges and circuit court clerks. The AOC also executes the Judicial Branch budget.”

Owsley County Clerk Shanna Oliver has been indicted for tampering with vehicle registration records and official misconduct, according to a release Thursday from Attorney General Russell Coleman’s office.

A Franklin County Grand Jury indicted Oliver Wednesday on one count of tampering with public records, a Class D felony, and one count of second-degree official misconduct, a Class B misdemeanor.

The indictment alleges that from Feb. 1, 2022 through Dec. 31, 2023, Oliver, 41, of Booneville, unlawfully refused to deliver public records in her possession to public servants from the Kentucky Department of Vehicle Regulation, who were entitled to receive the records for examination or other purposes. The indictment also alleges that Oliver refrained from performing her duty when she failed to send paperwork regarding the purchase of a trailer to the Kentucky Department of Vehicle Regulation.

Warren Beeler (Western Kentucky University)

Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner-elect Jonathan Shell has named Warren Beeler, a veteran of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and a former University of Kentucky Extension specialist, as his deputy commissioner.

Beeler, who served as Republican Shell’s campaign chairman, held positions in the state agriculture department for 17 years. Republican Gov. Matt Bevin in 2016 appointed him director of the Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy, overseeing tobacco settlement dollars designated for restructuring Kentucky farming as tobacco income declined.

Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear in 2020 replaced Beeler as the office’s head with former Democratic lawmaker Dorsey Ridley. The next year the Republican-controlled legislature moved oversight ?of the tobacco settlement funds from the governor’s office to the Department of Agriculture.

The settlement with cigarette manufacturers has brought more than $2 billion to Kentucky in yearly installments since 1999; half of the settlement money goes to the Agricultural Development Fund which provides grants and loans for diversification and infrastructure. The funding decisions are made by two boards who, after the legislature’s 2021 changes, are ?appointed by the commissioner of agriculture.

Shell, a former lawmaker from Garrard County, received 59 percent of the votes for agriculture commissioner in November, defeating Democrat Sierra Enlow.

In a release, Shell said: “Warren Beeler, or Mr. Agriculture as most of us call him, is one of Kentucky’s greatest agriculture champions, and I am honored he has agreed to join my team. I’m confident that in this new role all of Kentucky will continue to benefit from his knowledge and tireless work on behalf of Kentucky agriculture.”

Beeler, an expert in livestock genetics, ?has raised Kentucky grand champion hogs and lambs on his farm in Caneyville in Grayson County.

Shell also announced that he has hired several senior team members, including:

• Jay Hall, executive director of marketing;
• Dana Feldman, executive director of the Office of Consumer and Environmental Protection;
• Lee McIntosh, executive director of the Office of Administrative Services.

Shell will be sworn in during a ceremony in Garrard County Jan. 1.

Lt. Governor Jacqueline Coleman during the 143rd Fancy Farm Picnic on Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Austin Anthony)

Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, who underwent a double mastectomy Dec. 18, says her “post-surgery reports came back clean.”

In a release Tuesday, Coleman said: “While I am grateful for my amazing health-care heroes, and the relief I feel for having answers, please hear me when I say, if I had put this off, skipped appointments, or not taken it seriously, it is likely the news I’d be sharing eventually wouldn’t be great.

“Early detection and prevention were the difference makers for me. And they are for you, too. Go schedule that appointment that’s been in the back of your mind.

“Thank you for all the prayers and the well wishes. They have kept me and my family going through a really tough time. I can’t wait to see you all soon.”

To find out how to get a free or low-cost mammogram or cervical cancer screening through the Kentucky Women’s Cancer Screening Program, call the 844-249-0708. Click here for more info.?

Click for larger map

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife will be collecting evergreen trees at 29 drop-off locations across the state from Dec. 26 through Jan. 15 as part of its annual effort known as? “Christmas for the Fishes” to recycle Christmas trees into fish habitat.

“The spirit of giving doesn’t have to end after the holidays,” said Spencer Phillips, supervisor of the fish habitat branch in a news release. “Natural Christmas trees donated to this program will be used to improve fish habitat, enhancing public lakes across the commonwealth for both fish and anglers.”

Trees should be real, not artificial, and should be free of lights, garland and decorations. Limbs, wreaths, brush or other plants will not be accepted.

“Fish thrive in an environment that is full of different types of cover including trees and logs,” said Nick Keeton, foreman in the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife habitat branch. “The donated trees will help restore woody structures in lakes that decay over time, providing protective cover and shade for a variety of fish species.”

The release says the donated trees will be anchored to environmentally-friendly weights and submerged at various depths in different lakes and reservoirs across Kentucky to provide places for fish to feed, shelter and spawn. They make great refuge and feeding habitat for game fish, as well as small fish and invertebrates that are crucial for a thriving ecosystem.

“Sportfish species such as largemouth bass, bluegill and crappie all benefit from cover,” Phillips said. “Woody structure is fantastic but degrades over time. Through generous donations of natural Christmas trees, we replenish needed fish habitat in select lakes throughout Kentucky each year.”

The locations where trees are installed generally become hot spots for fish species targeted by anglers. These locations are recorded by Kentucky Fish and Wildlife staff and the GPS coordinates made available to anglers through the “Lakes with Fish Attractors” page on the department’s website.

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife is funded through the sale of fishing and hunting licenses, boat registrations and related grants. Conserving Kentucky’s fishes and their habitats and providing related recreational opportunities are important aspects of the department’s mission.

For more information about the Christmas tree recycling program or to find a drop-off location, visit the department’s website at?fw.ky.gov?or call 1-800-858-1549, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (ET) weekdays, excluding holidays.

D. Christopher Evans leads the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission.

A veteran of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will lead the Kentucky commission that is overseeing distribution of millions of dollars from opioid settlements, Attorney General-elect Russell Coleman announced Tuesday.

Christopher Evans, who started as a street agent and served as the DEA’s acting administrator in 2021, will become the new executive director of the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission, Coleman said.

According to a news release, Evans served in various DEA leadership roles, including as the first special agent in charge of the newly-created Louisville Field Division in which he partnered with then-U.S. Attorney Coleman to open a DEA Office in Paducah. ?Evans now ?serves on the board of directors of the Christopher 2X Game Changers organization in Louisville and the Kentucky State Police Foundation.

Evans will succeed Bryan Hubbard, outgoing Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s choice to lead the opioid commission. Hubbard championed putting $42 million in settlement funds into researching ibogaine, a psychedelic drug now illegal in the U.S., as a method for easing withdrawal from opioids.

Other appointments announced by Coleman on Tuesday:

• Rewa Zakharia will serve as Coleman’s criminal chief. She now serves director of special prosecutions in the AG’s office. Zakharia previously served as an assistant commonwealth’s attorney in Fayette County in the special victims unit where she tried the first labor trafficking case in Kentucky.
• Richard Ferretti, commissioner of the Department of Criminal Investigations (DCI), is a former Army officer and tank commander who brings 30-plus years of career law enforcement experience, including in the U.S. ?Secret Service and the Kentucky AG’s office.
• Solicitor General Matt Kuhn will continue to oversee the civil and criminal appeals.
• Justin Clark will return to the attorney general’s office as the civil chief. ?Clark is currently the chief legal officer for a Louisville-based technology company. He was previously a litigator in the AG’s office. He’s also served as general counsel of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services and as commissioner of the Kentucky Boxing & Wrestling Commission.
• Christopher Thacker will continue to serve in the AG’s office, becoming the new general counsel. Thacker currently is the head of the civil division, where he successfully argued to block President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate for federal contractors. Thacker previously served as chairman of the Kentucky Executive Branch Ethics Commission and was appointed to serve as a special justice on the Kentucky Supreme Court.
• Vic Maddox, who currently is deputy attorney general, will continue to serve in the office as counsel to the attorney general for special litigation.
• Amy Burke will take on a new role as the interim chief of child support enforcement. Burke is currently the AG’s criminal chief and was previously the chief prosecutor for the Kenton County Attorney’s Office.
• Jeremy Murrell will be promoted to become the first deputy commissioner for counter exploitation with a mandate from Coleman to “target harden” Kentucky from those preying on our children.
• Tramont Banks will also be promoted deputy commissioner for operations. Banks is currently the director of Department of Criminal Investigation’s Protection Intelligence Division following 20 years with the Louisville Metro Police Department.
• Jessie Halladay will be deputy director of the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission. Halladay, currently a senior policy specialist with the Criminal Justice Institute, has been special advisor to the Louisville Metro Police Department, senior policy advisor to the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet and communications director for Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell. Before her government service, Halladay was a public safety and social services reporter for the Louisville Courier-Journal.

“Today, I’m proud to announce a team of powerhouse attorneys and law enforcement professionals who will bring talent and experience to protecting Kentucky families,” said ?Coleman. “Their qualifications represent the very best in their field, not only in Kentucky but also across the country. Every Kentuckian should feel optimistic that we have such incredible public servants who are dedicated to protecting their families from violent criminals, drug traffickers and those who would do us harm. I’m grateful to each of these outstanding individuals who answered the call to serve.”

On Friday, Coleman received a final briefing from his transition team, who have spent weeks reviewing the attorney general’s office and interviewing candidates, according to the news release.

Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, R-Lexington. (Photo by LRC Public Information)

Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, R-Lexington, issued a statement Monday saying that she is recovering from emergency surgery after being kicked in the face by her family’s horse. She said she is hopeful of making a full recovery and “returning to. Frankfort and getting back to work as soon as possible.”

“On the afternoon of Dec. 15, I was caring for our family’s horse when I was unexpectedly kicked in the face, which resulted in needing to undergo emergency surgery over the weekend. While this injury is serious, I am eternally grateful that I believe I will make a full recovery and will not have any long-term or permanent damage.

“I want to especially thank the Lexington Fayette County EMS and Fire Department, which responded to the scene and transported me to the hospital, and the medical professionals at the University of Kentucky Hospital Trauma Critical Care Center who, in my most urgent time of need, provided me with world-class care that was second to none.

Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman and her daughter, Evelynne, wave to the crowd on election night at the Beshear-Coleman victory celebration, Nov. 7, 2023, in Louisville. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Austin Anthony)

Kentucky Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman announced Monday that she had undergone a double mastectomy.

“Concerns were raised to me during a recent routine physical exam. With a significant family history of cancer, I made the decision to have a double mastectomy. I am happy to report that a successful surgery was performed today, and I expect to make a full recovery.”

Coleman also said: “As Kentucky’s highest elected teacher, it is only fitting that I leave you with a little homework: Schedule those preventative exams you’ve put off, hug your people a little tighter and be kind, because everyone is fighting a battle you may know nothing about.

“I will see you soon, Team Kentucky.”

Gov. Andy Beshear said: “Britainy and I fully expect the leutenant governor to make a full recovery. She is our friend and a critical part of Team Kentucky. My family and Kentucky families are standing with her during this time. I join the lieutenant governor in encouraging Kentuckians to be proactive about their health and to schedule preventative exams.”

Gov. Andy Beshear speaks on election night, Nov. 7, 2023, at Old Forrester’s Paristown Hall in Louisville. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Austin Anthony)

In 2022, Kentucky House Republicans took Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear by surprise by filing a two-year state budget bill before the governor had delivered a budget proposal or the traditional budget address to the legislature.

Beshear is turning the tables on Republicans Monday night by delivering what’s being described as a budget address on KET.

The General Assembly, which convenes in regular session on Jan. 2, must approve a state budget for 2024-26 and will be working with a record-high state surplus.

The General Fund surplus at the end of fiscal year 2023 was more than $1.55 billion, bringing the state’s rainy day fund to a record $3.7 billion.

During his successful reelection campaign, Beshear called for 11% pay raises for school employees, funding universal preschool and fully funding school transportation.

Beshear is scheduled to deliver “a pre-taped budget address” at 8 p.m. on KET’s Kentucky Tonight, according to a release from the public television network, followed by a panel discussion led by moderator and KET public affairs director Renee Shaw.

Blue Grass Army Depot entrance (Photo by BGAD)

The newly passed national defense act “lays the groundwork for Blue Grass Army Depot to take on new missions,” said U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, who called for “ramping up production of defense materials at installations” like the 14,600-acre site in Madison County.

The depot housed the United States’ last stockpile of chemical weapons, the last of which were chemically neutralized and destroyed on July 7. For years Kentuckians battled plans to incinerate chemical weapons in the densely populated area before the Army agreed to use a chemical neutralization process instead.

The defense legislation which Congress approved Thursday includes a requirement that the Army pursue opportunities identified in a feasibility study of potential reuses of the Kentucky facility, says a release from McConnell, the Senate’s Republican leader.?

The chemical-weapons neutralization and destruction plant, roads and related facilities represent a $2 billion investment by taxpayers, says the feasibility study released in September. Among its recommendations is adapting BGAD to produce chemicals critical to the defense industry.

McConnell on Thursday said he also had secured a provision requiring the Department of Defense to “onshore production of crucial chemicals by 2028, addressing a supply-chain vulnerability in 15 chemicals essential for explosive materials and currently produced overseas in countries like China. The provision requires consideration of BGAD’s suitability to meet this vital need.”

Other possible reuses identified in the feasibility study include producing metal shipping containers or 155-mm artillery munitions metal components, expanding BGAD’s security guard training program and collaborating with the Army National Guard on a centralized Army regional security monitoring center.

The study said the depot has the capacity to execute all five of the recommended reuses simultaneously.

It will be late 2027 before the final phase of weapons destruction —? cleanup, processing secondary wastes and completing administrative tasks — is completed, the feasibility study said.

McConnell said other provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act that benefit Kentucky are:

• $39 million for a multipurpose training range at Fort Campbell.
• $16.4 million for a modern maintenance facility at Kentucky Army National Guard.
• $3.3 million to plan and design a state-of-the-art munitions supply facility at the Blue Grass Army Depot.
• $2.5 million to plan and design a new air traffic control tower at Fort Campbell.
• $2.0 million to complete construction of a Kentucky National Guard headquarters building in Frankfort
• Study requirement to support the Army Human Resources Command’s 2030 Transformation Plan at Ft. Knox.
• Continued support for the University of Louisville’s cybersecurity workforce development partnership with the National Security Agency.
• Vital investments in Kentucky’s defense manufacturing and innovation industry.

McConnell said the NDAA also authorizes the following provisions to support service members and their families:

• Secures a well-deserved 5.2% pay raise for servicemembers, the highest pay raise in 22 years to offset inflation.
• Provides scholarship opportunities for recruits enrolled in community and junior colleges and increases scholarship opportunities for those pursuing military health careers.
• Authorizes quality improvements for military enlisted barracks, including the replacement of barracks that do not meet basic standards.

Damon Thayer (Photo by LRC Public Information)

Sen. Damon Thayer, a Georgetown Republican and the Kentucky Senate’s majority floor leader for a decade, announced Wednesday he will not seek reelection.

“I have decided not to seek reelection to the state Senate in 2024,” Thayer said. “The end of my current term next year will mark 22 years in the Senate and 12 as Majority Floor Leader. After conversations with my adult children, close friends and colleagues, I have concluded this is the right decision.”

Thayer, an outspoken critic of Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, ?told the Lexington Herald-Leader last month that Republican lawmakers had “no incentive” to work with the newly reelected governor.

?“There’s no incentive or reason for us to work with him,” Thayer said. “He doesn’t deserve an opportunity for reparation, especially after the campaign. He’s taken credit for all our good work, including some things he vetoed.”

Senate President Robert Stivers praised Thayer, saying he “has brought such conviction and passion to creating conservative legislation in Kentucky for over 22 years.”

“I value and came to rely on the energy he poured into Senate floor activity day after day,” Stivers said. “Damon shepherded sound policy through the process, creating a business-friendly environment that’s materialized in the job growth we are seeing today. The commonwealth is better because of Damon Thayer and the Senate will miss him greatly.”

Thayer’s 17th Senate District ?includes Grant and Scott counties and portions of Fayette and Kenton. The candidate filing deadline is Jan. 5.

“I have accomplished most of the political and policy goals I set out to achieve,” Thayer said in the release from the Senate Republican Caucus. “I am grateful to the residents of the 17th district who granted me the honor of representing them in the Senate, and to my colleagues in the GOP caucus for the privilege of being their Majority Leader.”

Thayer said he wishes to pursue “exciting private sector opportunities … that will require more of my time and energy, which I am currently not afforded with the great responsibility that comes with being a member of our citizen legislature.”

But, in the statement, he said he will remain a vigorous leader through the end of his term. “With one year remaining in my term, I intend to pursue the policy goals of the Senate GOP with the vigor and enthusiasm people have come to expect. My focus will be a successful 2024 Legislative Session.”

An Israeli tank near the border with Gaza, Nov. 28, 2023. Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images)

Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton on Tuesday released a joint statement with religious, civic and business leaders in Kentucky’s second-largest city appealing for peace in Gaza and Israel and respect for a diversity of views at home.

Gorton, Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers and a group of Jewish, Muslim and Palestinian leaders in Lexington have been working on the statement since October, according to a release from Gorton’s office.

In addition to calling for peace in Gaza and Israel, the statement expresses “a united stance” to “keep Lexington peaceful, and all of its residents safe “at a time when there have been extremist attacks on Jewish, Muslim and Arab communities around the country.”

“Lexington is saying ‘not here’,” Gorton said.

Ten members of the Urban County Council have signed the statement. Business, faith, education, and civic leaders have also voiced their support, said the release.

Lexington residents are invited to sign he statement by sending their name and address to [email protected]. Residents are welcome to include the organization they represent.

The statement follows:

John Rosenberg

John Rosenberg, a Holocaust survivor who worked as a civil rights attorney in the U.S. Justice Department and built a nonprofit legal aid organization in Eastern Kentucky, will receive an honorary degree from the University of Kentucky at the December commencement.

Rosenberg will receive an honorary doctor of humane letters at the ceremony which begins at 3 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15,? at Rupp Arena.

Rosenberg helped found the Appalachian Research and Defense Fund (AppalReD) which is based in Prestonsburg, has five other offices across the region and provides civil legal representation to individuals and groups who cannot afford a lawyer.

A news release from UK says Rosenberg has served as a longtime civil and human rights activist and that “his activities since 1970 and his work in the state’s legal system have improved the lives of thousands of Kentuckians.”

The UK news release continues: “Rosenberg was born in Magdeburg, Germany, in 1931. On Nov. 9, 1938, 7-year-old Rosenberg and his parents were pulled from their home by Nazis and stood in the courtyard of the adjacent synagogue, where they were forced to watch the holy scriptures burned and the building interior blown up. For a year afterward, Rosenberg and his family stayed in an internment camp in Rotterdam, Holland, before coming to the U.S. in February 1940. The family lived in Spartanburg, S. C., for three years and then moved to Gastonia, N. C., where Rosenberg attended junior and senior high school. He was an Eagle Scout and president of his sophomore and senior classes.

“The first in his family to attend college, Rosenberg attended Duke University and worked in the dining halls all four years. While at Duke, he joined the Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program and upon graduation served three years as a navigator and instructor navigator in the U.S. Air Force. After the Air Force, Rosenberg studied law at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and graduated at the height of the Civil Rights Movement, whereupon he went to work at the Civil Rights Division. He served there from 1962 to 1970 and made his mark as a litigator of racial discrimination cases, particularly in the South.

“While working for the Civil Rights Division, he met his wife, Jean, who has worked side by side with him for years. Together, they traveled to Eastern Kentucky, a trip that transformed their lives. Rosenberg was contemplating a move from the Department of Justice and learned of a fledgling organization that was slated to address the symptomatic issues of poverty and assist low-income persons with their legal needs in the region. That organization was the Appalachian Research and Defense Fund of Kentucky, also known as AppalReD Legal Aid.

“Rosenberg directed AppalReD and oversaw its expansion and efforts for more than 30 years, after its founding in 1970. He and his staff trained many UK law students, who worked as interns and clerks for the organization and then went on to become outstanding lawyers, academics and even judges in the intricacies of helping people deal legally with environmental and safety issues related to coal mining, consumer and housing matters, educational problems, public assistance, and family law matters, such as the termination of parental rights. Upon retiring from AppalReD in 2002, he founded the Appalachian Citizens Law Center in Whitesburg, Kentucky, to specifically address coal-related environmental, health and safety matters.

“Rosenberg remains highly active in his community. His adopted hometown of Prestonsburg has named a new town square — Rosenberg Square — for him and his wife, with a mural that showcases some of their history. Rosenberg has served on the Kentucky Public Advocacy Commission since 1994, including as vice-chair. He is a past member of the Board of Governors of the Kentucky Bar Association, where he has chaired the Donated Legal Services Committee, the Education Law Section and the Public Interest Law Section. He has served on the Pro Bono Committee of the American Bar Association and recruited lawyers to assist low-income persons on a pro bono basis. He has also served on the Board of Regents of Morehead State University, the visiting committee of the UK law school and the stakeholder advisory board for the UK Center for Appalachian Research in Environmental Sciences (UK-CARES). His activities since 1970 and his work in the state’s legal system have improved the lives of thousands of Kentuckians.”

For more information about UK’s December 2023 commencement ceremonies, visit https://commencement.uky.edu.

Julian Carroll was Kentucky's governor, House speaker and a state senator. On Jan. 30, 2020, during his last term in office, he spoke on the Senate floor. (Photo by LRC Public Information)

Former Kentucky Gov. Julian Carroll, who died Sunday at 92, will lie in state at the state Capitol on Friday, Dec. 15.

Carroll, who also served as speaker of the Kentucky House and as a state senator, will lie in state in the Rotunda from 10 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. and from 1:30 p.m. until 5 p.m. on Friday.

A memorial service will take place from 12:30 p.m. until 1:30 p.m. at the Capitol Rotunda on the same day.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Murray State University’s Julian M. Carroll Collection Fund?and the University of Kentucky’s oral history center.

In 2022, Kentucky’s graduating seniors left nearly $54 million in available Pell grants unclaimed. Completion of the FAFSA is necessary to access most sources of federal, state and institutional financial aid. (Getty Images)

College financial aid applicants can expect the release of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, on Dec. 31, according to an announcement last month by the U.S. Department of Education.

In Kentucky, two higher education organizations are partnering to get out information on the changes for the 2024-25 school year.

Changes include a shorter and simpler form, a new eligibility formula for Pell Grants and a studentaid.gov dashboard to help students understand next steps; all of which are intended to allow more students to access the financial aid they need to attend college, according to a release from the Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE).

“Our first-generation students are often overwhelmed by the financial aid application process, and these changes, while all positive, will be adding to that confusion for a while,” said CPE President Aaron Thompson. “Our goal with this campaign is to get students the resources they need to improve FAFSA completion rates and college affordability overall.”

In 2022, Kentucky’s graduating seniors left nearly $54 million in available Pell grants unclaimed. Completion of the FAFSA is necessary to access most sources of federal, state and institutional financial aid, said CPE.

GEAR UP Kentucky, a unit of the CPE, and the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA) will be conducting a public service awareness campaign to prepare students and their families for the changes.

According to the nonprofit Education Northwest, which has studied strategies to boost FAFSA completion, students who might be eligible for aid have frequently not completed the form due to misconceptions that their parents made too much income or a lack of awareness and information about how financial aid works.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress passed the FAFSA Simplification Act to streamline the financial aid process for students and families.

“The redesigned FAFSA form is the most ambitious and significant redesign of the federal student aid application and delivery in decades, and will significantly simplify how students, parents, and other educational stakeholders use the FAFSA form starting this year,” the U.S. Department of Education said in a March 27 release.

“About half of Kentucky’s high school seniors are considered economically disadvantaged,” said KHEAA Executive Director Jo Carole Ellis. “FAFSA awareness and completion are powerful tools to make college dreams a reality for these students. FAFSA completion support has always been central to KHEAA’s outreach efforts, and we are pleased to work together with CPE in this important effort.”

The promotion will include TV and radio commercials running across the state via the Kentucky Broadcasters Association Public Education Partnership program, a social media campaign and an online resource hub for students.

“We felt it crucial to partner with KHEAA to maximize impact,” said Kim Welch, executive director of GEAR UP Kentucky. “Both of our agencies want students and their families to know they aren’t alone in navigating the often-difficult transition to college. There are people across the Commonwealth ready to help students and their families complete the FAFSA and get the money they’re due – and we’re committed to ensuring they know where to get that assistance.”

To view GEAR UP Kentucky’s FAFSA resource page, visit https://gearupky.org/money.

Nathaniel Cline, a reporter for the Virginia Mercury, contributed to this story. The Virginia Mercy, a sister publication to Kentucky Lantern, is part of?States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and donors as a 501c(3) public charity.?

Sen. John Schickel (LRC Public Information)

Kentucky state Sen. John Schickel, R-Union, announced Tuesday that he will not seek reelection next year.

Schickel was first elected from Boone County’s 11th Senate District ?in 2008.

In a news release, Schickel, a former U.S. marshall, said: “The Kentucky General Assembly, like the U.S. Congress, was founded to be a citizen legislature. Members of the House and Senate come from many professions, including law enforcement and corrections, like myself, and others are educators, attorneys, small business owners, and more.? I have always thought citizen legislators should not make a career out of their service because I strongly believe in the founding principles of a government of the people and by the people.?

?“For that reason, I will not seek reelection in the coming year. My time as your state senator will conclude in December 2024.”

The filing deadline for next year’s Kentucky election is Jan. 5.

Schickel said he plans to advocate for Boone County in the biennial budget, which the legislature will adopt next year, and “continue to support public policy that is friendly for small businesses as chair of the Senate Licensing and Occupations Committee.”

Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, released a statement saying, “Senator John Schickel has brought deep respect and trust to this constitutional office and rigor to the legislative process. John ran his committee meetings with military precision, and it’s been a privilege to serve alongside him. Despite being a part-time legislator, John has always brought everything he has to Frankfort during our General Assembly and while back in our districts.? John Schickel is a dear friend, and I wish him all the best in this next chapter of his life.”

Antonio Wilson of Louisville smiles as he waits for newly reelected Gov. Andy Beshear to take the stage on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, at Old Forrester’s Paristown Hall in Louisville, Ky. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Austin Anthony)

Gov. Andy Beshear secured a second term as Kentucky governor on Tuesday.

Kentucky Republicans won all the down ballot races.

Photographers Austin Anthony and Matthew Mueller were at the Democratic and Republican watch parties in Louisville capturing the mood and scene. Here is what they saw.

Brad and Jennifer Wiley of Hickman, Ky., sit near television camera set ups during the results party for Governor Andy Beshear’s campaign on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, at Old Forrester’s Paristown Hall in Louisville, Ky. (Austin Anthony for the Kentucky Lantern)

Former State Senator Lacey T Smith and current Deputy Governor of Louisville Barbara Sexton Smith attend the results party for Governor Andy Beshear’s campaign on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, at Old Forrester’s Paristown Hall in Louisville, Ky. (Austin Anthony for the Kentucky Lantern)

Ashley and Larry Ray of Oldham County, Ky., talk with friends during the results party for Governor Andy Beshear’s campaign on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, at Old Forrester’s Paristown Hall in Louisville, Ky. (Austin Anthony for the Kentucky Lantern)

German exchange student Joy Wilson picks up her host family’s daughter, Kennedy Moore, 4, of Louisville during the results party for Governor Andy Beshear’s campaign on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, at Old Forrester’s Paristown Hall in Louisville, Ky. (Austin Anthony for the Kentucky Lantern)

Governor Andy Beshear shakes hands with a supporter after winning the race for re-election on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, at Old Forrester’s Paristown Hall in Louisville, Ky. (Austin Anthony for the Kentucky Lantern)

Governor Andy Beshear and Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman wave to the crowd after winning the race for re-election on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, at Old Forrester’s Paristown Hall in Louisville, Ky. (Austin Anthony for the Kentucky Lantern)

Governor Andy Beshear stands at the podium after winning the race for re-election on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, at Old Forrester’s Paristown Hall in Louisville, Ky. (Austin Anthony for the Kentucky Lantern)

Governor Andy Beshear stands at the podium after winning the race for re-election on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, at Old Forrester’s Paristown Hall in Louisville, Ky. (Austin Anthony for the Kentucky Lantern)

Governor Andy Beshear speaks after winning the race for re-election on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, at Old Forrester’s Paristown Hall in Louisville, Ky. (Austin Anthony for the Kentucky Lantern)

Governor Andy Beshear hugs his father, former governor Steve Beshear, after winning the race for re-election on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, at Old Forrester’s Paristown Hall in Louisville, Ky. (Austin Anthony for the Kentucky Lantern)

Governor Andy Beshear speaks after winning the race for re-election on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, at Old Forrester’s Paristown Hall in Louisville, Ky. (Austin Anthony for the Kentucky Lantern)

Governor Andy Beshear waves to the crowd after winning the race for re-election on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, at Old Forrester’s Paristown Hall in Louisville, Ky. (Austin Anthony for the Kentucky Lantern)

State Senator Gerald Neal and his wife Kathy Neal smile as Andy Beshear is declared the winner of the Governor’s race on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, at Old Forrester’s Paristown Hall in Louisville, Ky. (Austin Anthony for the Kentucky Lantern)

Antonio Wilson of Louisville smiles as he waits for Andy Beshear to take the stage on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, at Old Forrester’s Paristown Hall in Louisville, Ky. (Austin Anthony for the Kentucky Lantern)

Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman and her daughter wave to the crowd on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, at Old Forrester’s Paristown Hall in Louisville, Ky. (Austin Anthony for the Kentucky Lantern)

Camille White of Louisville smiles as Andy Beshear is named the winner of the governor’s race on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, at Old Forrester’s Paristown Hall in Louisville, Ky. (Austin Anthony for the Kentucky Lantern)

Republican Daniel Cameron addressed supporters in Louisville Tuesday night. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Matthew Mueller)

Button of Reed Elliotte’s suit on Nov 7, 2023 in Louisville Kentucky. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Matthew Mueller)

Reed Elliotte looks at the election results on Nov 7, 2023 in Louisville Kentucky. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Matthew Mueller)

Stephen Van Zant smiles with his friends during the Republican election night on Nov 7, 2023 in Louisville Kentucky. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Matthew Mueller)

Young girl holds Russell Coleman sign during his acceptance speech on Nov 7, 2023 in Louisville Kentucky. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Matthew Mueller)

Attendee of the Republican election night looks at the Gubernatorial election results on Nov 7, 2023 in Louisville Kentucky. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Matthew Mueller)

Allison Ball gives her acceptance speech after her win for reelection as Auditor on Nov 7, 2023 in Louisville Kentucky. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Matthew Mueller)

Table decorations set out before the start of the results of the Kentucky election on Nov 7, 2023 in Louisville Kentucky. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Matthew Mueller)

Allison Ball congratulates her campaign team after giving her acceptance speech on Nov 7, 2023 in Louisville Kentucky.(Kentucky Lantern photo by Matthew Mueller)

Mike Adams gives his acceptance speech after winning reelection for Secretary of State on Nov 7, 2023 in Louisville Kentucky. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Matthew Mueller)

Mike Adams gives his acceptance speech after winning reelection for Secretary of State on Nov 7, 2023 in Louisville Kentucky. Photo by Matthew Mueller | Kentucky Lantern

Mike Adams gives his acceptance speech after winning reelection for Secretary of State on Nov 7, 2023 in Louisville Kentucky. Photo by Matthew Mueller | Kentucky Lantern

Russell Coleman walks to the stage to give his acceptance speech after wining the seat for Attorney General on Nov 7, 2023 in Louisville Kentucky. Photo by Matthew Mueller | Kentucky Lantern

Russell Coleman gives his acceptance speech after wining the seat for Attorney General on Nov 7, 2023 in Louisville Kentucky. Photo by Matthew Mueller | Kentucky Lantern

Russell Coleman looks out to the crowd after giving his acceptance speech after wining the seat for Attorney General on Nov 7, 2023 in Louisville Kentucky. Photo by Matthew Mueller | Kentucky Lantern

Attended of the republican election night sits and reads the results of the Gubernatorial election on Nov 7, 2023 in Louisville Kentucky. Photo by Matthew Mueller | Kentucky Lantern

Daniel Cameron looks out towards the crowd after conceding his campaign to incumbent Governor Andy Beshear on Nov 7, 2023 in Louisville Kentucky. Photo by Matthew Mueller | Kentucky Lantern

Daniel Cameron looks out towards the crowd after conceding his campaign to Andy Beshear on Nov 7, 2023 in Louisville Kentucky. Photo by Matthew Mueller | Kentucky Lantern

Daniel Cameron looks out towards the crowd after conceding his campaign to Andy Beshear on Nov 7, 2023 in Louisville Kentucky. Photo by Matthew Mueller | Kentucky Lantern

Attendees cry after hearing Daniel Camron concede the Gubernatorial race on Nov 7, 2023 in Louisville Kentucky. Photo by Matthew Mueller | Kentucky Lantern

Reporter Sarah Ladd thanked her sources for helping her and others by sharing their mental health experiences.

The Kentucky Psychological Association has recognized Lantern reporter Sarah Ladd with its 2023 Mental Health in Media Award.?

At a Friday awards ceremony in Lexington, the organization’s president Patti Weiter singled out the Lantern’s “Breaking the Stigma” series as an “impressive work of public service journalism.”?

Ladd created the series in 2022 with the goal of helping to destigmatize conversations about mental health. Topics featured in the ongoing series have included borderline personality disorder (BPD), post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).?

Each story features someone who lives with the condition as well as insight from therapists who treat it.

Ladd thanked her series’ sources in her acceptance speech. “I couldn’t report on mental health if people didn’t tell me what it’s like to live with PTSD, what it’s like to live with borderline personality disorder,” Ladd said. “They’re … changing the world, and I’m just honored to be a part of their stories and getting their stories out in the world.”?

A voter in the May 16 primary leaves a polling location at Scott County Public Library in Georgetown. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Abbey Cutrer)

Kentucky voters are not electing just a governor this fall.

Five other constitutional offices are on the “down ballot” — and only one of them, secretary of state, has an incumbent.

No-excuse early voting starts Thursday, Nov. 2, and will last through Saturday. Voters can find information, such as address and hours, for their local early voting locations on the State Board of Elections’ website.

The election is Tuesday, Nov. 7.

Here’s a compilation of Lantern reporting on the candidates and the races.

Governor

• Andy Beshear and Daniel Cameron on the issues. By guides.vote
• Education, economy, environment and more. Where the candidates stand. By McKenna Horsley

Secretary of state

• Election disputes put heat on secretaries of state: Meet the candidates. By Jack Brammer

Attorney General

• Who’s more qualified to succeed Daniel Cameron? Meet the candidates. By McKenna Horsley

Auditor of public accounts

• Kentucky auditor is taxpayers’ watchdog: Meet the candidates. By Jack Brammer

Treasurer

• Kentucky treasurer candidates agree on one thing: Don’t abolish the office. By Jack Brammer

Commissioner of agriculture

• The ‘voice’ of Kentucky agriculture: Commissioner’s race takes a partisan turn. By Jamie Lucke

  

Exile (Courtesy of Exile)

Exile fans, KET needs you.

The Kentucky public television network is producing a documentary about the Kentucky band, which formed in Richmond in 1963 and achieved national success in 1978 with their chart-topping hit “Kiss You All Over.”

KET would appreciate the public’s help in tracking down old photographs, home movies (8mm or super 8mm footage) or other memorabilia of the band, particularly from the 1960s and 1970s. Both analog or digital content is welcome, according to a news release.

If you have Exile memorabilia you’d be willing to share — temporarily; it will be returned — please, contact producer Tom Thurman at [email protected]. ?

(Source: Governor's office)

Gov. Andy Beshear’s administration last week announced plans for “higher ground” developments in Floyd and Letcher counties, bringing the total to seven, as part of rebuilding efforts from floods in 2021 and 2022.

The 92-acre Grand View site off U.S. 23 in the Letcher County town of Jenkins will have room for 115 homes partially funded by the Team Eastern Kentucky Flood Relief Fund, in partnership with nonprofit builders FAHE Housing and HOMES Inc., according to a news release from the governor’s office.

Additional land is available for future developments, playground and park space and walking trails that could eventually connect the community to downtown Jenkins.

The Johnson family donated the land in hopes of helping flood survivors and chose the name Grand View.

“What an honor and a proud moment for the Johnson brothers — Gregory, Garnie and George — to be able to contribute to Eastern Kentucky and Letcher County by donating this beautiful piece of land,” said Gregory Johnson. “We are thrilled that it will benefit the entire community and look forward to seeing the stability of safe housing provide hope and prosperity for the people of Jenkins.”

In Floyd County, the Wayland Volunteer Fire Department sold a four-acre site on Kentucky 1086? in Wayland that is build-ready with infrastructure in place. Up to a dozen homes can be built on the land, and building can start immediately, according to the governor’s office.

In partnership with the Appalachian Service Project, the Team Eastern Kentucky Flood Relief Fund will provide up to $100,000 per home for building and land costs. Appalachia Service Project is a nonprofit committed to building and repairing homes for low-income families.

“There are many families who want to stay in Floyd County but are in need of a safe, affordable home,” said Walter Crouch, president and CEO of Appalachia Service Project. “We always work to keep impacted families on their own property, wherever it’s safe and feasible, to limit further needs or displacements, but we’re also very grateful for our partners who’ve helped us locate high-ground, build-ready properties, like this one in Wayland, where we can keep families in the community they love — and we have local folks ready to move in as soon as these new homes are completed.”

Beshear announced an additional $8 million to help Floyd County build 33 new homes and rehabilitate one vacant home in the New Hope neighborhood in Prestonsburg. The homes will be for Kentuckians directly affected by the 2021 and 2022 flood events that impacted Floyd County.

These funds are in addition to the $2 million Beshear announced to acquire the land for the homes. The funds come from the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program.

Beshear last December announced ambitions for creating new planned communities on “higher ground” outside the floodplain in the Kentucky mountains.?

Previously announced high-ground communities, include The Cottages at Thompson Branch in Letcher County, Skyview in Perry County, Chestnut Ridge and Olive Branch in Knott County and New Hope Estates in Floyd County.

Supporters of Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear and Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron cheer outside KET's studio as the candidates arrive for their Oct. 23 debate. (Photo for Kentucky Lantern by Matthew Mueller)

LEXINGTON —?Kentucky’s gubernatorial candidates — Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear and Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron — further differentiated themselves on topics like education, abortion and the coronavirus pandemic in their fourth debate at KET’s Lexington studios Monday evening.?

During the debate, both candidates pressed the other on their campaign talking points, while touting their own plans for the governor’s office over the next four years.?

As they have in previous debates, Beshear painted himself as a leader who saw Kentuckians through hard times — the pandemic and natural disasters — and wants to continue to build on his administration’s economic accomplishments, while Cameron said he would work with the Republican supermajority in the General Assembly on legislation, such as implementing his public safety plan.?

Beshear opened first and was asked how he could effectively govern the state despite tensions in his relationship with the Republican supermajority in the General Assembly. He referred to his term to date, saying he has signed more than 600 bipartisan bills into law.?

“We work well behind the scenes. It’s just in politics what happens out front is often not what you see behind closed doors,” the governor said.?

In his opening comments, Cameron said the state’s economy is not “on fire,” as Beshear often says, pointing to inflation affecting Kentuckians.?

“It’s unbelievable, dare I say crazy, that you’d have a governor who would endorse the policies and the president (Joe Biden) who have created this mess that we’re in, whether it be your inflation, whether it be median household income, those are all because of a president that this governor has endorsed,” Cameron said, referring to Beshear’s comments in a Lexington Herald-Leader editorial board interview.?

Photo gallery

Spotted outside KET awaiting the arrival of the gubernatorial candidates for their fourth debate. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Matthew Mueller)

Cameron supporters - and detractors - gathered outside KET before the Monday night debate. Kate Pivonka brought a reminder of Cameron's role in the investigation of the police killing of Breonna Taylor in Louisville. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Matthew Mueller)

Kentucky auditor Mike Harmon, left, and Beth Richardson were among the Cameron supporters outside KET awaiting the candidates' arrival. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Matthew Mueller)

Part of the crowd and the signage outside KET. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Matthew Mueller)

Supporters for Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear and Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron cheer outside KET's studio before Monday's debate. (Photo for Kentucky Lantern by Matthew Mueller)

Robert Webb said he supports Beshear because he's a "strong man" capable of leading Kentucky. He was among the crowd outside KET before the gubernatorial debate Monday evening. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Matthew Mueller)

As for how Cameron would navigate possible conflicts with the General Assembly, he said he was “willing to do whatever is necessary” for Kentuckians, “but I think most people would agree that it’s better to have everyone rowing in the same direction.”

Donald Trump

Cameron, who is endorsed by former President Donald Trump, was asked during the debate if he agreed with Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell that Trump was responsible for the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Cameron also has close ties to McConnell, including previously serving as legal counsel to the longtime leader of the Kentucky Republican Party.?

“President Trump is such a big deal in this race that Andy Beshear ran in a campaign ad nearly two weeks ago trying to tout that there was some relationship between him and Donald Trump,” Cameron said after reaffirming that he was “proud” to have Trump’s support while not discussing the Capitol attack.?

In response, Beshear said he was running that ad “because people should be able to vote for whoever they want” and again decried the partisanship and divisiveness that he has accused Cameron of promoting.

After the debate, reporters asked Cameron if he would welcome a campaign visit by Trump and if Trump deserves to be returned to the White House. Days before the primary election, Trump and Cameron spoke together in a brief tele-rally to callers.?

“I think it was better than what we have under Joe Biden,” Cameron said in response.

Cameron said that “living under Bidennomics,” the cost of groceries, gasoline and utility bills has gone up.

“I think most people would agree that when President Trump was in office, they had more money in their pocket,” Cameron continued. “They had more savings in their savings account. And I think we want to get back to that.”

Beshear left without speaking to reporters.

Coronavirus

On the campaign trail, Cameron has long been critical of Beshear’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, which killed more than 19,000 Kentuckians. During Monday’s debate, the attorney general said he would have prioritized the constitutional rights of Kentuckians amid the pandemic.?

Cameron blamed student learning loss on schools closing for in-person learning and moving to online and said Beshear’s “short-sighted decisions” impacted Kentuckians, including business owners.?

Around Easter 2020, then-President Donald Trump wanted to relax guidelines for social distancing and other precautions but heeded advice of health experts to continue them through July 2020. When asked if he would have followed those guidelines, Cameron turned back to constitutional rights and criticized Beshear’s decisions.?

“There’s something called leadership, and I would have offered leadership to the people here in Kentucky and I would have made sure that we stood up for your constitutional rights,” Cameron said.?

When asked if he had any regrets about his response to the pandemic, such as sending state troopers to check license plates at churches on Easter Sunday, Beshear said those choices were “battlefield decisions.”?

“This is about leadership,” the governor said. “And I showed people during the pandemic I was willing to make the hard decisions, even if it cost me. I put politics out the window and I made the best decisions I could to save as many lives as possible.”?

Education?

Both candidates received multiple questions about education in Kentucky, including from school personnel watching the program. Beshear and Cameron have previously discussed their education plans.?

When asked if he believed his administration was not adequately addressing students’ learning loss from the pandemic, Beshear said academic declines began before the pandemic and are connected to not having enough educators.?

“We proposed significant raises for our teachers to make sure there was a teacher in each classroom,” Beshear said of his past budget proposals. “We proposed extra learning resources in terms of textbooks and technology. And I even said at the time that we ought to be using those dollars to address any challenges that were coming out of the pandemic.”

A prominent part of Cameron’s education plan includes funding a 16-week tutoring program for math and reading instruction to take place during summer breaks. During the debate, he said the model was similar to plans found in Tennessee and Utah.?

“We’re going to pay our teachers to be a part of this,” Cameron said. “We’re also going to ask student teachers to be a part of it.”

Continuing on a topic that has come up in previous debates, the candidates clashed on school vouchers, or programs that would allow public funds to follow students from public schools who enroll in private schools. Kentucky currently does not allow school vouchers, but such a constitutional amendment allowing them may be considered by lawmakers in the near future.?

Cameron, who has previously indicated that he supports vouchers on the campaign trail and is backed by some “school choice” groups, was asked directly if he supports vouchers.?

“I would support primarily our public school system,” Cameron said. “Look, we need to make sure that we expand opportunity and choice.”?

Beshear repeatedly voiced his opposition to school vouchers.?

“They steal money from our public schools and send them to our private schools,” Beshear said. “The reason he won’t answer is he supports vouchers. He has time and time again, but what’s concerning is he won’t be honest with you and answer a direct question and look in the camera.”?

Abortion

Toward the end of the debate, the candidates also rehashed another contentious topic for them — abortion.?

Cameron said last month that he would sign legislation adding exceptions in cases of rape and incest to Kentucky’s near-total abortion ban if the General Assembly passed it. However, he has not directly said if he personally supports those exceptions and continues to call himself the “pro-life candidate.” During a recent WLKY debate, Beshear asked Cameron to answer the question directly.?

KET moderator Renee Shaw, who pressed ?for direct answers throughout the night, asked Cameron if he personally favored allowing exceptions in cases of rape and incest to Kentucky’s abortion law.?

“We need to establish a culture of life. I want to be a governor that promotes life and make sure that there are life affirming options,” Cameron said.?

The attorney general also called himself “Planned Parenthood’s worst nightmare,” pointing to the organization’s founder, Margaret Sanger, who believed in eugenics, and noting? that the organization has donated to Beshear’s campaign. . Planned Parenthood has denounced Sanger’s beliefs and a 1939 quote of hers about expanding birth control in southern Black communities has been taken out of context over time.?

“I believe that victims of rape and incest deserve options, that there has to be an exception,” Beshear said during the debate, and also said he favored “reasonable restrictions, especially on late-term abortions.”?

Cameron was also asked why he joined 18 Republican attorneys general this summer in signing a letter that opposed a proposed federal privacy rule that would block state officials from getting information on residents’ reproductive health care services they received outside of Kentucky, and if he wanted to criminalize women for seeking abortions or abortion providers.?

Cameron replied by saying “absolutely not” and said he was strongly opposed to a bill that would create criminal penalties for women considering abortions earlier this year.??

The candidates’ fifth and final debate will be Tuesday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m. Eastern, and hosted by WKYT of Lexington.?

Running mates for Beshear and Cameron — Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman and state Sen. Robby Mills respectively — will face each other next week in a KET debate on Monday, Oct. 30, at 8 p.m. Eastern.?

The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 7.?

Workers stand in a line on strike outside the Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville, Oct. 12, 2023. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Liam Niemeyer)

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear brought a box of fresh sandwiches to striking UAW Local 862 members outside the Ford Truck Plant in Louisville on Wednesday, reports a posting on the Kentucky AFL-CIO website.

“Folks, I’m Andy Beshear and I’m the proud pro-union governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky,” he announced to cheers and applause from the strikers.

Tim Morris, executive director of the Greater Louisville Central Labor Council, didn’t know the governor was coming until his motorcade pulled up outside the truck plant union hall at 2702 Chamberlain Lane, according to the report.

Todd Dunn, Local 862 president, introduced Beshear to a small crowd including officials from Teamster Locals 89 and 783.

“The governor wanted to bring some sandwiches,” Dunn said. “This is not a campaign stop, no media got called. As a matter of fact, we went out of our way to keep it secret.”

Dunn said that outside the governor’s office the only people who knew about the visit were United Auto Workers President Sean Fain, Vice President Chuck Browning and a few other UAW officials “because we wanted to keep it about the people.”

Morris said Beshear “bought the sandwiches with his own money.”

The month-long strike against the Detroit Three automakers reached the Ford plant in Louisville, the company’s most profitable, on Oct. 11 when 8,700 workers walked off the job. The plant produces Super Duty trucks and SUVS.

The union is seeking wage increases, including compensation for concessions the union made in 2009 to help Ford survive without a government bailout. The union also is negotiating to ensure continued workforce protections as automakers transition to producing electric vehicles.

Beshear told the strikers “I am here for you, for your families” and that he knows they are “trying to help thousands upon thousands of Kentucky families have that better life.”

Prescribed burns are planned at five wildlife management areas in Kentucky. (Kentucky Fish and Wildlife photo)

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife has announced plans for controlled burns on portions of five Kentucky public land areas “to improve forest and grassland health and enhance habitats preferred by native wildlife.”

According to a news release, Fish and Wildlife officials and partnering agencies are scheduling prescribed burns on 2,096 total acres of the Clay, Grayson Lake and Paul Van Booven wildlife management areas (WMA) in Eastern Kentucky, as well as Taylorsville Lake and Green River Lake WMAs in Central Kentucky as part of ongoing hardwood forest improvement projects.

Here is the rest of the news release: These portions of the WMAs will be closed to the public during the prescribed burns and reopen after active fire is no longer present.

The burns will be conducted on weekdays between now and January when burning conditions are optimal from both environmental and safety standpoints. Exact dates will depend on weather and site factors.

Managers will take into consideration wind, air temperature, relative humidity, soil moisture and other factors before determining when to conduct the burns. Staff receive extensive training in planning and conducting prescribed burns and have specialized equipment to safely achieve the desired results.

Signs will be posted to provide guidance about the locations of the prescribed burns and areas that are closed to the public. Updates will be posted on the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife website (fw.ky.gov) and Twitter (@kyfishwildlife) when the dates are set.

Burns are planned for four units of Clay WMA, totaling 960 acres primarily in Nicholas County, in October or November. The timing of burns on this WMA will avoid fall quota hunts there, as well as a planned fall aerial spraying project being conducted to control non-native, invasive shrubs that have become predominant on many sites and are adversely affecting wildlife habitat conditions. Public access to the remainder of the 8,980-acre WMA should not be impacted.

At Grayson Lake WMA, the burn will focus on one unit with 231 acres in Carter County in November or December. Burn timing for this WMA will also avoid fall quota hunts on this property, and public access to the remainder of the 8,026-acre WMA should not be impacted.

On the Paul Van Booven WMA, an 80-acre portion of the property encompassing the native warm season grass fields in Breathitt County will have a burn in late October or mid-November, scheduled to minimize impacts to hunting seasons this fall. Public access to the remainder of the 2,287-acre WMA should not be impacted.

The Taylorsville Lake WMA burn will be conducted on two units comprising 800 acres of the Briar Ridge section of the WMA in Spencer County. Burn timing for this WMA will take place late-October to mid-November and will also avoid fall quota hunts. The Briar Ridge section of the WMA, including the rifle range, will not be accessible via KY 3228 during prescribed burning activities. Other public access to Taylorsville Lake and the remainder of the 9,419-acre WMA should not be affected.

At Green River Lake WMA, the smallest planned burn will focus on only 25 acres in Taylor County in late October or mid-November. Burn timing for this WMA will also avoid impact to quota hunts this fall, and public access to the remainder of the 21,021-acre WMA should not be impacted.

Coordination with local authorities ensures the safety of staff and the surrounding communities. Adjacent landowners are also being notified of the planned burns, and the areas will be monitored until all fire, embers and smoke are extinguished.

Prescribed fire is an efficient tool for habitat management. The management goals of the burns are to increase production of nuts and soft fruits and to enhance the regeneration of oaks. Burning sets back woody plant growth in fields and along edges, creates desirable open spaces on the ground’s surface by removing leaf litter, improves native grass and wildflower composition within fields and helps control invasive plants.

Officials have a narrow window of time to conduct the fall burns to achieve the desired results. Autumn is an optimal time for using fire to eradicate undesirable tree and shrub species, and to promote regeneration and growth of nut-producing trees such as oak and hickory.

For more information about prescribed burning, visit kyfire.org.

A section of rock started to separate from the face of a rock wall off Taylor Avenue, Friday, Oct. 13, 2023 in Frankfort. (Photo by David Stephenson)

Kentucky Capitol (Getty Images)

The Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission — created 30 years ago in response to a scandal that rocked the Capitol — will celebrate its anniversary at noon Tuesday, Oct. 10, with a public reception.

The event in room 154 of the Capitol Annex will follow the commission’s regular meeting at 10 a.m. in room 171.

A release from Laura Hendrix, the commission’s executive director, recounts the history of a federal investigation called Operation BOPTROT that led to the criminal convictions of 21 people, including 15 state legislators, on charges such as extortion, bribery, racketeering and lying to the FBI.

In response, the General Assembly created a task force that drafted new codes of ethics for the legislative and executive branches, as well as new campaign finance and contracting laws, which were enacted during a special session in 1993 convened by Gov. Brereton Jones. No sitting lawmakers serve on the Legislative Ethics Commission. The legislature strengthened the rules for lawmakers and lobbyists in 2014.

The nine-member commission and its staff advise lawmakers and lobbyists how to comply with the ethics rules it enforces.

Says the release: “Since KLEC’s inception 30 years ago, and the passage of the Code, no sitting Kentucky legislator
has been convicted of a felony arising from the use of his or her office. Most importantly, the culture in
the Capitol has changed, due in large part to the diligent education and advisory efforts of the
Commission members and staff, the continued strong support of Kentucky’s legislators and lobbying
entities, and public expectation that the core principles of the Code are maintained.”

The former surface coal mine in Roxana where U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers wants to build a federal prison. (Photo by No New Letcher Prison)

More than 185 organizations — from across Kentucky and the nation — are urging Congress to reject “fast-tracking” construction of a federal prison in Letcher County.

A Sept. 19 letter to leaders and members of congressional appropriations committees urges them to remove language that Rep. Hal Rogers of Kentucky put into a House appropriations bill in July. Opponents say Rogers’ provision, giving the long-debated prison a quick path to approval, would trample the rights of the public and prisoners.

Under Rogers provision, government decisions about “construction and operation” of the prison would not be subject to judicial review; there would be no environmental impact study, and the U.S. attorney general would be required to approve the prison within 30 days of the appropriations bill’s enactment.

Opponents in their letter say that Rogers’ provision blocking legal challenges — similar to Congress’ exemption for construction of the controversial Mountain Valley Pipeline in West Virginia — would strip away legal protections and recourse for inmates who already would be “isolated hundreds of miles from their loved ones” and “uniquely vulnerable to maltreatment and abuse.”

The letter also says, “Letcher County community members and other stakeholders from across the country should have a say when it comes to such a significant change in the community, particularly given the price tag of over $500 million taxpayer dollars and the false promises of prison-based economic development.”

Rogers has been been pursuing the project for years and appeared to prevail in 2018, but the Trump administration decided to defund the project, saying it was no longer needed, and the Biden administration excluded the project from its 2024 budget proposal. Rogers and other local boosters of the prison say it would create jobs and economic spinoffs in area suffering from the coal industry’s decline.

Rogers told Spectrum News in July: “The federal government needs more prison space. This property qualifies to the nth degree, and it’s proceeding. … We’ll continue to support it.”

The letter’s signatories range from the American Civil Liberties Union to Square Dance Farms of Blackey in Letcher County. It was sent to congressional members of the appropriations committees, the Problem Solvers Caucus and the Second Chance Task Force.

Read the letter:

Part of the cover of "Hawks on Hawks," published by the University Press of Kentucky. (UK photo)

A book published by the University of Press of Kentucky has made a list of the 100 greatest books about film

“Hawks on Hawks,” comprising author Joseph McBride’s interviews with director Howard Hawks by Joseph McBride, will appear on The Hollywood Reporter’s list of “The 100 Greatest Film Books” and will be celebrated in The Hollywood Reporter magazine and on its website on Oct. 11, according to a news release from the University of Kentucky.

The University Press of Kentucky is a statewide nonprofit publisher of scholarly works, serving Kentucky’s public and seven private colleges or universities and two major historical societies. The press says it is dedicated to the publication of academic books of high scholarly merit as well as significant books about the history and culture of Kentucky, the Ohio Valley, Upper South and Appalachia.

The UK release says the list of “The 100 Greatest Film Books” was chosen by a “blue-ribbon panel” including filmmakers Steven Spielberg and Ava DuVernay, film executives Sherry Lansing and David Zaslav, film book authors Leonard Maltin and Molly Haskell, and cultural tastemakers Maureen Dowd and Roxane Gay.

McBride is the author of 24 books, including the biography “Searching for John Ford” (hailed as “definitive” by The New York Times and the Irish Times), biographies of Frank Capra and Spielberg, three books on Orson Welles, and critical studies of Ernst Lubitsch and Billy Wilder. A former film and television writer as well as a reporter, reviewer and columnist for Daily Variety in Hollywood, McBride is a professor in the School of Cinema at San Francisco State University.

The UK release says: “Hawks on Hawks” draws on interviews that McBride conducted with Hawks (1896-1977) over seven years, giving rare insight into Hawks’s artistic philosophy, his relationships with the stars and his position in an industry that was rapidly changing. Hawks is often credited as being the most versatile of all of the great American directors, having worked with equal ease in screwball comedies, westerns, gangster movies, musicals and adventure films. He directed an impressive number of Hollywood’s greatest stars — including Humphrey Bogart, Cary Grant, John Wayne, Lauren Bacall, Rosalind Russell and Marilyn Monroe — and some of his most celebrated films include “Scarface” (1932), “Bringing Up Baby” (1938), “The Big Sleep” (1946), “Red River” (1948), “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” (1953) and “Rio Bravo” (1959).

“Hawks on Hawks,” which has been published in French, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Finnish?and in England by Faber and Faber, was also chosen by The Book Collectors of Los Angeles as one of the “100 Best Books on Hollywood and the Movies.” The French director Fran?ois Truffaut, whose interview book with Alfred Hitchcock is a landmark in film studies, said, “I read ‘Hawks on Hawks’ with passion. I am very happy that this book exists.” In its new edition, this classic book is both an account of the film legend’s life and work and a guidebook on how to make movies.

“Howard Hawks was one of the great storytellers on film,” McBride said. “I sought him out because I wanted his advice on how to write screenplays. I continued talking with him in his home or in public venues for the rest of his life. He was a marvelous raconteur and a wise and witty man who taught me much about film. Toward the end of our time together, I realized I had the makings of an interview book. I am pleased that so many people have found it valuable and entertaining.”

The Hollywood Reporter and AFI FEST will collaborate on a celebration of the authors of books on the list, which will be held during AFI FEST ?Oct. 28, at the TCL Chinese Theaters in Hollywood.

U.S. Army Pfc. Thomas Franklin “Frank” Brooks (Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency)

Gov. Andy Beshear has ordered flags at all state buildings lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset Sunday, Oct. 1, in honor of a Kentucky soldier who died in World War II, but whose remains were only identified this summer.

U.S. Army Pfc. Thomas Franklin “Frank” Brooks of Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, was a member of Company D, 194th Tank Battalion, U.S. Army Forces Far East. He was captured and died Dec. 10, 1942, in a Japanese prisoner of war camp in the Philippine Islands. Read more here.

Brooks will be interred at Hill Grove Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery in Mammoth Cave on Sunday at 11 a.m. CDT.

Beshear encourages all individuals, businesses, organizations and government agencies to join in this tribute of lowering the flag to honor Brooks. Additional flag status information is available at governor.ky.gov/flag-status.

"Midwives of the Movement" will premiere during an event beginning at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Broadway Baptist Church in Louisville. (Getty Images)

“Midwives of the Movement,” a documentary about the women’s movement in the Southern Baptist Convention, will premiere Monday in Louisville.

“The women who started our movement were bold and tenacious visionaries,” said Meredith Stone, executive director of Baptist Women in Ministry. “While they found a way forward, the patriarchal forces they fought are still at work.”

In a news release, Stone said the documentary’s “heartfelt stories, painful anecdotes, profound insights and lighthearted remembrances … will inspire the next generation to continue confronting patriarchy in religious spaces.”

The release says the production team began work in late 2022 and planned to interview leaders of the movement in June 2023. “Little did they know that the documentary’s subject — challenging Southern Baptist patriarchy— would find headlines again that same month.” That’s when Southern Baptist “messengers voted to uphold decisions to disfellowship Saddleback Church and Fern Creek Baptist Church for having female pastors, and approved the first reading of a constitutional amendment to disfellowship all other churches served by women with the title of pastor.”

The premiere event will include a screening of the film, followed by a panel discussion with the film’s production team.?

It will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Broadway Baptist Church, 4000 Brownsboro Rd., in Louisville.?

To RSVP or for more information about “Midwives of a Movement,” email Meredith Stone at [email protected].

Founded in 1983, Baptist Women in Ministry, sponsor of the documentary, advocates for “the full affirmation of women in ministry and leadership in Baptist life.”

Kentucky's 58th governor, Brereton Jones will lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda on Monday. (KET screenshot)

The public is invited to pay respects to the late Gov. Brereton Jones who will lie in state in the Kentucky Capitol Rotunda from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. EDT on Monday, Sept. 25.

Jones’ family will host a public visitation in the Rotunda from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday.

Kentucky’s 58th governor, Jones served from 1991 to 1995 . He served as lieutenant governor from 1987 to 1991. He died Sept. 18 at 84.

“Gov. Jones was a dedicated leader and a distinguished thoroughbred owner who worked to strengthen Kentucky for our families,” Gov. Andy Beshear said.

A funeral service will be held in Midway on Tuesday, Sept. 26, with private burial to follow.

On Tuesday, Beshear directed flags at all state office buildings be lowered to half-staff in Jones’ honor until sunset on Sept. 26. Individuals, businesses and organizations throughout the commonwealth are encouraged to join in this tribute. Flag status information is available at governor.ky.gov/flag-status.

A protester raises a fist beside a large transgender pride flag at the Kentucky State Capitol in March. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Sarah Ladd)

Kentucky’s ban on transgender medical care for minors will remain in force under a ruling issued Tuesday by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit.

The decision is a setback for seven anonymous Kentucky minors and their parents who had asked the appeals court to reinstate a preliminary injunction that briefly stopped enforcement of the ban. U.S. District Judge David Hale had issued the preliminary injunction in June.

Hale later stayed his own injunction based on the appeals court’s decision allowing enforcement of a similar law in Tennessee.

On Tuesday, Chief Judge Jeffrey Sutton and Judge Amul Thapar denied a motion requested by the ACLU of Kentucky to lift Hale’s stay of his own injunction.?

The two judges ruled that the issues with Kentucky’s law are the same as in the case in which the court allowed the Tennessee law to be enforced.

Judge Helene N. White dissented, writing that unlike Tennessee’s law, the law in Kentucky “provides no grace period during which patients receiving care may continue treatment.”?

Lawyers for the Kentucky minors had asked that they be allowed to continue receiving puberty blockers and hormones while the case is argued on its merits. (The plaintiffs are not challenging the Kentucky law’s ban on gender-affirming surgeries for minors.)

The Tennessee law allows gender-affirming care “without alteration” through March 31, 2024, White wrote, while Kentucky’s law requires health care providers to immediately cease treatment or to begin systematically reducing use of the drug or hormone. Violations could cost providers their licenses.?

“It seems obvious that there is a tremendous difference between a statute like Tennessee’s that allows flexibility regarding treatment decisions and time to explore alternatives and one like Kentucky’s that forces doctors to either discontinue treatment immediately or risk losing their license if a stranger to the doctor-patient relationship second-guesses the doctor’s determination or documentation that interrupting treatment would harm the minor,” White wrote in her dissent.

The three-judge panel heard arguments on the motion Sept. 1.

The Trevor Project, which aims to end suicide among LGBTQ+ youth, also has trained counselors available around the clock. Reach them at 1-866-488-7386, via chat at https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help/, or by texting START to 678678.?

Then-candidate for governor Ryan Quarles waits to speak during the Lincoln Day Dinner on April 14 in Bowling Green. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Austin Anthony)

Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles, a former state lawmaker and unsuccessful Republican candidate for governor this year, is a finalist for president of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System.

The other finalists are:

• Dean McCurdy, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana.
• Beverly Walker-Griffea, president of Mott Community College in Flint, Michigan.

In a news release announcing the finalists,? KCTCS board chair Barry Martin said: “We were overwhelmingly thrilled with candidates received in this search and we are excited to announce these extraordinary finalists.”

The candidates are scheduled to visit the system office in Versailles to meet with KCTCS Board of Regents, the 16 college presidents, and for a virtual forum with faculty and staff systemwide. The news release says the KCTCS Board of Regents is statutorily charged with choosing a president to lead the System and the selected candidate is expected to begin no later than Jan. 1, 2024.

Information about the schedule, along with photos and credentials of the finalists, are forthcoming and will be published here: Presidential Search | KCTCS.?

The Association of Governing Boards assisted KCTCS with the national search.

Jill Lepore (Courtesy of University of Kentucky Libraries)

University of Kentucky Libraries will welcome essayist, author?and professor of history Jill Lepore for the 2023 Earle C. Clements Lecture-Symposium on Tuesday, Sept.?12.

Drawing from her book, “The Deadline: Essays,” Lepore will reflect on the relationship between America’s past and its fractious present, exploring such difficult questions as “Why does impeachment no longer work?” and “Why do race riot commissions never fix anything?”

The Clements Lecture will be held at the Young Library Auditorium in William T. Young Library at 5 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, and RSVPs are appreciated. “The Deadline” will be available for purchase at the event, and Lepore will sign copies after the lecture.

Lepore is the David Woods Kemper Professor of American History and affiliate professor of law at Harvard University and a longtime staff writer at The New Yorker.

The annual Clements Lecture-Symposium honors the legacy of Earle C. Clements, who served as governor of Kentucky and represented the state in the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate. The Clements Lecture-Symposium is made possible by the generous gifts of Clements’ daughter, Bess Clements Abell, her husband Tyler Abell, and their two sons, Dan and Lyndon.

Chief Jacqueline Gwinn-Villaroel speaks to media Thursday morning. (LMPD)

A Louisville police officer is in critical condition after being shot in the torso during an early morning traffic stop.

Louisville Metro Police Department Chief Jacquelin Gwinn-Villaroel said ?shots were fired from a nearby house as the officer conducted a traffic stop around 2 a.m. in the 4000 block of Kentucky Street.

A supporting officer fired his weapon but was not injured, she said.?

A hostage-negotiating and SWAT team were dispatched to the house, Gwinn-Villaroel said.

WLKY of Louisville reports there was a standoff at the house for more than six hours, and at least two, possibly more, people were brought out in handcuffs.?

The officer underwent surgery at the University of Louisville Hospital, LMPD reports, and was in critical and stable condition.

Martin Richards will step down as executive director of the Community Farm Alliance at the end of the year. (Photo submitted)

Martin Richards, executive director of Kentucky’s Community Farm Alliance since 2010, will step down at the end of the year, according to a release from the Berea-based organization, which has launched a search for his successor.

Kentucky farmers founded CFA in 1985 to support small family farms during an American farm crisis that resulted in record foreclosures.

Richards has been a CFA member since 1995, served as its board president in 1998, and during the 2000 General Assembly lobbied for House Bill 611, the historic law that created the Agricultural Development Fund and has pumped hundreds of millions of dollars from the tobacco master settlement into Kentucky agriculture.?

Under Richards’ leadership CFA has attracted more than $12 million in federal, state and and private philanthropic funding to support its mission, according to the release. The organization has launched or collaborated on direct farm marketing initiatives, efforts to leverage local food for better health and access to nutrition and to build local economies, and programs for beginning farmers and those in disadvantaged communities, including Farmers Market Support Program, Kentucky Double Dollars, Fresh RX for Moms, The Patchwork Initiative ?and CFA’s Farm to Table Program.

Construction of the battery plant in Glendale in January 2023. (BlueOval SK photo)

Executives of the joint venture that will manufacture electric vehicle batteries at Glendale in Hardin County will host a town hall meeting in Elizabethtown on Tuesday, Sept. 12.?

Members of the BlueOval SK team will provide an update on construction, jobs, training and workforce development, as well as answer questions from the audience and media, according to a release.?

The meeting will be held at the Historic State Theater, 209 W. Dixie Ave. Doors will open at 6 p.m. Those attending are encouraged to RSVP and can submit questions for panelists at blueovalsk.com.?

BlueOval SK Battery Park will produce batteries for Ford and Lincoln electric vehicles. Ford Motor Co. is building the $5.8 million plant in a joint venture with SK On of South Korea.?

The Glendale plant and a similar one near Stanton, Tennessee, are scheduled to begin operating in 2025.?

After McConnell fell silent while speaking to reporters Aug. 30, aides came to his side. (Screenshot via X by Haley Parnell/LINKnky)

Sen. Mitch McConnell’s office on Tuesday released a physician’s letter saying “there is no evidence” that the Senate’s Republican leader has a seizure disorder or experienced a stroke, following two public episodes when McConnell appeared to freeze while speaking to reporters.

“There are no changes recommended in treatment protocols as you continue recovery from your March 2023 fall,” says the short letter from Dr. Brian P. Monahan, Congress’ attending physician. McConnell suffered a concussion and broken rib in a fall in Washington in March.

The doctor’s note says: “My examination of you following your August 30, 2023 brief episode included several medical evaluations: brain MRI imaging, EEG study and consultations with several neurologists for a comprehensive neurology assessment. There is no evidence that you have a seizure disorder or that you experienced a stroke, TIA or movement disorder such as Parkinson’s disease.”

While speaking to reporters in Covington on Aug. 30, McConnell fell silent and did not speak for about 30 seconds, following a similar incident in late July at the U.S. Capitol.

Congress resumes today after a five-week recess, during which McConnell, 81, made numerous public appearances in Kentucky, including at the Fancy Farm Picnic and Farm Bureau Country Ham Breakfast during the state fair.

McConnell fell silent when speaking to reporters Wednesday in Covington. (Photo by Haley Parnell/LINK nky)

U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell fell silent and appeared to freeze while speaking to reporters Wednesday in Covington, his second such public episode in as many months.

A spokesman for the Senate Republican leader told the Lantern that McConnell “felt momentarily lightheaded and paused during his press conference today.”??

“While he feels fine, as a prudential measure, the Leader will be consulting a physician prior to his next event,” a McConnell aide said on background.

On July 26, McConnell, 81, had to be escorted away after appearing to freeze during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol, raising concerns about his health. McConnell suffered a concussion in March after a fall.

McConnell, who has been traveling Kentucky making appearances during Congress’ August recess, was the featured speaker Wednesday at a gathering of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, which presented him with an award.?

LINK nky reporter Haley Parnell, who was at the event, reports that McConnell was answering questions from reporters after his prepared remarks when he appeared to freeze.

“After the approximate 30-second pause, McConnell appeared to have trouble hearing, and his responses were difficult to understand,” Parnell reports.

“The freeze-up occurred following a question regarding his reelection. Reporters in the room were told he needed a minute. McConnell did not answer the question and moved on to the next,” LINK nky reports.

In response to the next question, McConnell touted Republican Daniel Cameron’s candidacy for Kentucky governor.?

Asked for his thoughts on former President Donald Trump, McConnell said he would not be commenting on the presidential race and was led out of the room, according to LINK nky.

During his prepared remarks, McConnell briefly discussed the Brent Spence Bridge project, inflation in Kentucky and the war in Ukraine, even cracking multiple jokes, LINK nky reports.

“I’m wired here like a suicide bomber,” McConnelll said as he took the microphone.?

?McConnell spoke Aug. 5 at the Fancy Farm Picnic in West Kentucky and vowed to an audience at the Graves County GOP Breakfast that it would not be his last Fancy Farm. McConnell and other Kentucky political figures addressed an audience of more than 1,600 at the Kentucky Farm Bureau County Ham Breakfast at the Kentucky State Fair last week.

The Associated Press reported that President Joe Biden, when asked about McConnell at a press event said he had just heard what had happened. “Mitch is a friend, as you know,” Biden said. “Not a joke. … He’s a good friend. I’m going to try to get in touch with him this afternoon. ”

This story has been updated with reporting by LINKnky.

Lewis Ritchie pulls a kayak through floodwater after delivering groceries to his father-in-law on July 28, 2022 outside Jackson in Breathitt County. (Photo by Michael Swensen/Getty Images)

AppalRed Legal Aid will use a $1,345,226 grant to add staff to help low-income Kentuckians still trying to recover from last year’s severe storms, floods and mudslides, according to a news release from the Prestonsburg-based nonprofit.

AppalReD, or the Appalachian Research and Defense Fund of Kentucky, is one of 14 organizations around the country sharing in $20 million of supplemental funding approved by Congress earlier this year to support natural disaster response. The awards were made by the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), a 49-year–old nonprofit created by Congress to support civil legal assistance to low-income people.

AppalReD will use the three-year grant to add two attorneys and two paralegals to its disaster response team.?

LSC is also awarding AppalReD an additional $144,502 to compensate for already incurred costs related to the natural disasters.

“Over the past year all of us have become very aware of the long-term nature of our region’s recovery. Many of our neighbors are struggling to find affordable housing or continue to work on FEMA appeals,” said Evan Smith, AppalRed’s interim executive director.

?“They are living proof of the maxim ‘recovery takes years not weeks.’ This grant will allow AppalReD Legal Aid to play an even bigger part in the ongoing response, especially as disaster survivors’ needs continue to evolve over the next three years.”

Whitney Bailey, who has served as AppalReD’s disaster resource attorney over the past year, said the grant will help the nonprofit law firm “continue supporting July 2022 disaster survivors. It can be overwhelming and frustrating for disaster survivors to navigate the FEMA appeal process, title and homeownership issues, and other civil legal matters.”

After weather disasters, victims often require immediate legal assistance to file for benefits from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and insurers. They also need legal assistance to deal with landlord-tenant issues, access unemployment or apply for replacements of important documents, said the news release, which adds that disaster-caused legal issues can persist for years, including FEMA appeals, bankruptcy, predatory scams, public housing and domestic violence.

??“Disaster response involves so much more than physical repairs, as millions of Americans find out each year when their home or family is impacted by one of these devastating events,” said LSC President Ron Flagg. “Legal aid providers are integral in helping low-income families access vital services and resources that set them on the path to recovery.”

The news release says AppalReD will continue outreach to those affected by the flooding and contract with the nonprofit Appalachian Citizens Law Center to enhance services in the most severely affected places.

In response to the flood, AppalReD Legal Aid and its partners launched a Flood Survivors Legal Hotline last year to address the legal needs of flood survivors and contribute to the long-term improvement of the Appalachia region. Grant funds will also be used to support this resource and to update the AppalReD and KyJustice.org websites, which will include an informational website for flood survivors with a simplified intake form.

To contact the Flood Survivors Legal Hotline call 1-844-478-0099.

A garden toolkit and mindfulness programs were created in response to a UK Extension survey in 2018. (USDA photo/Preston Keres)

The?University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service is surveying Kentuckians to get ideas for new programs, according to a UK news release.

“In addition to this survey, county extension agents will actively seek feedback through informal listening sessions, fostering close relationships with local communities,” said Laura Stephenson, UK associate vice president for land-grant engagement and associate dean and extension director for the ?Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.

Programming areas in Cooperative Extension include agriculture and natural resources, family and consumer sciences and 4-H youth development. In addition, horticulture and fine arts programming are also offered in some counties.

A similar survey in 2018 received 38,000 responses and led to the creation of a number of programs, says the release, including 4-H mindfulness and a garden toolkit.

To participate in the 10-minute community needs assessment survey, visit?https://go.uky.edu/serveKY.

A rock climber gets an intimate view of Kentucky geology. (Photo courtesy of Beattyville/Lee County Tourism)

The powerful role of geologic forces in shaping our environment, natural resources and daily lives will be the focus of an Aug. 9 talk in Lexington.

State geologist Drew Andrews, acting director of the Kentucky Geological Survey, will discuss the ways geology affects lives more than most people realize. He will also give an overview of services offered by the Kentucky Geological Survey, according to a news release from the Kentucky Academy of Science.

The event starts at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Pivot Brewing, 1400 Delaware Ave.

The event is open to the public. There is no admission charge. Attendees will have opportunities to purchase food and drink and are welcome to stay after the talk to enjoy the gathering of science enthusiasts. One guest will receive a door prize, a geology-themed coffee mug.

The event is sponsored by the Kentucky Academy of Science, the state’s largest science organization with more than 4,000 scientists, students, educators, and advocates working together to promote science in Kentucky.

The U.S. Capitol. (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

Applications are now open for the 2024 United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP), a merit-based opportunity that takes outstanding high school students from around the country to Washington, D.C., for a weeklong study of the federal government and the people who lead it, the Kentucky Department of Education announced Tuesday.

According to a news release, two Kentucky high school students will be selected this fall as delegates and will each receive a $10,000 college scholarship in the name of the U.S. Senate, with encouragement to continue coursework in history, government and public affairs.

The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) oversees the selection process of two students to be part of the national 104-student USSYP delegation.

Students will attend Washington Week – scheduled for March 2-9, 2024 – and participate in meetings and briefings with high-level officials from each branch of federal government, including senators, a justice of the Supreme Court, leaders of cabinet agencies, other key policymakers and senior members of the media.

High school teachers and principals are encouraged to nominate qualified high school juniors and seniors to apply. Applications for the 2024 USSYP program are available online and are due Oct. 2.

Applicants should be interested in pursuing careers in public service and have proven records of leadership, scholarship and volunteer service. Students will need to submit a transcript, two letters of recommendation and a resume as part of the application process.

Semifinalists will interview in Frankfort on Saturday, Nov. 4. KDE will announce the names of two USSYP delegates and two alternates representing Kentucky in December.

David Daniel, a senior at Owensboro High School (Owensboro Independent), and Heng Yang, a recent graduate of Conner High School (Boone County), were selected for the 2023 program.

“Before my week in Washington, I had an outsider’s perspective on how the government is run. I had a pessimistic view of politics as an endless series of deadlocks and polarization,” Yang wrote in a recent column on Kentucky Teacher. “However, the common theme I learned from U.S. Senate Youth is compromise and cooperation,” a theme Yang said was reinforced during the group’s visits to national landmarks and in conversations with his USSYP mentors and peers.

“The memories made here have been countless and will be some of the fondest ever, I’m sure,” Daniel wrote in a reflective column about his USSYP experience that was published in Kentucky Teacher. “You make friends from so many diverse backgrounds, and I can only hope that this network stays strong throughout my professional life.”

The U.S. Senate Youth Program was created by Senate Resolution 324 in 1962 and has been sponsored by the Senate and funded by The Hearst Foundations. The 2024 program brochure with detailed rules and additional program details is available on the USSYP website.

For more information, email GlyptusAnn Grider Jones or call her at (502) 564-2000, ext. 4616.

Fixes in the administration of the federal student loan program will help more than 11,000 Kentuckians discharge almost $448 million in debt. (Getty Images)

More than 11,000 student loan borrowers in Kentucky are eligible for automatic relief from almost a half-billion in debt under a plan announced last week by the Biden administration.?

A news release from the U.S. Department of Education says the debt discharges are part of a “commitment to address historical failures in the administration” of the federal student loan program.

Nationwide more than 800,000 borrowers will have their remaining debt wiped out.

The $39 billion in debt relief will come through fixes to mismanagement of the agency’s income-driven repayment plans. Many long-time borrowers, including those who had been making payments for 20 years or more, were denied relief they were eligible for under the repayment plans. Qualified payments that were made were not accounted for.

The education department was to begin notifying eligible borrowers of their forgiveness last week, and within 30 days their debts are to be wiped out.

In Kentucky, borrowers eligible for discharge total 11,180 and the debt eligible for discharge totals $447.7 million.?

Kentucky has awarded almost $1.1 million in grants to nine tech businesses. The state funding will match, in part, $7.45 million in federal grants the businesses will collectively receive, according to a release from Gov. Andy Beshear’s office.

The funding comes through Kentucky’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Matching Funds Program which are part of the Cabinet for Economic Development.?

The governor’s office says: To date, Kentucky SBIR/STTR-awarded companies have leveraged the state’s matching program to receive $4.70 in federal or private capital for every $1 in state funds. These businesses also have created more than 731 well-paying jobs, 88% of which have annual salaries over $50,000. Match recipients have 235 patents and generated more than $56.90 million in sales and licensing revenue. Kentucky has made 319 match awards to 152 unique companies since the program’s inception, leveraging $158.5 million in federal funding coming into the state.

More information on Kentucky’s SBIR/STTR Matching Funds Program is available at kyinnovation.com/sbir.

The nine Kentucky-based businesses awarded matching funds are using technology to advance multiple fields, from health care and lithium-ion battery technology to environmentally friendly hydrogen production, says the governor’s office. Recipient companies include:

Bioptics Technology LLC (Lexington):
Bioptics Technology is developing a revolutionary noncontact optical brain imager for noninvasive imaging of cerebral blood flow and resting-state functional connectivity across distinct regions of the brain in small animals. The Global Small Animal Imaging Market size is estimated to reach $3.5 billion by 2029, driven by growing demand and adoption of preclinical, multimodal and optical imaging systems.

Faradine Systems (Lexington):
Faradine Systems, in partnership with goTenna, seeks to develop a device to serve as a Team Awareness Kit/Tactical Assault Kit meshed networked node. This solution will enable warfighters to create rapidly configurable signaling devices to extend situational awareness and visual/data communications through overt/covert light devices on the complex battlefields of tomorrow.

Degranin Therapeutics LLC (Louisville):
Degranin Therapeutics is an early-stage Kentucky business formed to translate academic research performed at the University of Louisville into a commercially successful drug that saves lives and reduces health care costs. Acute respiratory distress syndrome is a rapidly developing, life-threatening lung disease occurring in 200,000 to 250,000 hospitalized patients in the United States each year, with an average cost of $70,000 per patient and a 30% to 40% mortality rate. There are no drugs currently approved that alter the severity or mortality of the disease.

DesiCorp Inc. (Louisville):
DesiCorp is working to help advanced biomanufacturing plants so that in the event of mass contamination cells or large-scale cell death the cell lines or other bioprocesses can be quickly restored to an operational system. DesiCorp’s freeze-dried cell lines will help prevent costly downtime within plants and labs to recultivate or completely regrow their cell lines.

FetalLife LLC (Louisville):
FetalLife is creating a myFetalTronics system for telehealth and usability in an at-home setting for expectant mothers. The system monitors contractions and fetal heartbeat while the platform provides online medical services and resources.

Hexalayer LLC (Louisville):
Hexalayer is focused on the development and commercialization of next-generation, high-performance lithium-ion battery technology. The company’s next project incorporates a powder for the roll-roll anode manufacturing process. Hexalayer’s solution for powerful batteries will have a significant worldwide impact on the energy density of current and emerging Li-ion batteries in both consumer and military markets.

Pascal Tags Inc. (Louisville):
Pascal Tags is focused on continued development and optimization of their chip-less inventory tag. The technology uses a resonator to enable a magnetic field to be created when in the environment of radiofrequency waves. The tags offer a radiofrequency identification functionality with an extremely cost-effective tag. The tags have many unique applications of being durable, as the tags can be directly printed and embedded into a product, to act as a universal serial number for the life of a product.

PCC Hydrogen Inc. (Louisville):
PCC Hydrogen (PCCH2) has developed a patented process to produce net negative CO2 green hydrogen by reforming ethanol fuel. The company will develop applications for the hydrogen produced through its novel production process. PCCH2 has identified battery electric vehicle (BEV) recharging stations as an attractive application for PCCH2’s hydrogen product. Given the dynamic growth of BEV’s, there is an urgent need to expand the number of Level 3 fast-charging resources for Kentucky drivers. PCCH2’s net negative CO2 green hydrogen, when coupled with a fuel cell, can cost-effectively deliver environmentally friendly Level 3 charging power to prospective customers. Since those chargers are independent of the grid, deployment can be accelerated.

The-Corps (Locating from California):
The-Corps’ TRL 7 Acclimate technology system combats heat stress and heat illness by providing smart, active cooling to the user coupled with hydration that is compatible with donned gear configurations. This enables the user to train harder, perform better and fight longer. Acclimates’ dual-use technology is at the forefront of the Human Capital Sustainment and Human Performance Enhancement revolution for troop and athlete endurance training, meeting both Department of Defense and commercial sector needs.

President Joe Biden and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell celebrated another bipartisan infrastructure accomplishment in January: $1.6 billion in federal funding for Ohio River bridges connecting Covington and Cincinnati. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Michael Clubb)

Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear and Republican U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell hailed a White House announcement Monday that Kentucky will receive almost $1.1 billion to expand broadband internet access.

The funding is part of $42.45 billion unveiled by the Biden administration to connect all Americans to high-speed broadband internet by the end of the decade.

The funds, which will be distributed as grants across U.S. states and territories, are allocated under the bipartisan infrastructure law, passed in 2021, but unveiled as the kick-off for the administration’s three-week tour highlighting infrastructure projects and private sector investment across the U.S.

Speaking at the White House, President Joe Biden likened the ambitious goal to FDR’s New Deal-era rural electrification program that brought the then-modern technology to farms and rural areas across the United States.

“What we’re doing is, as I said, not unlike what Franklin Delano Roosevelt did when he brought electricity to nearly every American home and farm in our nation. Today (Vice President) Kamala (Harris) and I are making an equally historic investment to connect everyone in America to high speed internet, and affordable high speed internet, by 2030,” Biden said.

“Because for today’s economy to work for everyone, internet access is just as important as electricity was, or water or other basic services,” Biden continued.

Twenty-four million people lack access to high-speed internet because networks do not reach their homes or because of affordability issues, according to the administration.

Kentucky reaction

Calling it “a historic day,” Beshear said the federal funding will help the state “connect every family, community and business to high-speed internet.”?

“Never before have we seen this type of investment in high-speed internet, and with it comes new infrastructure, more good jobs for our families and a boost to our already booming economy,” said the governor who is seeking reelection this year.

McConnell, the U.S. Senate’s Republican leader, touted his role in leading the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to passage in Congress two years ago.?

A release from McConnell’s office said the measure “will give Kentucky billions of federal dollars over five years to improve the Commonwealth’s roads, bridges, railroads, riverports, airports, broadband, and more.”?

“In today’s digital age, it’s essential that Kentucky’s communities, from rural towns to urban centers, have access to reliable and affordable high-speed Internet. Today’s federal funding will deploy internet infrastructure to communities across the Commonwealth that need it most, bringing new opportunity to millions of Kentuckians,” said McConnell. “The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to deliver more wins for the people of Kentucky, and I’m delighted to see this significant investment head our way today.”

With the just-announced allocations, Kentucky will have received more than $1.6 billion in total high-speed internet funding since the American Rescue Plan Act was passed in March 2021, said Beshear.

The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, created through the 2021 law, is a program of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration that will fund additional expansion of high-speed internet networks in Kentucky, said Beshear’s office.

The program prioritizes projects that serve areas lacking internet speeds above 25/3Mbps. According to the most recent data released last month by the Federal Communications Commission, Kentucky has more than 258,000 unserved locations.

The Office of Broadband Development will administer a competitive grant process to distribute these funds, including to internet service providers and local governments, beginning in early 2024.

“We are prepared to hit the ground running after this historic announcement,” said Meghan Sandfoss, executive director of Kentucky’s Office of Broadband Development. “Combined with the Governor’s previous record-breaking investments to expand access, these new funds are going to drive substantial growth in the reliability and availability of high-speed internet.”

Beshear encouraged Kentuckians to take the Broadband Speed Test and sign up for the Affordable Connectivity Program if they are eligible.

White House event

Harris opened the event in the East Room, attended by guests and members of Congress, with a description of her visit to Sunset, Louisiana, where she said 40 percent of households do not have broadband access.

“In Sunset, I met with parents who cannot apply for remote-work jobs because they do not have a high-speed internet connection at home,” Harris said. “… I met with entrepreneurs who struggle to start or grow a small business because they cannot get online. And I met with students who, when public buildings were closed during the pandemic, had to sit in the parking lot of a local library just to submit their homework over Wi-Fi.”

Jeff Say, manager of community engagement for UVA Health Culpeper Medical Center and a resident of Culpeper County, Virginia, told the crowd that the local internet service provider’s broadband connectivity stops a half mile from his home.

“What we ended up with was a hotspot that’s spotty at best and an ongoing struggle to work our schedule around the lack of connectivity,” Say said after Harris spoke and before he introduced Biden.

“We have to drive our children into my work, to my wife’s school, or to our county library to finish projects or homework assignments. Every aspect of our daily life has now seemingly been touched by internet access — education, health, commerce, and entertainment,” he continued.

‘Bidenomics’ touted

Connecting Americans to high-speed internet is a “key part” of “Bidenomics” — Biden’s plan that “is rooted in the simple idea that we need to grow the economy from the middle out and the bottom up—not the top down,” according to a memo the administration released Monday.

During his remarks on broadband funding, Biden highlighted recent employment numbers and big-ticket private investment in areas like semiconductor manufacturing — a nod to the CHIPS and Science Act he signed into law in 2022 that provided subsidies for the industry — as proof of his administration’s recent economic success.

The latest round of broadband grants builds upon the Affordable Connectivity Program that provided income-eligible families at least a $30 discount per month on internet service as a part of the American Rescue Plan, both Biden and Harris noted.

Dubbed the “Internet for All” initiative, Monday’s announcement begins the near-month-long tour by Biden and administration officials to spotlight some of the 35,000 projects either funded or underway since Biden took office.

Biden is running for re-election in 2024.

The money will first be prioritized to install and upgrade broadband networks, according to the White House. Once those goals are met, remaining funds can be used for “access-, adoption- and equity-related uses.”

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration will administer the grants to all 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories. The funding comes from the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program established under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

States and territories are expected to receive a formal notice of allocated funds by June 30.

States, internet providers, tribal governments and community organizations will then have 180 days to submit grant proposals. The various grants are detailed at InternetForAll.gov.

As the summer season begins, wildlife officials are advising Kentuckians about possible black bear sightings.?

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife says that sightings of black bears are common across the state. Encounters with the animals are possible, too, especially in early summer.?

Recent sightings have been reported in eastern, southeastern and southcentral Kentucky, the department said in a press release.?

Bears may be spotted in places like rural farms, residential areas, and occasionally in a town or city as “young males disperse from their primary range in eastern Kentucky to establish new home ranges for themselves and search for mates,” the department said.?

John Hast, wildlife biologist and bear specialist with Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, said in a statement that young male black bears can go to a more populated area unintentionally.

“They are on their own for the first time and just discovering humans,” Hast said. “They are generally wary of people and will keep moving to exit a populated area on their own, usually at night when humans are less active.”

Young male bears are pushed out of areas where they were raised by older, dominant males. In a day, bears can travel 20 miles or more if undisturbed. The department said the bears “may wander up to several weeks or more into unfamiliar territory” looking for a suitable habitat and mates before returning to a mountainous area. Eastern Kentucky and the Ozarks region of Missouri have burgeoning bear populations.?

Hast said that if bears are afraid of an unfamiliar sight, sound or location, they may “easily get lost and wander further into a town or city instead of away.” If people see a bear, they should not engage with it and remove potential food sources. That can encourage bears to keep moving.?

Adverse encounters are extremely rare. Black bears have a natural fear of people and dogs.

“Kentucky Fish and Wildlife advises the public to never approach or feed a bear, which can result in a negative encounter,” the press release said. “If you ever encounter a bear, keep a safe distance and never approach it. If you feel a bear is posing an immediate danger, call local law enforcement immediately.”

If a bear is spotted near your home, secure your garbage in a garage or other building, do not leave pet food outside and clean and securely store barbecue grills. This can also be applicable to prevent wildlife problems in general. Additionally, do not feed birds in bear range or near where a bear has been spotted recently.?

Intentionally feeding bears violates Kentucky law. Hunting bears is also regulated in the state and is limited to defined seasons within established bear zones in the eastern part of the state to sustain the animals’ population.?

For more information about black bears visit www.bearwise.org or go to the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife’s website, fw.ky.gov, and search keywords “black bear.”

Greg Elkins, surrounded by family, friends and colleagues, is sworn in Thursday as the new senator representing Bath, Clark, Menifee and Montgomery Counties and an eastern portion of Fayette County. (Photo by LRC Public Information)

Sen. Greg Elkins, a Republican from Winchester who recently won a special election, was sworn into the Kentucky Senate on Thursday.?

Elkins, will fill a vacancy left by former Sen. Ralph Alvarado, who became the Tennessee Department of Public Health commissioner in January. The term ends in 2026.

The seat represents the 28th state Senate District, which covers Bath, Clark, Montgomery, Menifee and part of Fayette counties.?

Elkins’ wife, Kim, and their friends and family joined them for his for his swearing-in ceremony, a Senate Majority press release said. Senate Republicans, including Senate President Robert Stivers and other members of leadership, also attended. Elkins was sworn in by Supreme Court of Kentucky Justice Robert Conley.?

“Senator Elkins brings great business acumen and the entire Senate Majority Caucus is excited to work with him,” Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, said in a statement. “He arrives in the legislature at a great time, just before the 2023 Interim Period, which allows him to get his feet wet as the joint committees do their work ahead of the 2024 60-day budget session. I am particularly pleased to welcome Greg as we both represent a portion of Fayette County. Additionally, his win returns the Senate GOP supermajority to its high-water mark of 31 members.”??

With Elkins, the Republicans’ majority in the Senate stands at 31 members to seven Democrats.?

During the interim session, Elkins will serve on the Interim Joint Committees on Health Services, Families and Children, State Government and Local Government. His standing committee assignments will be announced before the 2024 legislative session begins.?

“Few people are fortunate enough to call themselves Americans and Kentuckians, and even fewer are blessed to be a representative for their fellow residents. I take this responsibility seriously and know my constituents trust me to represent them well,” Elkins said in a statement. “With the support of friends here in the Kentucky General Assembly, I’m confident we will continue moving Kentucky in the right direction.”?

Tourism to Mammoth Cave National Park created $69.2 million in economic benefits in 2021, according to a news release from Sen. Mitch McConnell. (National Park Service)

A 980-acre expansion of Mammoth Cave National Park is in the works.

U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell and Rep. Brett Guthrie on Tuesday unveiled legislation that would allow the park? to acquire “critical habitat” within the Green River watershed from The Nature Conservancy.

“The property includes numerous cave passages, including Coach Cave and James Cave that have prehistoric and historic artifacts that the National Park System can conserve and manage,” said a news release from McConnell’s office.

The two Republican lawmakers from Kentucky introduced the Mammoth Cave National Park Boundary Adjustment Act in their respective chambers. They said the expansion would protect wildlife, preserve cultural heritage and bring more tourism into Guthrie’s Second Congressional District.

Site of the world’s longest known cave system, the 52,000 acre park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve.

The news release said the southern boundary expansion includes the coordinates 135/177, 967 in Edmonson and Barren counties.

Guthrie said, “As the world’s longest known cave system full of biodiversity and history, Mammoth Cave National Park is not only a treasure to the Commonwealth of Kentucky, but also a treasure to the entire world. After discussions with Mammoth Cave National Park leadership and the local community, I introduced a bill to allow the park to acquire specific land to put cultural heritage artifacts and habitats under the care and expertise of the Mammoth Cave National Park Service. I’m proud to partner with Leader McConnell on this effort to expand Mammoth Cave National Park for National Park Service employees and volunteers to conserve and people to enjoy for generations to come.”

Said McConnell, the Senate’s Republican leader: “Kentucky is lucky to be home to an abundance of natural treasures, among them, Mammoth Cave National Park. This extensive cave network has been inspiring Kentuckians and drawing visitors from all corners of the globe for generations. Beyond its role in driving tourism to our Commonwealth, the park also plays a crucial role in the region’s economic growth, supporting good jobs for the people of Kentucky,” said McConnell. “I’m proud to partner with Congressman Guthrie on this important initiative once again which will expand the critical habitats that the National Park Service protects and preserves in the park.”

Appalshop in downtown Whitesburg. (Appalshop photo)

Appalshop, a community media and arts organization dedicated to preserving and sharing the rich cultural heritage of Central Appalachia, will host its 37th annual Seedtime on the Cumberland Festival on June 16–17, the first since the devastating 2022 summer flood.

This free festival featuring music, art, dance, film, local crafters, and food will be held across downtown Whitesburg in four different venues. The program features a passport page, and attendees will be entered to win a prize if they receive a stamp from?each location.

Performers for the 2023 festival include Dori Freeman, Adeem the Artist, the Don Rogers Band, Sparky & Rhonda Rucker, Travis Stuart, L.I.P.S., and many more. Beyond performances, there will also be a dance workshop, a banjo workshop, and several film showcases, including a screening of Appalshop’s newest film, “Wiley’s Last Resort.”

In the spirit of community arts, the festival provides a space for regional artists, crafters, authors, and organizations to showcase their talents and wares.

Seedtime on the Cumberland furthers Appalshop’s mission through the celebration of Appalachian culture, music and stories. ?This festival also challenges stereotypes, supports grassroots efforts to achieve justice and equity, and celebrate cultural diversity, according to a news release from Appalshop.

For more information, call (606) 633-0108 or email [email protected].

Koffi C. Akakpo, president of Bluegrass Community and Technical College in Lexington, has been named to lead Kentucky State University in Frankfort.

Akakpo will become KSU’s 19th president on July 1, according to a news release.

Tammi Dukes, the chair of KSU’s Board of Regents, said Akakpo was chosen after a national search. “Today is undoubtedly an exciting time in Kentucky State’s history, and we are confident that the foundation laid by this extensive presidential search process—involving input and deliberation from a wide range of constituents and stakeholders, including both internal and external campus community members—allowed us to choose the best leader for Kentucky State and its future.”

Akakpo, who has been BCTC president for four years, holds a Ph.D. in higher education administration from the University of Toledo; a Master of Business Administration from Ashland University in Ohio, and a Master of Science from Universite du Benin, Lome, Togo.

“My work focuses on championing postsecondary institutions, tackling the uncertainty they face, and securing their current and future prosperity, particularly through bold thinking, transformational problem-solving, and strategic partnership building,” ?Akakpo said.?

KSU is a historically Black land-grant university authorized by the legislature in 1886.

Gov. Andy Beshear has named two new members to the Kentucky Board of Education after Republicans criticized the Democrat for not making the appointments and blamed his inaction on partisan motives.

Beshear appointed Julia “Julie” Pile of Florence and Diana Woods of Lexington to the 15-member board which develops regulations for Kentucky’s 171 school districts, oversees the Department of Education and hires the state’s education commissioner. The new appointees will serve until April 2026.

The two terms had expired more than a year ago but under the state constitution board members continue to serve until their successors are named, as Beshear noted last week when reporters asked him about the election-year criticism from Republicans.

“Now, I know where this is coming from, and as governor, I don’t answer to either political party. I answer to the people of Kentucky. And appointments to the Kentucky Board of Education are not and will never be political,” Beshear said. “In fact, the law used to say that you couldn’t look at someone’s party. All you had to look at were their qualifications. When that was changed by the legislature, we have followed that law.”

The two new at-large appointments appear to satisfy the demographic and political requirements. Pile is a registered Republican and Woods a registered Democrat, the Associated Press reported.

Pile has been an active volunteer in schools and co-founded a national nonprofit, ParentCamp, that offers virtual training for school communities, focusing on family-school-community engagement. Training topics include addressing family trauma and increasing family involvement, according to the Department of Education. She is a 2012 graduate of the Commonwealth Institute for Parent Leadership and a 2018 member of the inaugural EdTrust Fund Parent Fellowship class.

Woods was a teacher, principal and director of middle schools in Fayette County and then became superintendent of Campbellsville Independent Schools in Taylor County. In retirement, she consulted with the Kentucky Center for School Safety and is a clinical educator at Georgetown College. Woods also serves on the Kentucky African American Heritage Commission, according to the education department.

State Republican Party Chairman Mac Brown penned a letter to Beshear on May 24, calling on the governor to make the appointments. “I respectfully request you comply with the law by May 31. I’d be happy to send you a list of Republicans if you’re having trouble finding one,” Brown wrote.

Beshear faces Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron in the November election.

Bill Gatton

LEXINGTON — The University of Kentucky on Thursday announced a $100 million gift, the largest in UK’s history, to the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.

The gift is from the Bill Gatton Foundation, endowed by the late Carol Martin “Bill” Gatton, a businessman, investor and UK alum who gave generously to his alma mater. Gatton died in April 2022.?

To honor Gatton’s parents, Edith Martin and Harry W. Gatton Sr., the college will be renamed as the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.

A UK news release says Gatton’s gift to CAFE is the “latest in a series of generous donations that have transformed the university, including record-breaking gifts to the Gatton College of Business and Economics, the university’s Gatton Student Center and scholarships for students with unmet financial need through the UK LEADS initiative.”

Gatton’s impact on the University of Kentucky exceeds $180 million; he is the university’s single largest donor, says the UK release.

Nancy Cox, UK vice president for land-grant engagement and dean of UK CAFE, said the gift “will allow us to both accelerate our land-grant mission and create new programs to serve our citizens.”

Cox said the college will form a task force of faculty and staff to consider how the gift will be used to support the Gatton Foundation’s vision for scholarships, academic programming, infrastructure and research.

Considered by UK to be the largest ever to any college of agriculture, the donation will be “transformational,” said UK President Eli Capilouto.

“Like Mr. Gatton did, we dream of a Kentucky tomorrow that is healthier, wealthier and wiser than it is today. This gift reflects his profound belief in this institution to be a partner for progress in our capacity and commitment to advance Kentucky,” Capilouto said.

Gatton grew up on a farm in Muhlenberg County and during his freshman year at UK? served as the state president of the Kentucky Future Farmers of America. He graduated from the College of Commerce in 1954 and earned a master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He owned car dealerships and was involved in real estate projects in multiple states.?

Bill Gatton Foundation Trustee Danny Dunn said the gift is the foundation’s first major donation since Gatton’s death. “This gift symbolizes the foundation’s commitment to honoring Mr. Gatton’s passion for Kentucky and his desire to support its agricultural community as an essential way to advance this state.”

The light could go out on many public records in Kentucky, experts warn, under House Bill 509. Above, the Kentucky Capitol at dusk, Jan. 4, 2023. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Arden Barnes)

Before lawmakers return to Frankfort for the next legislative session, special committees and task forces will meet during the interim.?

Starting next month, the groups will explore specific policy issues. Each task force will be composed of 10 legislators.

The task forces will submit findings and recommendations to the Legislative Research Commission by Dec. 4. The General Assembly will convene in January.?

Per a Senate Majority Caucus press release, the special committees are:?

• The Task Force on Local Government Annexation, co-chaired by Sen. Robby Mills, R-Henderson, and Rep. Jonathan Dixon, R-Corydon, will study required city annexation methods and effects of city annexation on areas like? taxation, economic development, utility services, police protection, fire protection and emergency services from the perspective of local governments and their residents. The task force will eventually recommend changes to statutes.?
• The Lottery Trust Fund Task Force, co-chaired by Sen. Matthew Deneen, R-Elizabethtown, and?Rep. Bobby McCool, R-Van Lear, will review budget trends and use of the lottery trust fund as well as evaluate scholarships and grant programs performance. The task force will examine expected scholarship and grant needs and compare the system with other states.?
• The Multimodal Freight Transportation System Improvement Task Force, co-chaired by Sen. Jason Howell, R-Murray, and House Majority Caucus Chair Suzanne Miles, R-Owensboro, will review ports, freight and air terminals to review, correct, secure and expand economic development opportunities and the state of the current freight transportation system.?
• ?The Jail and Corrections Reform Task Force, co-chaired by Sen. John Schickel, R-Union, and Rep. Josh Bray, R-Mount Vernon, will study existing jail and correctional facilities as well as possible realignment and closure. Other areas the task force will review include the management of Kentucky’s incarcerated population, personnel and other costs, pretrial and post-conviction incarceration data and more.?
• The Kentucky Health and Human Services Delivery System Task Force, co-chaired by Sen. Steve Meredith, R-Leitchfield, and House Speaker Pro Tem David Meade, R-Stanford, will study the structure, operations and administration in the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. The task force will determine if or how services may be more effective and efficient for Kentuckians as well as examine the state’s benefits cliff and build upon work of the prior benefits cliff task force.??
• The Certificate of Need Task Force, co-chaired by Sen. Donald Douglas, R-Nicholasville, and Rep. Russell Webber, R-Shepherdsville, will review the state’s CON program and examine the need to maintain or change it for each covered health service. Findings or recommendations will be made to LRC to then be referred to the appropriate committee.?
• The Task Force on School and Campus Security, co-chaired by Sen. Max Wise, R-Campbellsville, and Rep. Scott Lewis, R-Hartford, will examine access to mental health services in school districts and determine if federal funding is available for them.

GOP gubernatorial nominee Daniel Cameron shakes hands with supporters during his election party on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at the Galt House in Louisville. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Austin Anthony.)

Kentucky voters narrowed a crowded Republican primary on Tuesday, choosing Attorney General Daniel Cameron as the GOP nominee.

Cameron, who would be the first Black governor of Kentucky if elected, will face off with Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat seeking his second term.

Check out these photos of Kentucky Election Night parties and a rainy day at the polls.

Scenes from Kentucky’s primary Election Day

GOP gubernatorial nominee Daniel Cameron and his wife, Makenze, wave to the crowd during his election party on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at the Galt House in Louisville. (Austin Anthony / for the Kentucky Lantern)

Republican gubernatorial candidate Kelly Craft greets guests at her election night party on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at The Campbell House in Lexington. Photo by Abbey Cutrer | Kentucky Lantern

Republican gubernatorial candidate Ryan Quarles speaks to the crowd gathered at his election night party on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at Embassy Suites by Hilton Lexington/UK Coldstream in Lexington. Photo by Carter Skaggs | Kentucky Lantern

GOP gubernatorial nominee Daniel Cameron speaks during his election party on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at the Galt House in Louisville. (Austin Anthony / for the Kentucky Lantern)

Republican Kelly Craft gives a speech after losing the GOP gubernatorial primary on election night on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at The Campbell House in Lexington. Photo by Abbey Cutrer | Kentucky Lantern

Republican Kelly Craft gives a speech after losing the GOP gubernatorial primary on election night on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at The Campbell House in Lexington. Photo by Abbey Cutrer | Kentucky Lantern

GOP gubernatorial nominee Daniel Cameron shakes hands with fans during his election party on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at the Galt House in Louisville. (Austin Anthony / for the Kentucky Lantern)

Republican Kelly Craft gives a speech after losing the GOP gubernatorial primary on election night on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at The Campbell House in Lexington. Photo by Abbey Cutrer | Kentucky Lantern

Sharon Blair of Crestwood cheers during Daniel Cameron's election party on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at the Galt House in Louisville. (Austin Anthony / for the Kentucky Lantern)

Sharon Cameron, reacts in relief after the GOP gubernatorial election is called for her son, Attorney General Daniel Cameron, on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at the Galt House in Louisville. (Austin Anthony / for the Kentucky Lantern)

Republican Kelly Craft greets guests at her election night party on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at The Campbell House in Lexington. Photo by Abbey Cutrer | Kentucky Lantern

GOP gubernatorial nominee Daniel Cameron and his wife Makenze during his election party on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at the Galt House in Louisville. (Austin Anthony / for the Kentucky Lantern)

Republican GOP gubernatorial candidate Ryan Quarles speaks to media at his election night party on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at Embassy Suites by Hilton Lexington/UK Coldstream in Lexington, Kentucky. Photo by Carter Skaggs | Kentucky Lantern

GOP gubernatorial nominee Daniel Cameron poses for a photo during his election party on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at the Galt House in Louisville. (Austin Anthony / for the Kentucky Lantern)

Republican candidate Ryan Quarles poses with a young supporter at his election night party on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at Embassy Suites by Hilton Lexington/UK Coldstream in Lexington, Kentucky. Photo by Carter Skaggs | Kentucky Lantern

GOP Gubernatorial nominee Daniel Cameron poses for a photo with Reed Elliotte, 13, of Corbin, Ky., during his election party on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at the Galt House in Louisville. (Austin Anthony / for the Kentucky Lantern)

Guests at Republican Ryan Quarles’ election night party don campaign stickers and buttons on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at Embassy Suites by Hilton Lexington/UK Coldstream in Lexington, Kentucky. Photo by Carter Skaggs | Kentucky Lantern

GOP gubernatorial nominee Daniel Cameron waves to the crowd during his election party on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at the Galt House in Louisville. (Austin Anthony / for the Kentucky Lantern)

As Republican gubernatorial candidate Ryan Quarles takes the stage he receives an ovation from the crowd gathered at his election night party on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at Embassy Suites by Hilton Lexington/UK Coldstream in Lexington, Kentucky. Photo by Carter Skaggs | Kentucky Lantern

From left, April Hunt, Sandra Cameron and Carrie McKeehan celebrate at Daniel Cameron's election party on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at the Galt House in Louisville. (Austin Anthony / for the Kentucky Lantern)

A voter and his children walk into a polling location on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at Scott County Public Library in Georgetown, Kentucky. Photo by Abbey Cutrer | Kentucky Lantern

An election official wears an I Voted sticker on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Lexington. Photo by Abbey Cutrer | Kentucky Lantern

Voters leave a polling location on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at Morton Middle School in Lexington. Photo by Abbey Cutrer | Kentucky Lantern

A voter leaves a polling location on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at Scott County Public Library in Georgetown, Kentucky. Photo by Abbey Cutrer | Kentucky Lantern

People walk into a polling location to vote on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at Elkhorn Crossing School in Georgetown, Kentucky. Photo by Abbey Cutrer | Kentucky Lantern

A resident walks into a polling location to vote on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at Morton Middle School in Lexington. Photo by Abbey Cutrer | Kentucky Lantern

A voter walks in the rain into a polling location on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at Scott County Public Library in Georgetown, Kentucky. Photo by Abbey Cutrer | Kentucky Lantern

(Getty Images)

FRANKFORT — Early voting in Kentucky’s primary election starts Thursday and runs through Saturday.

The General Assembly last year established? “in-person no excuse absentee” voting for at least eight hours a day on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday before an election.?

Check with your county clerk to find out where and what hours an early ballot may be cast.

On Tuesday, Election Day, polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. as voters nominate candidates for statewide offices.?

A special election in Bath, Clark, Menifee, Montgomery and part of Fayette counties will choose a state senator to complete the unexpired term of Dr. Ralph Alvarado, who became Tennessee’s health commissioner. Three candidates are running for the District 28 seat.

In the governor’s race, twelve Republicans and two Democrats are vying to challenge Democratic incumbent Andy Beshear in November.

Down ballot, Democrats have one other contested primary: agriculture secretary.

One Republican is running for attorney general while the other constitutional offices — secretary of state, auditor of public accounts, treasurer and agriculture commissioner — are contested on the Republican side.

Link to a sample ballot here.

Coming Thursday: A preview of the “down ballot” races.