Public News Service

Kentuckianos reconocidos por sus esfuerzos para mejorar la salud maternal

La Commonwealth tiene la segunda tasa de mortalidad materna más alta del país, y dentro del estado las muertes maternas son el doble entre …

Kentucky has among the highest rates of incarceration in the 50 states, imprisoning 889 out of every 100,000 people. (Adobe Stock)

Billion-dollar proposal aimed at reducing KY, other state prison populations

In Kentucky, about 37,000 people are behind bars, one of the highest rates of incarceration anywhere in the country. A new proposal has been made to …

The ballot amendment would add language to the Kentucky Constitution saying,

KY education activists campaign against public funds for private schools

A coalition of public education advocates has formed to oppose Amendment 2 on the November ballot, which would allow Kentucky public school funds to …

More than 70 million Americans have a criminal record that can create significant barriers to employment, according to the White House. (Adobe Stock)<br />

New KY website offers 'Second Chance' job, recovery resources

A new website aims to help Kentuckians just out of prison re-enter their communities and find job training, employment and recovery services…

First Day Forward staff offer free Narcan and program pamphlets. (Northeastern Kentucky Substance Use Response Coalition via Facebook)

Reentry program for people incarcerated offers a model for others

By Taylor Sisk for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for Kentucky News Connection for the Public News Service/Daily Yonder Collabor…

The overall college enrollment rate for 18- to 24-year-olds decreased from 41% in 2010 to 38% in 2021, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. (Adobe Stock)

KY wants colleges to redesign admissions with focus on low-income, first-generation students

Kentucky is one of a handful of states that's been awarded a $150,000 grant from Lumina Foundation to test changes to the college admissions process…

La tasa general de inscripci�n universitaria para j�venes de 18 a 24 a�os disminuy� del 41% en 2010 al 38% en 2021, seg�n el Centro Nacional de Estad�sticas Educativas. (Adobe Stock)

KY quiere que las universidades rediseñen sus procesos de admisión

Kentucky es uno de los pocos estados que ha recibido una subvención de $150 mil de la Fundación Lumina para probar cambios en el proceso de …

Research shows that among deaf adults, rates of diagnosed depression or anxiety disorder are significantly higher, and occur at an earlier age, compared to hearing adults. (Adobe Stock) <br />

Peer support specialists help deaf Kentuckians access mental health care

Kentuckians who are deaf or hard-of-hearing face many challenges in accessing mental healthcare, and a new program aims to address the problem…

More than third of the people held in jails in Kentucky are held for federal or state agencies, primarily the state prison system, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Black Kentuckians continue to be incarcerated at high rates

A new study of incarceration trends shows Black people in the Commonwealth are jailed at a rate nearly three times higher than their white peers…

In 2015, 86% of psychologists in the U.S. workforce were white, 5% were Asian, 5% were Hispanic, 4% were Black/African American and 1% were multiracial or from other racial and ethnic groups, according to the American Psychological Association. (Adobe Stock)

BIPOC Mental Health Month Shines Light on Race-Based Stress, Trauma

Research shows Kentuckians of color are at higher risk of experiencing traumatic stressful events, which sometimes can result in symptoms related to …

In a 6-3 decision, U.S. Supreme Court justices said the Biden administration does not have the authority to forgive student loans. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Student Loan Decision Will Impact Hundreds of Thousands of Kentuckians

The U.S. Supreme Court's decision to block President Biden's one-time, $400 billion student debt relief plan will affect hundreds of thousands of …

Former Kentucky foster youth Tia Humphrey now helps advocate for policies that help ensure young people leaving foster care are off to a good start as they enter adulthood. (Tia Humphrey)<br /><br />

KY Foster Youth Transitioning into Adulthood Face Resources Gap

Kentucky's former foster youth have a steeper climb into adulthood than their peers, according to new research. Among 21-year-olds with foster-care …

According to the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, as of February around 12% of Kentuckians rely on SNAP benefits for food assistance. (Adobe Stock)

KY Road Show Highlights Programs that Improve Community Well-Being

A traveling roadshow highlighting changes to Medicaid, Kentucky Children's Health Insurance Program (KCHIP), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance …

Seg�n el Centro de Pol�tica Econ�mica de Kentucky, en febrero alrededor del 12% de los habitantes de Kentucky depend�an de las prestaciones del SNAP para recibir ayuda alimentaria. (Adobe Stock)

KY Road Show destaca programas para el bienestar de la comunidad

Una gira itinerante que destaca los cambios en Medicaid, KCHIP, SNAP y otros programas de asistencia pública llega a Owensboro el próximo …

Nearly four-in-ten Americans ages 25 and older have a bachelor's degree, a share that has grown over the last decade, according to the Pew Research Center. (Adobe Stock)

Kentucky Works to Close Equity Gaps in College Completion

Kentucky colleges and technical schools are taking steps to close the equity gap in degree and certificate completion rates. University of …

According to the Pew Research Center, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina and South Carolina have implemented laws to waive fees for people who do not have permanent addresses to obtain state IDs. (Adobe Stock)

For Some Kentuckians, a Photo ID Opens Doors to Jobs, Housing

Identification documents are an essential part of daily life, but many unhoused Kentuckians have no permanent address and no form of photo ID…

As of 2017, the United States had 48,697 producers who identified as Black, either alone or in combination with another race. They accounted for 1.4% of the country's 3.4 million producers, according to the USDA. (Adobe Stock)<br />

KY Black Farmers Work to Reduce Barriers to Food Programs

Black farmers in Kentucky said they have benefited from participating in Farms to Food Banks, an agricultural program funneling leftover produce from …

Kentucky is among around a dozen states with trigger laws that went into effect after Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court earlier this summer, according to the Guttmacher Institute. (Adobe Stock)

After Voters Reject Amendment 2, KY Supreme Court to Hear Oral Arguments on Abortion Ban

Kentucky voters rejected a ballot measure that would have changed language in the state's constitution to permanently deny the right to an abortion…

Rates of child abuse and neglect are five times higher for children in families with low socioeconomic status, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Trust Your Gut, Know the Signs to Spot, Prevent Child Abuse

Child abuse cases in the state dropped between 2019 and 2020, but Kentucky still ranks fifth among states for incidents of child maltreatment…

Research shows economic insecurity, unreliable transportation and other challenges outside the classroom pose major barriers for two-year college students. (Adobe Stock)

KY College Boards Focus on Role of Equity in Student Success

Colleges and universities in Kentucky are looking at new ways to address the equity gap among their students, through specialized training for their …

Dr. Jamestta Ferguson, founder of Molo Community Development Corp., says grassroots organizations are working to address decades of disinvestment in Louisville's historically Black neighborhoods. (AARP KY)

Neighborhood Org Pushes for Economic Development in West Louisville

A pastor and community leader in Louisville is working to boost economic development and raise the quality of life on Louisville's West end. …

Kentucky's jails are again over capacity, with 21,831 people in jail at the end of April, and an additional 9,835 people incarcerated in state prisons, according to the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy. (Adobe Stock)

Post-Pandemic, KY Returns to World-High Incarceration Rate

After a drop due to the COVID pandemic, new research found Kentucky is once again crowding more people into jails and prisons. The Bluegrass State …

As of February 2022, all 50 states and the District of Columbia had jobless rate decreases from a year earlier. (Adobe Stock)<br />

KY Lawmakers Move to Cut Unemployment Benefits

The number of weeks Kentuckians can receive unemployment benefits will soon be cut by more than half. Last week, state lawmakers overrode Gov…

If Kentucky were to cut its income-tax rate to 4%, it would need to boost the sales tax rate from 6% to 7.4% to make up lost revenue, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Experts: KY Should 'Clean Up' Tax Code, Not Slash Income Tax

Amid talk of slashing the state's income tax, experts say Kentucky's tax-code reforms should focus instead on eliminating tax breaks for the wealthy …

Rep. Jason Nemes, R-Louisville, presents House Bill 179, the Kentucky Supreme Court redistricting bill, in the House Elections, Constitutional Amendments & Intergovernmental Affairs Committee on Jan. 5. (LRC Public Information)<br />

Filing Deadline, Redistricting, Tornado Relief Dominate New Legislative Session

The legislative session has just begun, but lawmakers already have greenlighted redistricting maps and moved the filing deadline for candidates in …

Tornado damage in western Kentucky continues to affect the operations of domestic-violence shelters in the region. (Tori Henninger)

Experts: Natural Disasters Increase Risk of Domestic Violence, Abuse

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Shelters in western Kentucky face ongoing challenges helping domestic-violence survivors as communities continue to clean up …

Black women in the Commonwealth are three to four times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related complication than are non-Hispanic White women, according to the Kentucky Department for Public Health. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Experts: Lack of Coverage, Child Care, School Funding Affect Health Outcomes

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- In a few weeks, Kentucky lawmakers will convene the General Assembly, and health advocates are calling for new policies to address …

Driving on deteriorating roads costs Louisville drivers more than $1,700 a year, according to a 2020 report from TRIP, a transportation research nonprofit. (Adobe Stock)<br />

KY Groups Rally for Infrastructure, Climate, Jobs Investments

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - When U.S. House lawmakers return to Washington this week, they're expected to vote on advancing President Joe Biden's $1.2 trillion …

Private companies that supply goods to prison commissaries or provide communication services rake in $2.9 billion a year, almost as much money as governments pay private companies to operate private prisons, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. (Adobe Stock)

KY County Jails' Profits from Phone Calls Soar During Pandemic

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- A new report finds county jails made more than $9 million from payments made for phone calls by incarcerated people, the year …

The expanded child tax credit is expected to send $1.8 billion to Kentucky families. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Experts Call Child Tax Credit a Game Changer for KY Families

FRANKFORT, KY. - Starting July 15, nearly a million Kentucky kids and their families could get extra income support through the federal child tax …

A new Gallup survey shows more than 60% of Americans say they know

Juneteenth Declared National Holiday, Amidst Progress, Upheaval

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Juneteenth National Independence Day is now an official holiday, after President Joe Biden signed a bill Thursday, approved by both …

Some state leaders are pushing for Kentucky to follow and Tennessee and Ohio's lead and opt out of the extra $300 a week from the federal government. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Experts Say Prematurely Ending Federal UI Could Harm KY Economy

FRANKFORT, Ky. - More than twenty states are voluntarily ending their participation in a federal unemployment program, but Gov. Andy Beshear says …

A 2015 Clean Air Act rule requires refineries to clean up benzene emissions when annual concentrations of this cancer-causing pollutant exceed the EPA's action level of 9 micrograms per year. (Adobe Stock) <br />

Oil Refineries' Benzene Pollution a Concern in Eastern KY

CATLETTSBURG, Ky. - A Marathon oil refinery in eastern Kentucky is emitting benzene into the air at levels higher than what the federal …

Mass protests erupted last summer over the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Chauvin Verdict “Disappointing Reminder” of Louisville's Breonna Taylor Case

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - In what's being described as a landmark verdict this week, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of second- …

One of six new historical markers in Shelbyville, Ky., commemorating victims of lynching incidents that occurred from 1878 to 1911. (Janice Harris)<br />

Shelby County Historical Lynching Markers Aim to Educate, Foster Healing

SHELBYVILLE, Ky. -- Six historical markers have been erected in downtown Shelbyville, the first in the state to recognize the victims of racial-…

The group Feeding America estimates this year, one in six children could experience food insecurity, meaning they're in families that don't always have enough food. (Adobe Stock)

SNAP Benefits Hike Will Help Feed More KY Kids

FRANKFORT, Ky. - Kentucky will soon receive an extra $12.8 million per month for its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits program…

Bobbie Lester, a Jefferson County, Ky., resident and Louisville school nurse, explains why she chose to get the COVID-19 vaccine in a new public-service campaign. (Adobe Stock)

Black Kentuckians Explain Why They "Got the Shot" in New Campaign

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- "I Got The Shot to Protect the Ones I Love" is a new campaign featuring Black Kentuckians talking about why they chose to get the …

Local workforce development boards, like KentuckianaWorks in Louisville, run career centers that focus helping unemployed residents and young people start on new career paths. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Louisville Leads in Preparing Adults, Students for 21st-Century Workforce

By Laura Aka Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan Reporting for the WorkingNation.com-Kenctucky News Connection LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Mayor Greg …

Many agriculture experts argue competition law hasn't addressed increasing buyer power, especially in the seed, hog, livestock, poultry, and dairy industries. (Adobe Stock)

Farmers Voice Support for Bill Tackling Monopoly Power

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Decades of unchecked mergers in the agricultural industry have left many farmers struggling, and rural advocacy groups says a …

As of 2020, it's estimated nationally more than five million people cannot vote due to a prior felony conviction. (Adobe Stock)

KY Lawmakers Weigh Options for Expanding Voting Rights

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- State lawmakers are considering bills to restore rights for people with felonies in their past, as well as expand polling hours…

Since the mid-1980s, Kentucky's prison population has increased by 168%. (Adobe Stock)

KY Felony Theft Charges Have Lifelong Impact, Balloon Prison Population

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Kentucky's felony theft threshold has remained unchanged for more than a decade, and critics say it's contributing to a rise in …

Socioeconomic disadvantages in jobs, housing and education have contributed to the higher COVID-19 death rate in Black, Brown and Indigenous communities. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Environmental, Economic Factors Drive KY Racial Health Disparities

FRANKFORT, Ky. - Black Americans are more than twice as likely to die from COVID-19 as Caucasians, according to Centers for Disease Control and …

Supporters built a memorial in downtown Louisville, Ky. for Breonna Taylor, who was fatally shot by police during a no-knock raid in March 2020. (Wikimedia Commons).

KY Lawmakers Push for Statewide Ban on No-Knock Search Warrants

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- After the killing of Breonna Taylor by Louisville police, some states have moved to ban no-knock search warrants, and Kentucky …

Nueva Coalición busca promover la Educación Informada sobre el trauma en las escuelas

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Una nueva coalición estatal quiere que las escuelas y las comunidades se enfoquen en la educación y que cuiden a los …

More than a half-million residents signed up for 'kynect,' Kentucky's state-based health insurance exchange, when it first launched in 2014. (Adobe Stock)

KY Brings Back “One-Stop” Kynect Health Benefits Portal

FRANKFORT, Ky. - This week, the state has revived the online health-benefits portal 'kynect.ky.gov' as a one-stop shop for Kentuckians who need …

Protesters have gathered in Louisville for more than 125 days to call for police accountability over the killing of Breonna Taylor. (Adobe Stock)

KY Clergy Urge Transparency in Breonna Taylor Case

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Faith leaders providing sanctuary for protesters under Louisville's citywide curfew, which lifted on Monday, say they're being …

Day and night, protesters have gathered in downtown Louisville over the death of Breonna Taylor. (Nadia Ramlagan)

Demands for Police Accountability Continues as Louisville Pays Taylor's Family

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Six months after Louisville police officers shot and killed 26-year-old Breonna Taylor in her home, city officials announced this …

The budget gap between Kentucky's wealthiest and poorest school districts jumped by $122 per student in 2019, compared to the previous year. (Adobe Stock)

Report: COVID-19 Widens Resource Gap Between KY School Districts

GREENSBURG, Ky. -- Kentucky's wealthiest school districts had nearly $3,000 more to spend per student than the state's lower-income districts…

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KY: Social Justice