Kentucky News & Current Events | Public News Service

From left: Angela Hayes, Vivian Lasley-Bibbs, Dr. Patricia Bautista-Cervera and Kelly Taulbee at the Kentucky Immunization Summit held May 10. (Amber Malott)

Monday, June 5, 2023

Push to Get KY Kids Back on Track for Routine Vaccinations

Two regional pediatric immunization symposiums are being held this month in Morehead and Owensboro, where experts will share strategies to promote …

Kentucky children attend one of the robotics camps organized by Save the Children. (Alissa Taylor)

Summer Break Brings Uncertainty for Many Rural Kentucky Kids

In eastern Kentucky, advocacy groups are expanding summer learning opportunities for families. Isolation and learning loss plague many rural …

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 AARP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program likely played a role in keeping the percentage of food-insecure Americans ages 50 and older stagnant during the pandemic, at around 9.5 million people nationwide. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Some Kentuckians Risk Losing SNAP Benefits in Debt-Ceiling Talks

More than 17,000 Kentuckians could lose food assistance when pre-pandemic SNAP work requirements go back into effect this summer, for adults between …

Nearly 1.5 million people in Kentucky voted in the 2022 midterm election. (Adobe Stock)

Kentuckians Head to Polls for Primary Election

Kentucky's Republican voters head to the polls today to cast their ballots in the primary election, where they will decide who will run against …

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 …

It's estimated more than one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness, according to data from the National Institutes of Health. (Adobe stock)

Advocates Urge Kentuckians to Wear Green for Mental Health Awareness

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and across the Commonwealth, buildings are lighting up in green, the color for mental health awareness…

According to the CDC, 5% fewer Americans were screened for cancer in 2020 than in 2012, a difference that represents nearly 4 million people. (Adobe Stock)

In Kentucky, Cancer Deaths Among Highest in Nation

The latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show Kentucky continues have among the worst cancer rates in the nation - with lung…

Nineteen states have passed laws banning or restricted abortion since the overturning of Roe versus Wade in 2022. (Adobe Stock)

Reproductive-Rights Supporters See Path to Victory: Letting Voters Decide

By Belle Taylor-McGhee for Ms. Magazine.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for Kentucky News Connection reporting for the Ms. Magazine-Public News …

The Blackburn Correctional Complex near Lexington incarcerates more than 300 people. (PrisonInsight.com/Flickr)<br />

Kentucky’s Incarcerated Population on the Rise

Kentucky incarcerated more than 32,000 people in 2022 in both local jails and state prisons, a 250% jump from the mid-1980s, according to a new …

More than 20 million people in the United States were diagnosed with a substance use disorder in the past year, according to the National Institute on Drug abuse. (Adobe stock)

Kentucky Sees First Drop in Overdose Deaths Since 2018

Drug overdose deaths in Kentucky decreased 5% between 2022 and 2021, the first drop since 2018. New data from the Kentucky Injury Prevention and …

An estimated 600,000 children nationwide were determined to be victims of maltreatment, the lowest number of children identified as victims of maltreatment in the last five years, according to 2023 data from the Children's Bureau at the Department of Health and Human Services. (Adobe Stock)<br /><br />

New Kentucky Law Closes Gaps in Child Abuse Reporting

A new Kentucky law closes gaps in child abuse reporting and prevention laws and strengthens supports for at-risk families. Senate Bill 229 requires …

The Drug Enforcement Administration seized more than 57.5 million fentanyl-laced, fake prescription pills and 13,740 pounds of fentanyl powder in 2022, according to the White House. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Animal Tranquilizer in Fentanyl Found in 48 States, Including Kentucky

Fentanyl in Kentucky may be now laced with an animal tranquilizer called Xylazine, what drug officials are calling the "third wave" of the opioid …

The nation's child population count fell from 74.2 million in 2010 to 73.1 million in 2020, according to a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Latest Census Data Shows Kentucky's Child Population on Decline

The nation's child population is shrinking, including in Kentucky, according to a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation that looks at the …

Working caregivers face financial risks such as lost income, reduced career opportunities and subsequently lower Social Security and retirement benefits, according to AARP. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Report: Family Caregiving In Kentucky Cost Billions

Unpaid caregiving by Kentucky's more than 600,000 caregivers is valued at more than $8 billion, according to new state data by AARP. AARP Kentucky …

Around 2.5 million children in the United States live in a household with their grandparents, according to the website Statista. (Adobe Stock)

Updates to KY Benefits Program 'KTAP' Aim to Help Family Caregivers

New changes to Kentucky's temporary benefits program - known as KTAP - increase the amount of money families receive to keep pace with inflation…

Lt. Col. Paul L. Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department speaks at a news conference after the April 10 shooting at Old National Bank. (Louisville Police Dept.)<br />

Louisville Shooting Shifts Focus to Crisis Aversion, Rights Retention Bills

After a man killed four employees and wounded at least nine others in a shooting he livestreamed on social media in downtown Louisville, gun-violence …

Ninety-three percent of U.S. construction firms have reported experiencing material shortages and/or allocations, according to the 2022 Buy America Materials Survey. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Push for 'Buy American' Rules in Kentucky Continues

In Kentucky, unions and their advocates continue to push for changes to shift public contract money toward suppliers sourcing their materials from …

Overall, 86% of Americans say they have heard about cryptocurrencies, according to a 2021 Pew Research Center survey, but only 16% say they've used or traded any. (Adobe Stock)

Foreign Cryptomining Companies Eye Eastern KY for Cheap Power

Foreign-owned crytomining companies are staking out Eastern Kentucky for cheap electricity, and the state's major utilities want to give them …

An aerial view of farmland on the Sisters of Loretto land in Kentucky (Loretto Community/Neil Tucker)<br /><br />

Sisters of Loretto Permanently Preserve 650 Acres of 'Holy Land' in Kentucky

By Brian Roewe for Earthbeat.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for Kentucky News Connection for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News Service…

After finding out he had high blood pressure, Bowling Green resident Harlan Holmes went from a sedentary lifestyle to running marathons. (Holmes)

As COVID Subsides, Kentuckians Focus on Healthy Habits

The "Raise Your Guard" Campaign is encouraging Kentuckians to be more physically active, minimize stress, load up on fruits and vegetables, and …

One Environmental Working Group study found a majority of Americans' drinking-water supply contains PFAS or

EPA’s New PFAS Standards Could Overhaul Kentucky's Drinking Water

Kentucky cities and towns could soon start ramping up water monitoring for PFAS chemicals in response to the latest nationwide limits proposed by the …

Whether it is due to an increase in using technology or a shift from the typical 9-5<br />workday, around 50-70 million Americans suffer from sleep issues, according to the American Sleep<br />Apnea Association. (Adobe Stock)<br />

A Good Night’s Sleep Brings Host of Health Benefits

March is National Sleep Awareness Month, and more than 40% of Kentucky adults report getting fewer than seven hours of sleep a night, according to …

Cancer care costs are expected to top more than $245 billion by 2030, according to the American Association for Cancer Research. (Adobe Stock)

New Kentucky Law Increases Access to Biomarker Cancer Testing

Beginning next year, more Kentuckians will have expanded access to biomarker testing - which helps doctors customize cancer treatment. Advocates of …

According to a report from the Appalachian Citizens Law Center, the black lung benefit rate for a miner with no dependents is now 738-dollars a month. (Adobe Stock)

Black Lung Benefits Not Keeping Up with Miners’ Health Needs Amid Inflation

As the cost of food, medicine and rent continues to climb, new data shows the benefits miners receive are now 40% less than what they received in 1969…

Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, speaks on House Bill 153, a measure to prohibit state and local law enforcement and other public officials from enforcing federal firearms bans or regulations enacted after Jan. 1, 2021. (Legislative Research Commission)

KY Bill Nullifying Federal Gun Laws Heads to Governor’s Desk

A bill to make it more difficult for local police to enforce federal gun laws and in some cases criminally penalize them, now heads to Kentucky Gov…

Nationally, pay increases for state and local government employees have not kept pace with those of private workers, according to data from the Pew Research Center. (Adobe Stock)

Critics Say Proposed Kentucky State Worker Pay Bill Isn’t Enough

Critics of a proposed pay raise for state workers said it barely keeps up with inflation and is not enough to alleviate Kentucky's long-standing gover…

A new report from Food Research & Action Center reveals nearly 1.6 million more children received school breakfast and 10.1 million more children received school lunch during the 2021-2022 school year compared with the previous school year. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Fewer Kentucky Kids Receiving School Meals

Preliminary data shows schools are serving fewer meals than they did last year, largely due to the end of nationwide pandemic-era waivers which …

More than 84 million Americans were enrolled in Medicaid in 2021, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (Adobe Stock)

KY Communities Brace for Medicaid Renewals

Around 250,000 Kentuckians will soon need to submit new documentation to stay on Medicaid, and health advocates say they're working to prevent …

Regular brisk walking can help prevent or manage various conditions, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer and type 2 diabetes, according to the Mayo Clinic. (Adobe Stock)<br />

KY Small Towns Find Ways to Increase Walkability

Whitesburg residents have put the finishing touches on a walking trail aimed at increasing outdoor exercise among residents and linking local business…

The Department of Justice charged four current and former Louisville Metro Police Department officers for the 2020 shooting death of Louisville resident Breonna Taylor. (Adobe Stock)<br />

DOJ Report: Louisville Police Repeatedly Violated Kentuckians’ Civil Rights

The Louisville Metro Police Department engaged in patterns of conduct which violated people's civil rights, said a U.S. Department of Justice report …

Students who eat school breakfast, on average, achieve 17.5% higher math test scores and attend 1.5 more days of school per year, according to the nonprofit No Kid Hungry. (Adobe Stock)

KY School Nutrition Directors Face Red-Tape Hurdles Feeding Kids

Red tape and other hurdles are getting in the way, especially for those children who aren't getting nutritious meals at home, the people in charge of …

A 2019 Legislative Research Commission report cited the average annual teacher turnover in Kentucky as just over 17% between 2010 and 2019. (Adobe Stock)<br />

KY House Education Committee Approves Bill to Address Teacher Shortage

Lawmakers in the Kentucky House Education Committee have greenlighted a bill aimed at addressing the state's widespread teacher shortage. It is …

The entrance of the EMW Surgical Center in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, the only abortion center left in the Commonwealth before the state's trigger law went into effect last year. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Groups Say They’ll Head Back to Court After KY Judges Uphold Abortion Ban

After Kentucky's Supreme Court last week denied a request to block abortion bans which went into effect last summer, the ACLU of Kentucky and Planned …

Every year, nearly 1,300 children die from guns and many more are seriously injured, according to data from Nationwide Children's Hospital. (Adobe Stock)

Jefferson County Schools to Distribute Secure Gun-Storage Info to Parents

The American Academy of Pediatrics says around one-third of American children live in homes with firearms, and of these households, 43% contain at …

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg and Spencer Bruce, CEO of Louisville Water Co., appear in a video statement telling residents the water is safe to drink. (City of Louisville/Twitter)

Louisville Mayor Calls KY Tap Water Safe to Drink; Residents Skeptical

A chemical plume that has so far killed more than 3,500 fish in streams around East Palestine, Ohio, has seeped into the Ohio River, leaving …

Research shows having access to health care can influence children's physical and emotional health, growth, development and their capacity to reach their full potential as adults. (Adobe Stock)

Report: 70,000 Kentucky Kids at Risk of Losing Health Coverage

A pandemic-era law that helped keep children and families continuously covered through Medicaid ends this spring, and new research from the …

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 …

Last year, one in five American households struggled to pay for an energy bill, but that rate was 50% higher for households of color, according to a report from the Energy and Policy Institute and Center for Biological Diversity (Adobe Stock)

KY Utility Bills Have Jumped, Along with Shutoffs

Residential utility shutoffs are up by 228%, and electric bills by 17%, a recent report by the Energy and Policy Institute and Center for Biological …

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…

Children's Advocacy Day at the Kentucky Capitol began in 2004 as an effort to unite advocates from across the state to raise their voices on behalf of children's safety, health, education and economic well-being. (Mara Powell)

Advocacy Day Lifts Up Kentucky Kids

Child abuse reporting dropped during the pandemic, and advocates said strengthening the state's system to ensure suspected cases of child …

According to a new report, many states are considering legislation to punish or blacklist financial firms with strong environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards as part of their investment strategies. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Limits on 'Sustainable Investing' Hurt KY Taxpayers

Kentucky lawmakers are clamping down on corporations advocating environmentally and socially responsible investing. A new report said the decision …

Nearly nine in 10 Americans (88%) between 50 and 80 years of age said it is important to remain in their homes as they grow older, according to the latest University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging. (Adobe Stock)

Older Kentuckians Want Aging-in-Place Support, Affordable Medication

Kentuckians age 50 and older across the state continue to struggle with high prescription drug costs, caregiver stress, and lack of long-term care …

In 2021, U.S. supermarket and grocery stores made more than $800 billion in profits, more than double the amount generated two decades ago, according to Statista. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Kroger-Albertson’s Merger Could Reduce KY Food Access

Kentucky food banks say the proposed merger of Kroger and Albertsons, currently under review by the Federal Trade Commission, could trigger an …

Master Gardeners Nate Picken and Frank Amaro along with Pembroke Mayor Judy Peterson help Avery Grace select trees to be planted at Pembroke School. (Photo courtesy Toni Riley)

Trees Bring Hope, Healing for Western Kentucky Tornado Victims

By Toni Riley for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for Kentucky News Connection for the Public News Service/Daily Yonder Collabora…

In 2022, the average annual premium for employer-sponsored family health insurance is $22,463, while the average cost of self-only coverage is $7,911, according to KFF. (Adobe Stock)

Fix Opens Options for Households with Costly Employer Health Coverage

Many Kentuckians who have affordable employer health coverage for themselves but not for their dependents and spouses now qualify for financial assist…

More than 1 in 7 households nationwide paid over half of their income on housing in 2020, according to a report by Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies. (Adobe Stock)

KY's Housing Shortage Worsened by Natural Disasters

Kentucky is facing a serious housing shortage, and the past few years of deadly floods and tornadoes have worsened the situation. Advocates want …

Nearly 60 percent of Americans say they are bothered

KY Lawmaker Says Graduated Income Tax Offers “Some Relief to Function as a State”

An Oxfam report released this week shows the richest 1% of individuals have gotten richer since the pandemic, capturing almost two-thirds of all new …

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