Kentucky News & Current Events | Public News Service

Three in five Americans say their electricity and/or gas bill has increased compared with a year ago, while slightly more are concerned that these bills will increase this year, according to a 2025 Ipsos Poll. (Adobe Stock)

Friday, June 13, 2025

Experts: Cutting energy assistance is deadly blow to eastern Kentucky

Thousands of Kentucky families face utility disconnections this summer, and the latest budget reconciliation bill would eliminate the Low-Income Home …

Nationwide, nearly 70% of rural counties lack a single obstetric hospital, according to a 2024 March of Dimes report. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Thursday, June 12, 2025

End of hospital emergency abortion care rule will affect rural KY women

Abortion rights advocates in Kentucky are concerned as the Department of Health and Human Services has revoked a policy requiring hospitals to provide…

Research shows between 65% and 90% of families receiving vouchers already had their children enrolled in private schools or were homeschooling or entering kindergarten. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Tuesday, June 10, 2025

KY teachers: Just say 'no' to national school voucher program

Congress is considering a bill which would for the first time create a nationalized school voucher program, redirecting billions in federal funding …

The number of Kentucky children living in poverty decreased by 1% between 2019 and 2023, according to data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Report: KY has made progress on child well-being

Kentucky kids are now faring better than they were before the pandemic but one of five live in poverty, according to the 2025 Kids Count Data Book …

Small businesses line Main Street in downtown Whitesburg, Ky. (Adobe Stock)

Disaster recovery workshops slated for eastern KY small business owners

As eastern Kentucky communities attempt to bounce back from a string of natural disasters, more small businesses are struggling to get back on their …

More than 40 million people in the United States had a substance use disorder in 2020, according to federal data. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Medicaid cuts would risk opioid treatment access for KY

As Congress continues to push for cuts and additional work requirements for Medicaid eligibility, experts warn more Kentuckians could lose access to …

In 2023, Kentucky reported a 9.8% decrease in overdose deaths compared with 2022, according to state data. (Adobe Stock)

Harm reduction efforts led to drop in overdose deaths among Black Kentuckians

Kentucky's latest drug overdose fatality report showed a drop in deaths and for the first time, a decline in deaths among Black Kentuckians. Groups …

According to 2023 data from Kentucky Youth Advocates, among 21-year-olds who have experienced foster care in Kentucky, 63% reported having stable housing, 64% reported secure employment, and 16% reported postsecondary enrollment. (Adobe Stock)

Lack of vital records creates barriers for KY youth aging out of foster care

May is National Foster Care Month, and Kentucky youth aging out of the system continue to experience high levels of housing instability and …

Created in 1970 by Congress, the NIOSH Mining Program has been the only federal agency supporting the mining industry through health and safety research. (Adobe Stock)

Experts: Loss of federal mining program could harm workers, researchers

Loss of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Mining Program will reverse decades of progress in preventing disease, injury and …

More than 145,000 Kentucky children have had a parent incarcerated, according to data from the University of Kentucky. (Adobe Stock)

Imprisoning KY parents has worsened foster care crisis

May is National Foster Care Month, and Kentucky advocacy groups across the political spectrum say the state hasn't done enough to keep kids out of …

In 2022, the infant mortality rate in the United States was 5.6 deaths per 1,000 live births, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Report: Kentucky among highest in nation for rural women on Medicaid

Congress is considering a proposal to slash $880 billion in Medicaid funding and experts said the cuts would be devastating for maternal and infant he…

South Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation posted on Facebook its Somerset facilities

Tornado strikes Kentucky, leaving at least 18 dead

After a devastating tornado ripped through southeastern Kentucky last Friday and Saturday, Gov. Andy Beshear asked for a federal disaster declaration …

According to state data, more than 276,000 Kentucky households received SNAP benefits in April. (Adobe Stock)

Under budget plan, Kentucky would face large gap in SNAP funding

Congress is mulling a budget and tax proposal which could leave states picking up more of the tab for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program…

In Kentucky, 11.7% of adults and 6.8% of children suffer from asthma, according to state data. (Adobe Stock).

EPA rollbacks could trigger higher asthma, cancer rates in Kentucky

A new data dashboard from the Sierra Club showed more Kentuckians would be at risk for higher exposure to air and water pollution if the U.S…

Rural hospitals across the nation depend on Medicaid to stay open. Nearly 50% of rural hospitals operate with negative margins, according to the National Rural Hospital Association. (Adobe Stock) <br />

Report: Medicaid work requirements could cost Kentucky jobs, tax revenue

A new report from the Commonwealth Fund showed between 8,000 and 12,000 Kentuckians could lose their jobs as a result of the state implementing Medica…

P.J. Brock, a 5th grader at Middlesboro Middle School, with his family and teacher, Sandy Evans, alongside Kentucky Retired Teachers Association and AARP Kentucky representatives. (AARP Kentucky)<br />

Ahead of Mother’s Day, Kentucky student pays tribute to grandmother

Ahead of Mother's Day, one Kentucky middle-school student has received recognition for honoring his grandmother in a "Grandparent of the Year" essay …

As of May 1, 2025, a total of 935 confirmed measles cases were reported by 30 jurisdictions nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)<br />

KY confirms second measles case, doctors urge vaccination

The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services is reporting a second confirmed measles case in March, in a child who was traveling through the …

Eleven states and Washington D.C., serve at least half of 4-year-olds in state-funded preschool, according to the National Institute for Early Education Research. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Kentucky’s federal preschool funding faces uncertain future

The number of Kentucky children enrolled in preschool increased in 2024, along with state spending per child, according to new data from the National …

Misdemeanor charges place 13 million Americans in the criminal justice system each year, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. (Adobe Stock)

KY jails may be shrinking, but nationwide rural counties increase incarceration

CORRECTION: This story has been revised to make it clear that Kentucky has not followed the national trend of building more rural jails, as seen in …

From October 2021 to March 2023, the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations received more than 13,000 reports of online financial sextortion of minors, according to the FBI. (Adobe Stock)

New Kentucky law aims to protect children from digital abuse or ‘sextortion’

Online extortion cases involving children have been rapidly increasing in Kentucky and nationwide, and legislation signed into law by Gov. Andy …

In the state and local government sector in Kentucky, 6,400 injury and illness cases were reported in 2023, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. (Adobe Stock)

Unions: NIOSH cuts will harm Kentucky workers

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s decision to cut a cut a majority of jobs at the federal agency responsible for worker …

The Trump administration is considering closing seven offices in Kentucky as part of a larger cut to federal mine safety field offices across the country. (Adobe Stock/AI-generated)

Coal miners could pay if inspectors lose offices on DOGE list

Dozens of mine safety field offices in Kentucky and across the country would close under a proposal by the federal Department of Government Efficiency…

Murray State University in Murray, Ky., is seeking approval to begin training veterinarians. (Murray State University)

New KY law could mean more advanced degrees

Kentucky lawmakers have opened a path for more public universities to offer professional and advanced degree programs. Senate Bill 77, which …

Seasonal or year-round allergies, depending on the allergen, affect up to 60 million people each year in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)

Spring brings seasonal allergies for many Kentuckians

Kentucky ranks among the worst states for seasonal allergies from early spring through late fall, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of …

In 2025, an average of almost 69 million Americans per month will receive a Social Security benefit, according to the Social Security Administration. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Older Kentuckians: We've worked hard for our Social Security benefits

The Social Security Administration backtracked on a new plan, set to take effect today, that would have required more people to apply for benefits in …

Flooding in Frankfort almost reaches a basketball net Sunday as the Kentucky River is expected to keep rising. (Liam Niemeyer/Kentucky Lantern)<br />

Flooding inundates Kentucky communities

Frankfort is one of a number of communities across Kentucky grappling with a deluge of flash flooding from torrential rainfall over the past several d…

More than 73,000 wind turbines across the U.S. are generating reliable power, according to the American Clean Power Association. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Experts: Wind could be Appalachian Kentucky’s next economic driver

Appalachian communities in Kentucky are poised to become manufacturing hubs for the wind energy industry, experts say. The region's workforce…

More than 42 million people relied on SNAP benefits to purchase food, as of March 15 2025, according to federal data. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Proposed changes to SNAP funding structure could hurt Kentuckians

As federal funding cuts for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program loom, Kentucky experts said proposed changes to shift funding onto states …

Kyan Higgins Jr, a 10-year-old boy and victim of child abuse who lived in Louisville, Ky. Animal Control officers visited his home 24 times in the 18 months leading up to his death. (Kentucky Youth Advocates)<br />

KY bill would equip animal control officers to spot signs of child abuse

A proposed Kentucky law would require animal control officers statewide to undergo training on identifying and reporting child abuse. Kyan's Law is …

The Second Chance Act has invested $1.2 billion into states to help improve outcomes for people leaving prison and jail with unprecedented resources and energy. (Adobe Stock)

Kentucky re-entry services programs struggle to secure funding

April is National Second Chance Month but across the Commonwealth, resources to help people leaving prison find gainful employment are dwindling…

According to 2024 DEA laboratory testing, five of 10 pills tested contain a potentially deadly dose of fentanyl. (Adobe Stock)<br />

KY advocates: HALT Fentanyl Act won’t address root causes of substance use

The federal HALT Fentanyl Act advancing through Congress would increase prison time for fentanyl traffickers. Kentuckians convicted on distribution …

House Majority Whip Jason Nemes, R-Middletown, presents House Bill 90, which was amended to make changes in Kentucky's abortion law, March 13, 2025. (LRC Public Information)

KY doctors: GOP lawmakers’ attempt to clarify abortion ban confuses instead

With a few days left in the 2025 legislative session, Republican lawmakers pushed through a bill they say should reassure doctors they can rely on …

Nationwide, 1.63 million students used e-cigarettes, according to data from the CDC. (Adobe Stock)

Beshear signs licensing of nicotine retailers bill into law

Kentucky will soon begin licensing retailers who sell nicotine, which advocates have said will help regulate an industry and protect minors from …

The National School Lunch Program, created in 1946 as part of the National School Lunch Act, provides federal dollars to schools for food purchases. (Adobe Stock)

Co-ops help more KY school districts participate in local produce bidding

School staffing shortages can affect nutrition in Kentucky school districts, as many districts across the state rely on frozen, processed breakfast …

One in five Americans, or more than 70 million people, rely on Medicaid for health coverage, according to the American Hospital Association. (Adobe Stock)

KY Medicaid work requirement changes could further depress communities

Some Kentucky lawmakers want to make it mandatory for some Medicaid participants in Kentucky to work, but experts say that would disproportionately …

As of November 2024, the U.S. Postal Service employed more than 7,000 people in Kentucky. (Adobe Stock)

Postal workers push back against DOGE, proposed USPS cuts

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is joining forces with the so-called Department of Government Efficiency to cut costs at the Postal Service, this week …

More than 15 million buprenorphine prescriptions were issued in 2023, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)

Kentucky proposes changes to buprenorphine prescribing, dispensing rules

The Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure recently proposed new changes to regulations around the prescribing and dispensing of buprenorphine, also …

There were 5,283 fatal work injuries recorded in the United States in 2023, a 3.7% decrease from 5,486 in 2022, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Data.(Adobe Stock)<br />

Kentucky lawmakers push to weaken worker safety protections

Kentucky lawmakers are considering a bill that would ban the state from enforcing existing worker safety laws that are above and beyond federal standa…

Advocacy groups said they lack confidence in Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s vision for reforming the nation's food and agriculture system. (Adobe Stock)

MAHA commission poised to extend RFK’s reach

By Nina B. Elkadi for Sentient.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for Kentucky News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service …

The U.S. Energy Information said Kentucky's largest utility-scale solar photovoltaic generating facility is a 55-megawatt solar farm that came online in mid-2024, about 40 miles east of Bowling Green. (Adobe Stock)

KY animal shelter expects to save money, energy with new solar panels

This article was produced by Resource Rural.Broadcast version by Terri Dee for Kentucky News Connection reporting for the Resource Rural-Public News S…

According to the Federal Trade Commission, at least $217 million was stolen through gift cards in 2023. (Adobe Stock)

Kentucky looks to crack down on gift-card scams

As National Consumer Protection Week continues, watchdogs remind policymakers about the alarming presence of scams targeting the general public…

In Kentucky, several correctional facilities have faced significant challenges related to extreme heat and inadequate cooling systems. (Adobe Stock)

Faith leaders: heat conditions in U.S. prisons are "inhumane"

Faith leaders and criminal justice advocates are sounding the alarm about extreme heat in U.S. prisons, warning life-threatening temperatures put …

The 2023 Kentucky Early Learners Survey found rates of cavities and untreated tooth decay among children ages 2-5 at rates considerably higher than the national average. (Adobe Stock)

Bill would expand reach of dental hygienists across rural Kentucky

A recent study showed high rates of tooth decay among young children in Kentucky, particularly in rural areas, and dental health advocates are …

Some 36% of S&P 500 companies participate in carbon offsetting, according to the website CarbonNeutral.com. (Adobe Stock/generated with AI)<br />

Why carbon offsets often don’t work, explained

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for Kentucky News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabo…

Nearly 30 million children received a school lunch on an average day during the 2021-2022 school year - an increase of 1.6 million compared to the prior academic year, according to the Food Research & Action Center.

New Kentucky program aims to boost local farm to schools partnerships

Kentucky is launching a new program aimed at rewarding school districts that buy food directly from farmers in the Commonwealth. Three schools will …

Laws in 48 U.S. states ban an estimated 4 million people with felony convictions from voting, according to the Sentencing Project. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Kentucky falls behind in voting rights restoration

More than 153,000 Kentuckians are still being denied the right to vote because of a past felony conviction, according to recent data from the League …

Around 65% of Kentucky's 79,752 miles of streams and rivers are ephemeral or intermittent, according to Environmental Protection Agency data. (Adobe Stock)

Critics: Senate bill could undermine Kentucky water quality

Some Kentucky lawmakers want to weaken protections for waterways many residents depend on for drinking water. Senate Bill 89, that would narrow the …

According to state data, as of February 2025 there were 8,262 children in Kentucky's foster care system. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Kentucky foster kids with nowhere to go are sleeping in DCBS offices

Foster children with nowhere to go are spending up to a week or more in Kentucky office buildings, according to a preliminary report from the state…

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