Briefs
After winning special election, Elkins sworn in as state Senator
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 […]
More than 100 ‘orphan’ wells in Daniel Boone National Forest to be plugged, remediated with federal money
A new influx of federal money is planned to plug and remediate more than 100 abandoned oil and gas well sites in the Daniel Boone National Forest, a part of a broader effort to address so-called “orphan” wells on federal lands and waters across the country. A release Thursday from the U.S. Department of the […]
Property for proposed aluminum mill back with local authority, Beshear says
Property once eyed for an aluminum mill in northeastern Kentucky is again under local control, Gov. Andy Beshear said. He announced Thursday that Unity Aluminum has transferred more than 240 acres to the Northeast Kentucky Regional Industrial Authority, an economic development group that manages the multi-use business park near I-64 between Grayson and Ashland. During […]
Kentuckians warned about poor air quality from Canadian fires
Poor air quality from Canadian fires prompted a warning Thursday about potential negative health effects for Kentuckians. Air pollution can negatively affect a person’s health, according to Rachel Keith, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Louisville and the director of human studies at the Envirome Institute as well as an advanced practice registered […]
Mammoth Cave National Park expansion proposed by McConnell, Guthrie
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 […]
Student and teacher appointed to Kentucky Board of Education
Non-voting teacher and student representatives have been named to the Kentucky Board of Education. According to a Kentucky Department of Education press release, the members will begin their terms next month on July 1. Their terms will expire on June 30, 2024. The student member is Ronald “R.J.” Osborne, a junior at Whitley County High […]
Kentucky lawmakers hear update on KERA and school assessment methods
Kentucky lawmakers on Tuesday heard an update on the state of Kentucky education assessments and what policy changes could impact their future. Lu Young, the chairwoman of the Kentucky Board of Education, told members of the Interim Joint Committee on Education that it’s time to reconsider the backdrop of past accountability and assessment measures as […]
UofL Hospital earns recognition for high standards of burn care
LOUISVILLE — Kentucky has its first verified burn center now that the American Burn Association has awarded UofL Hospital the designation. Hospital officials and politicians were on hand to celebrate the announcement on Tuesday. They included Gov. Andy Beshear and Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg, who spoke to an audience of scrub clad-people and firefighters. UofL’s […]
Appalshop releases schedule for free Seedtime on the Cumberland Festival June 16-17
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 […]
University of Louisville researchers get millions in federal funds to study immune system
University of Louisville researchers announced Friday that three federal grants totalling $6.1 million will allow them to further study immune system dysregulation, which they say causes serious illness and death in some patients who have COVID-19. This funding, from the National Institutes of Health, comes after UofL researchers “discovered that a specific type of immune […]
Toyota’s first electric vehicle factory in the US will be in Kentucky at its Georgetown plant
In what Gov. Andy Beshear called an “enormous” economic development announcement for Kentucky, Toyota plans to establish its first electric car manufacturing facility in the United States at its plant in Scott County. The Georgetown factory, which has manufactured millions of cars since 1988, plans to retain nearly 9,000 employees to manufacture electric SUVs as […]
Kentucky judge recuses himself from KEA case after Cameron questioned his impartiality
A Kentucky judge has recused himself from a court case after Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron questioned the judge’s impartiality based on political contributions supporting the judge’s recent reelection. Franklin Circuit Court Judge Phillip Shepherd in an order Tuesday directed a lawsuit filed by the Kentucky Education Association be transferred to the other circuit judge […]