Kentucky News & Current Events | Public News Service

Nearly 85% of youth who vape report using flavored e-cigarettes and more than half said they use disposable e-cigarettes, according to federal data. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Local KY Communities Tackle Youth Vaping Crisis

Widespread vaping among young Kentuckians continues to be a public health concern - and some local communities are coming up with innovative ways to t…

Between now and 2030, a net 78% of new workers in the country - people entering the labor market minus the people retiring from the labor market - will be Latino, according to a forecast from the U.S. Department of Labor. (Adobe Stock)

As Latino Workforce Grows, 'Urgent Need’ to Improve Access to Digital Economy

By Ramona Schindelheim for WorkingNation.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for Kentucky News Connection reporting for the WorkingNation-Public News …

Nine thousand homes in 13 counties were destroyed or significantly damaged in the July 2022 eastern Kentucky floods, in which 40 people died. (Wikimedia Commons)<br />

KY’s Rural Housing Trust Fund Plays Critical Role in Disaster Recovery

The Kentucky Housing Corporation has received applications for housing funding from the state's Rural Housing Trust Fund requesting more than $18 mill…

An estimated 68.5 million U.S. adults do not have dental insurance, according to new data by CareQuest Institute for Oral Health. (Adobe Stock)<br />

KY to Finalize Expanded Medicaid Dental, Vision, Hearing Benefits

Kentucky lawmakers next week are expected to finalize regulations that have expanded dental, vision and hearing benefits for Medicaid beneficiaries …

Foreign-owned crytomining companies are staking out Eastern Kentucky for cheap electricity, and major utilities in the region want to give them discounted rates on their electric bills. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Kentucky Denies Energy Subsidies for Proposed Cryptomining Facility

China-based company Ebon International will not be getting discounted energy prices for its proposed cryptomining facility in eastern Kentucky…

Medicaid coverage during early life stages- even before birth - is linked to improved health outcomes for the next generation, according to a study published in American Economic Review. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Experts: Kids Often Eligible for Medicaid, Even if Their Parents Aren’t

Kentucky begins its eligibility review of kids' Medicaid coverage this month - and experts say it's vital the process goes seamlessly, so kids aren't …

Ninety three percent of U.S. kindergartners were vaccinated against measles in 2021, according to a CDC study. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Experts: Catch Up on Kids’ Immunizations During Back-to-School Season

Health experts are urging parents to check on the status of their child's vaccinations, amid pertussis and COVID-19 outbreaks among children that …

Elementary and high schools nationally cut capital spending by $23 billion or 31% between fiscal years 2008 and 2015, the latest year available, after adjusting for inflation, according to the Center for Budget Policy and Priorities. (Adobe Stock)

Report: KY School Funding Gap Wider Than Levels Declared Unconstitutional

The funding gap between the state's poorest and wealthiest school districts is widening, with potentially dire consequences for students and …

In 2020 alone, drug overdose deaths in Kentucky increased by nearly 50%, according to the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General. (Adobe Stock)

More Resources for KY Nonprofits Working to Reduce Overdose Deaths

More than 615,000 dollars is going to nonprofit groups in Kentucky working to end opioid addiction. According to state data, more than 2,100 …

As grocery prices and cost-of-living expenses continue to rise, experts say more Kentuckians will rely on food banks. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Kentuckians Kick-Off Hunger Action Month

As anti-hunger advocates gather today at the state Capitol to launch Feeding Kentucky's Hunger Action Month kickoff, experts say the next Farm Bill --…

Research suggests that non-parental child care, particularly center-based care, may attenuate the negative influences of some forms of intimate-partner violence on young children's behavioral outcomes. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Lack of Child-Care Options Impacts KY Domestic-Violence Survivors

Kentucky's child-care crisis could get worse when federal assistance for child-care centers runs out, and that could increase barriers for survivors …

Natural-gas emissions from stationary sources led to more deaths than coal in at least 19 states, according to research from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (Adobe Stock)

Utility Proposes Building Two New $1.4B Natural-Gas Plants in Kentucky

Kentucky's major utilities, Louisville Gas & Electric and Kentucky Utilities, are asking the state's Public Service Commission to approve a plan to …

According to a report by Invest Appalachia, the Appalachian region compares favorably to the Great Lakes region and parts of New England in terms of anticipated weather impacts and status as a climate haven. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Central Appalachia Could Be Safe Haven for Climate-Change Migrants

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

According to the latest data, around 4,000 Kentuckians experience homelessness on a given night in January each year. (Adobe Stock)

Medicaid Renewal Process a Barrier for Kentuckians Struggling with Housing

Medicaid benefits can help people stay housed or get connected to resources that can help them find housing. And experts say the state's Medicaid …

The Congressional Budget Office puts the 2018-2023 Farm Bill price tag at around $428 billion. (Adobe Stock)

A KY Push for Regenerative Farming in Next Farm Bill

People's wallets continue to feel the impact of high food prices, and local environmental groups say sustainable food systems and regenerative …

An attempt to build a $500 million federal prison in Letcher County was defeated in 2019 because of strong local opposition. (Adobe Stock)

Proposed East KY Federal Prison Would Have Devastating Environmental Impacts

After Republican Congressman Hal Rogers inserted language into the latest House appropriations bill which would bypass environmental regulatory proces…

An earlier attempt to build a $500 million federal prison in Letcher County was defeated in 2019 because of strong local opposition. (Adobe Stock)

KY Rep. Pushes to Fast-Track Federal Prison Project, Despite Local Opposition

A more than $500 million proposed federal prison project, which would sit on a former coal mine site in Letcher County, is receiving a renewed push …

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 …

Every year, about 1,000 miners die from coal workers' pneumoconiosis or

New Silica Dust Rule Aims to Protect Miners from Black Lung

The federal government is strengthening rules aimed at protecting miners from silica dust exposure, the toxic dust driving the resurgence of black …

Child care prices for a single child ranged from $4,810 for school-age home-based care in small counties, to $15,417 for infant center-based care in very large counties, according to data from the U.S. Department of Labor. (Adobe Stock)<br />

KY Child Care Providers Face Uncertain Future as Federal Funding Runs Out

New federal data show child care expenses are out of reach for most families, and in Kentucky, providers are struggling to keep their doors open…

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 …

According to researchers at George Mason University's Mercatus Center, legalizing accessory dwelling units is on the rise as states take action to expand access to lower-cost housing. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Louisville Works to Expand Accessory Dwelling Unit Resources

The City of Louisville wants to streamline the process for property owners seeking to build Accessory Dwelling Units, also known as carriage houses …

Aggressive door-to-door solar sales tactics are a telltale sign of a solar scam, according to Solar United Neighbors. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Groups Urge KY Residents to Beware of Solar Scams

After a company known as Solar Titan USA was recently banned from doing business in Kentucky, advocacy groups are working to raise awareness of the …

Losing Medicaid coverage is a Qualifying Life Event, which allows recipients to enroll in a kynect plan or Employer Sponsored Health Insurance plan outside of the open-enrollment period. (Vitalii Vodolazskyi/Adobe Stock)

Safeguarding Medicaid and Insurance Coverage for Kentucky Families

Thousands of Kentucky residents and children face the threat of losing Medicaid and Kentucky Children's Health Insurance as pandemic renewal regulatio…

In 2021, some 53% of working adults ages 25 to 54 were parents, and more than a third of those parents had young children, according to a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (Adobe stock)

New Data Shows Well-Being of Kentucky Kids Worsens

The latest Annie E. Casey Foundation's Kids Count Data Book shows Kentucky, along with other Appalachian and Southeastern states, ranks in the bottom …

The rainfall totals observed between July 26-30, 2022, across eastern Kentucky were more than 600% above average, according to data from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration. (Adobe Stock)

Buyout Program Provides Millions for Flood-Prone Eastern KY Properties

Nearly a year after the historic flooding in eastern Kentucky, residents of Breathitt, Knott, Letcher, and Perry counties now have the option to …

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

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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