Source: Lane Report (KY Business)

Five Kentucky business and community leaders have been named finalists for the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce’s 2026 Young Professional of the Year Award, with public voting open through Sept. 4 and the winner to be announced Sept. 21 in Louisville.

A Shively Police officer was arrested Tuesday after using Flock license plate readers to track a woman over 2,000 times between January and May. The arrest highlights growing concerns about misuse of the surveillance technology by law enforcement across Kentucky.

Kentucky’s medical cannabis industry reached the halfway point of its retail network with 24 dispensaries now operating, as patient registrations surpassed 24,000 and the industry generated over $1.87 million in July sales.

Lexington’s Transportation Policy Committee approved a resolution Wednesday to fund Lextran’s first-ever long-range transit plan, a 25-year strategic study to guide future public transportation expansion and improvements in the region.

Kentucky business leaders are pushing employee ownership models as a solution to succession challenges facing more than half the state’s businesses with owners aged 55 or older. TiER1 Performance and C-Forward demonstrate the model’s success in Northern Kentucky.

Kentucky announced new regulations implementing House Bill 90, which exempts freestanding birthing centers with four or fewer beds from certificate-of-need requirements. The regulations establish licensing and operational standards for the facilities, aiming to make Kentucky the 41st state to allow such centers.

The University of Kentucky will receive $26.7 million in additional federal funding for its Agricultural Research Service Forage-Animal Production Unit, bringing total federal support to more than $102 million. The facility, targeted for completion in 2026, will advance forage and livestock research critical to Kentucky’s agricultural economy.

The University of Kentucky is hosting an equine farm management expo Sept. 10 in Lexington featuring sessions on facility design, nutrition and hay management for horse farm owners and professionals.

Transylvania University is emphasizing how its downtown Lexington location is central to the college experience, offering prospective students access to internships, cultural events and real-world learning opportunities that extend classroom education into the community.

Kentucky will receive $358 million as part of a $17.1 billion multistate settlement with Meta, resolving claims about addictive platform design. The agreement also includes sweeping new child safety protections for Facebook and Instagram.