Public News Service

Ahead of Mother’s Day, one Kentucky middle-school student has received recognition for honoring his grandmother in a “Grandparent of the Year” essay contest sponsored by the Kentucky Retired Teachers Association and AARP Kentucky. In his winning essay, P.J. Brock describes his grandmother Sue as “caring, kind, hardworking, selfless and loving.” Sue Beeler, 74, a…

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 state while seeking treatment. The first reported case this year occurred in an adult Kentucky resident in February. Measles is a highly contagious respiratory virus spread through the air…

The number of Kentucky children enrolled in preschool increased in 2024, along with state spending per child, according to new data from the National Institute for Early Education Research. The commonwealth spent around $6,500 per child during the last academic year, an increase of more than $800 from the prior year. Steve Barnett, founder…

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 the Prison Policy Initiative report. (5:00 p.m. MDT, May 7, 2025) New data show many smaller, rural counties across the country are disproportionately jailing people for low-level offenses.…

Online extortion cases involving children have been rapidly increasing in Kentucky and nationwide, and legislation signed into law by Gov. Andy Beshear aims to protect kids from digital abuse. Perpetrators use social media platforms, gaming sites and messaging apps to target youths, posing as peers to coerce victims into sharing explicit photos. Lorin Payne,…

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 health and safety is seen as a direct attack on Kentucky workers by labor unions in the state. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health could be trimmed…

Dozens of mine safety field offices in Kentucky and across the country would close under a proposal by the federal Department of Government Efficiency. According to an analysis by the nonprofit Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center, offices in Barbourville and Harlan are on a list of seven in Kentucky slated for closure. Brendan Muckian-Bates, policy…

Kentucky lawmakers have opened a path for more public universities to offer professional and advanced degree programs. Senate Bill 77, which received bipartisan support in the General Assembly and was signed into law by Gov. Andy Beshear, allows the state’s universities to seek approval to start professional and PhD programs. Aaron Thompson, president of…

Kentucky ranks among the worst states for seasonal allergies from early spring through late fall, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Dr. Arfa Faiz, allergist at the University of Kentucky, said the first step is identifying whether the symptoms are driven by allergies or another culprit. She explained allergy testing can…

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 person instead of by phone. Older Kentuckians say they’ve worked hard their whole lives for their benefits, and are relieved the changes won’t go into effect. Older residents in…