Public News Service

Frankfort is one of a number of communities across Kentucky grappling with a deluge of flash flooding from torrential rainfall over the past several days. More than a foot of rain in some parts of the state has caused rivers to rise, leading to evacuations along the Kentucky River. Emergency officials have asked Frankfort…

Appalachian communities in Kentucky are poised to become manufacturing hubs for the wind energy industry, experts say. The region’s workforce, accessible transportation routes, and stash of coal ash deposits — which contain rare earth metals needed for turbine production — all point to a role for Appalachia in the industry’s supply chain. Larry Holloway,…

As federal funding cuts for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program loom, Kentucky experts said proposed changes to shift funding onto states could be disastrous. In a recent letter to Congress, the Kentucky Food Action Network told lawmakers restricting SNAP will hurt farmers across the Commonwealth. Jessica Klein, policy associate at the Kentucky Center for…

A proposed Kentucky law would require animal control officers statewide to undergo training on identifying and reporting child abuse. Kyan’s Law is named after Kyan Higgins Jr, a 10-year-old Louisville boy murdered by his mother. Animal control had visited Kyan’s home 24 times in the 18 months leading up to his death. Joye Keeley,…

April is National Second Chance Month but across the Commonwealth, resources to help people leaving prison find gainful employment are dwindling. According to data from the Prison Policy Initiative, of more than 50,000 people in 2010, 33% found no employment in the four years following release. The Louisville Office of the Center for Employment…

The federal HALT Fentanyl Act advancing through Congress would increase prison time for fentanyl traffickers. Kentuckians convicted on distribution charges involving more than 10 grams of fentanyl would receive at least five years in prison, or no fewer than 10 if they had a prior conviction. For cases involving larger amounts of the substance…

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 their medical judgment when treating pregnancy complications, despite the state’s abortion ban. But some Kentucky doctors said the wording of House Bill 90, in an effort to clarify the…

Kentucky will soon begin licensing retailers who sell nicotine, which advocates have said will help regulate an industry and protect minors from addictive chemicals. Gov. Andy Beshear signed Senate Bill 100 into law earlier this week. Griffin Nemeth, a student and coordinator for the iCANendthetrend Youth Advisory Board coordinator at the University of Kentucky,…

School staffing shortages can affect nutrition in Kentucky school districts, as many districts across the state rely on frozen, processed breakfast and lunch options from conglomerates. Now, some cooperatives are helping schools with the bidding process to use their dollars for locally sourced produce, dairy and meat. Alex Smith, food service program coordinator for…

Some Kentucky lawmakers want to make it mandatory for some Medicaid participants in Kentucky to work, but experts say that would disproportionately affect people with mental health or substance use disorders. House Bill 695 would require able-bodied adults with no dependents to work – and prove it – to receive health care. Kentucky currently…