By Lindsay Travis, University of Kentucky/Kentucky Health News A team of researchers at the University of Kentucky is working to better understand the impact of opioid-use disorder on mothers and babies. Every 24 minutes in the United States, a baby is born with neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) after being exposed via a mother with opioid-use…
By Melissa Patrick, Kentucky Health News Eleven nonprofit organizations have been selected to receive as much as $50,000 each from the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky‘s Funding for Recovery Equity and Expansion Program. The FREE Program provides grants ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 to organizations that raise awareness about overdose prevention, reduce the stigma associated…
by Paul Oliva, The Lexington Times LEXINGTON, KY — As the curtain falls on a pandemic-era federal rental assistance program, a grim forecast looms over Lexington, with advocates warning of a potential surge in homelessness, particularly among children. This concern follows the cessation of a lifeline that has supported numerous families during the economic…
By Jillian Riseman, CivicLex Weekly The Social Services and Public Safety Committee is holding a special meeting Tuesday at 6pm in Council Chambers to hear public input on banning Source of Income (SOI) Discrimination. This meeting was set by Committee Chair Councilmember Jennifer Reynolds after they heard a presentation on SOI discrimination in their October…
‘We’re still trying to evaluate everything,’ says Right to Life’s Wuchner by Deborah Yetter, Kentucky Lantern Standing before cheering supporters on election night, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, wrapped up his reelection celebration with a round of thanks. “First to my parents,” he said, embracing Jane and Steve Beshear — his father himself…
By Al Cross, Kentucky Health News For the first time in 20 years, the rate of infant mortality in the U.S. showed a statistically significant increase in 2022, according to preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The national baby-death rate rose 3 percent from 2021, but in Kentucky it dropped 6 percent. The…
by Nadia Ramlagan, Public News Service A lengthy proposal aimed at reducing crime recently unveiled by Kentucky lawmakers has housing advocacy groups concerned about the impact on the homeless. The Safer Kentucky Act, currently in draft stages, is expected to be introduced when the legislature convenes next year. The proposal includes a statewide camping ban,…
by Nadia Ramlagan, Public News Service A new study of incarceration trends shows Black people in the Commonwealth are jailed at a rate nearly three times higher than their white peers, despite making up around 8% of the state’s population. The Prison Policy Initiative research found disparities in the criminal justice system have not changed over the past decade,…
by Paul Oliva, The Lexington Times LEXINGTON, Ky. — As the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG) prepares to finalize an Economic Incentive Agreement with LSC Stadium Company, LLC, the focus on a new professional soccer stadium raises questions about the city’s priorities. The deal, set for discussion at Tuesday’s Council Work Session, comes at…
By Paul Oliva, The Lexington Times LEXINGTON, Ky. — Lexington is gearing up for a series of town hall meetings to discuss the recommendations from the Commission for Racial Justice and Equality’s Housing and Gentrification Subcommittee’s 2021 report. Councilmember Shayla Lynch, who co-chaired the subcommittee, will co-host the events with Councilmember Denise Gray. A…