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LEXINGTON, Ky. — The U.S. Army has officially designated the Kentucky Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) Directorate a Program of Record, marking a historic milestone for JROTC programs across the Commonwealth, according to Kentucky Teacher. The designation represents formal recognition from the U.S. Army that the Kentucky Department of Education’s JROTC Directorate meets…

FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Lexington man, Laurance Newby, 38, was sentenced on Wednesday to 180 months by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove for possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.  According to his plea agreement, between December 2024 until June…

LONDON, Ky. – A Louisville, Ky., woman, Sarah Morris, 33, was sentenced on Thursday to 80 months by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.  According to her plea agreement, between December 2023 and January 2025, Morris developed relationships with suppliers that allowed her to regularly obtain…

LEXINGTON, Ky. — House Bill 257, legislation aimed at restructuring Kentucky’s state assessment and accountability systems, has cleared both chambers of the Kentucky General Assembly and awaits the governor’s signature, according to Kentucky Teacher. The bill, which focuses on reimagining how the state evaluates student performance and holds schools accountable, received approval from lawmakers…

LEXINGTON, Ky. — The fatal police shooting of a 28-year-old Louisville woman during a mental health crisis is sparking a broader examination of how law enforcement responds to psychiatric emergencies, a challenge that extends beyond Kentucky’s largest city. Katelyn Hall died March 27 after Louisville Metro Police officers shot her as she exited a…

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Thirty-six randomly selected residents have concluded Kentucky’s first civic assembly, an experiment in citizen-led governance that aims to reshape how Lexington’s local government operates through deliberative democracy. The participants met over seven sessions at Transylvania University to develop policy recommendations for revising Lexington’s charter, according to CivicLex, the local nonprofit that…

This story was produced as part of a joint Equitable Cities Reporting Fellowship for Rural-Urban Issues between CivicLex and Next City. Public trust in government is near historic lows. But Americans’ trust in their local government far outweighs trust in the federal government. It’s been this way since the mid-2000s, when the State of the Nation…

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kathleen Driskell, the 2025-26 Kentucky Poet Laureate, will conduct a writing workshop at Pine Mountain State Resort Park from May 8-10, according to the Kentucky Tourism, Arts & Heritage Cabinet. The workshop, titled “Postcards from Pine Mountain,” will be led by Driskell, who was recently named to serve as the state’s…

The Lexington‑Fayette Urban County Government Environmental Commission is now accepting nominations for the 2026 Environmental Commission Environmental Awards, honoring individuals, organizations, businesses and projects that have made significant contributions to improving Lexington’s environment. The Environmental Awards celebrate outstanding efforts that protect natural resources, promote sustainability, and advance environmental awareness across the community. Eligible projects…

LEXINGTON, Ky. — At 16, Precious Clark maintains the full schedule of a typical high school junior: choir practice, voice lessons, theater performances and time with friends. What makes her story remarkable is that she manages this busy life while living with sickle cell anemia, a genetic blood disorder that affects about 100,000 Americans.…