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This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with the Lexington Herald-Leader.  By the end of 2020, Kentucky’s newly elected Gov. Andy Beshear had one goal above all others: Keep people alive. The state was battling two merciless threats. COVID-19 was killing hundreds of people each month, and deadly drug overdoses were…

Louisville’s Air Pollution Control District recorded 530 odor complaints related to the Swift Pork Company slaughterhouse in the first half of 2026, yet has issued no violations since 2021, according to a Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting investigation.

Fayette County Public Schools received audit findings identifying significant financial control weaknesses, with an accounting firm recommending 70 improvements to strengthen budgeting practices and internal controls.

Discarded tires are increasingly polluting Kentucky waterways, with advocates pulling roughly 200 tires from a 4-mile Red River stretch in 2024. The Kentucky Waterways Alliance has launched a tire-reporting dashboard and advocates are pushing for expanded state funding to address the problem.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet will close Kentucky 1688 (Woodlake Road) in Scott County on Aug. 6 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. for cross drain repairs. Alternate routes include Kentucky 3378 (Pea Ridge Road) and Kentucky 1262 (Jones Lane).

Kentucky’s grade 4 reading and math scores improved significantly from 2022 to 2024 on national education assessments, outpacing national averages and drawing praise from state legislators for the effectiveness of literacy and numeracy initiatives.

Kentucky lawmakers discussed potential regulations for autonomous delivery robots at a committee meeting Tuesday, with some legislators expressing concerns about safety and worker displacement despite DoorDash’s assurances about the technology.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has rescheduled overhead panel sign replacement on I-75 southbound in Fayette County to Thursday, Aug. 6, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., weather permitting, due to a contractor equipment issue. Intermittent lane closures will be in place between the Northern Split and Iron Works Pike exits.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has moved up emergency repairs on KY 1688 (Woodlake Road) in Scott County, closing the road immediately for cross drain work at mile point 0.3 near the Franklin County line.

The University of Kentucky will admit its first full class of artificial intelligence bachelor’s degree students this fall, establishing a new program in one of the nation’s fastest-growing academic fields.