Author

Al Cross

Al Cross

Al Cross (@ruralj) is a retired professor emeritus of journalism at the University of Kentucky School of Journalism. His opinions are his own. He was the longest-serving political writer for the Louisville Courier Journal (1989-2004) and national president of the Society of Professional Journalists in 2001-02. He joined the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame in 2010. The NKyTribune is the home for his commentary which is offered to other publications with appropriate credit.

Craft says ’empty chair’ was a ‘close family member’ who overcame addiction

By: - January 23, 2023

This article is republished from?Kentucky Health News, an independent news service of the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, based in the School of Journalism and Media at the University of Kentucky, with support from the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky. For weeks, Kentuckians have seen and heard this message from Kelly Craft, one […]

Stivers, leading foe of medical cannabis, suggests he could support it in end-of life cases

By: - January 10, 2023

This article is republished from?Kentucky Health News, a publication of the?Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues?at the?University of Kentucky. State Senate President Robert Stivers suggested Monday night that he might be willing to approve medical marijuana in Kentucky on a very limited basis, to relieve patients’ pain at the end of their lives. But […]

Commentary

Can McConnell save GOP from Trump?

By: - January 6, 2023

This column is republished from the?Northern Kentucky Tribune, a nonprofit publication of the Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism. The contrast was stark in the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday. The east side was chaos, as the new, thin Republican majority in the House of Representatives failed to elect a speaker, the prerequisite for doing any […]

Bummer: Kentuckians’ sense of well-being ranks low, according to analysis of Gallup polls

By: - January 5, 2023

This article is republished from?Kentucky Health News, ?an independent news service of the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, based in the School of Journalism and Media at the University of Kentucky, with support from the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky. Kentuckians’ sense of well-being from 2008 to 2017 was the worst of any […]

Commentary

What to give the Kentucky pol who has everything? Al Cross has some jolly ol’ ideas

By: - December 23, 2022

This column is republished from the?Northern Kentucky Tribune, a nonprofit publication of the Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism. ?Before we renew the tradition of imaginary but fitting Christmas gifts for Kentucky political figures, here’s a plea for some real gifts for folks who really need them: the people of Ukraine, who are standing up […]

Kentuckian David Sawyer helped found AmeriCorps, is remembered for a life of service

By: - December 18, 2022

This article is reprinted with permission of The Rural Blog, published by the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues at the University of Kentucky. David Sawyer, a Kentucky-grown back-to-the-lander who ran a student-service program at Berea College, helped start AmeriCorps and became an international consultant on the environment, civic engagement and a wide range […]

Commentary

Al Cross’s morning line on 2023 governor’s race

By: - December 9, 2022

This article is published with permission from the Northern?Kentucky?Tribune, a nonprofit publication of the Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism. When Gov. Andy Beshear was sworn in three years ago Saturday, he was a fluke, elected by just 5,136 votes — less than 0.4% of the total — due to controversial utterances by incumbent Matt […]