Briefs
Louisville students lobby legislature to exempt period products from state sales tax
FRANKFORT — Jessica Gross has had to leave school because she started her period and didn’t have menstrual products with her.? “It’s a panic situation,” said Louisville’s Gross, 16, who is a student at Mercy Academy. “It’s not the embarrassment of being on your period. It’s the way that people around you see it.”? That’s […]
Senate committee forwards bill to codify TikTok ban on Kentucky government devices?
FRANKFORT — A Kentucky Senate committee on Wednesday endorsed putting into state law a ban on TikTok on state government devices or networks. TikTok, a social media platform where content creators can make minutes-long videos about a variety of topics, is commonly used by teenagers and young adults.? The Senate State and Local Government Committee […]
Income tax cut bill passes easily out of Kentucky Senate committee
A top priority for Republicans in the Kentucky legislature, a bill that would further cut the state’s income tax, sped out of a Senate committee easily Wednesday morning. The comments of support by GOP lawmakers for House Bill 1 and testimony critical of the bill mirrored past discussion surrounding the legislation when it sailed through […]
Kentucky House committee advances impeachment articles against suspended prosecutor
A Kentucky House impeachment committee has advanced three articles of impeachment against a suspended elected prosecutor accused of asking a defendant for nude photos and videos in exchange for prosecutorial favors.? The Kentucky Supreme Court suspended Ronnie Goldy — the commonwealth’s attorney for the 21st Judicial Circuit serving Rowan, Menifee, Bath and Montgomery counties — […]
Humana supports prenatal care for Black moms with $120,000 in grants, goal is ‘health equity’
To “improve access to quality prenatal care in Kentucky for Black moms,” Humana announced Tuesday it will give $120,000 in grants to three organizations.? Humana’s Healthy Horizons made the move in response to a March of Dimes report last year that awarded Kentucky a failing grade on key indicators of maternal health. The commonwealth was […]
Paducah health department engages Kentucky students in vaccine awareness
Paducah’s Purchase District Health Department announced a “Become a Vaccine Champion” competition for Kentucky students on Friday.? The vaccine awareness competition is open until 11 a.m. on Feb. 24. Three students — one in each age group — will win $250. Student participants, which can include homeschooled students, should “illustrate the importance of routine childhood […]
Black Americans more likely to get kidney disease, less likely to get transplants
Black Americans are at higher risk of developing kidney disease but haven’t been getting on transplant lists when they should.? Black Kentuckians are around four times as likely to get the disease as their white counterparts, UofL Health’s Dr. Lina Mackelaite said last week.? Yet an outdated nationwide screening system, which operated under the assumption […]
Kentucky agriculture group named to address large animal vet shortage
Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Ryan Quarles has named a working group of agriculture industry stakeholders to search for “solutions to the state’s large animal vet shortage,” the Agriculture Department said Friday.? A shortage of large animal veterinarians across the country has created “a negative impact as farmers search to find the veterinary care they need […]
Federal COVID-19 emergency benefits to end. What that means for Kentuckians.
The upcoming expiration of federal emergency declarations during the COVID-19 pandemic will mean the end to some benefits Kentuckians enjoyed.? The White House announced on Jan. 30 that it will try to extend the COVID-19 national and public health emergencies, which will expire on March 1 and April 11, to May 11.? When those declarations […]
Video will help Kentuckians understand new unemployment insurance rules
Kentucky legal aid offices have released a video to help people who are out of work understand changes to the unemployment insurance system that took effect Jan. 1. Katina Miner, advocacy director at Kentucky Legal Aid, says, “Unfortunately, this is not good news for people out of work. That’s why we want to make sure […]
Former Russell hospital will become treatment center for mental health, addiction recovery
Kentucky’s Addiction Recovery Care announced Wednesday it aims to open a new treatment center in Greenup County late this year or early 2024.? ARC, based in Louisa, said it’s closed on a purchase agreement with Bon Secours Mercy Health for a portion of the former Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital site in Russell. That hospital […]
Ticket lottery opens Monday for Yo-Yo Ma concert in Mammoth Cave
This article is republished from WKU Public Radio. Monday is the first day of a lottery for tickets to a unique concert inside Mammoth Cave. The Louisville Orchestra and cellist Yo-Yo Ma are performing two concerts at the national park in southern Kentucky on April 29. Those wanting tickets can request up to four tickets […]