Politics
Professors worry about political interference in higher education, finds survey of Southern faculty
Professors in the South are increasingly worried about political interference in higher education, according to a new survey released by southern chapters of the American Association of University Professors.? The survey, which included responses from nearly 3,000 faculty members, found that about 70% of respondents signaled dissatisfaction with the political atmosphere around higher education and […]
Kentucky Republicans celebrate ‘house that Mitch built’ with a little help from some big donors
FRANKFORT — What speakers hailed as “the house that Mitch built” will be doubling in size? — thanks to more than $3 million from special interest donors and a change of state law in 2017 that legalized such donations. A slew of prominent Kentucky Republicans joined U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to break ground […]
Franklin judge urges mediation in dispute between Kentucky auditor and Beshear administration
FRANKFORT — Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd urged Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear’s administration and Republican Auditor Allison Ball’s office to resolve a dispute over access to an abuse and neglect database before further litigation ensues.? In a Wednesday morning motion hour, Shepherd gave attorneys on both sides until close of business Thursday to let his […]
New challenge arises as Kulkarni is renominated as Democratic candidate in KY House election
LOUISVILLE — Another legal obstacle to Democratic Rep. Nima Kulkarni’s reelection was filed in Franklin Circuit Court Tuesday afternoon.? William Zeitz, a Democrat who challenged Kulkarni in May’s primary election, has joined with Dennis Horlander, a Democrat who previously represented the 40th House District, in suing election officials after Republican Secretary of State Michael Adams […]
‘It’s always going to be there’: The Greenbrier’s potential sale causes concern for its neighbors
LEWISBURG, W.Va. — At Lewisburg’s Carnegie Hall, president and CEO Cathy Rennard watched with some anxiety earlier this month as news unfolded that The Greenbrier Hotel was facing foreclosure due to unpaid debts by its owners, Gov. Jim Justice and his family. The hotel, a crucial part of The Greenbrier resort, which is Greenbrier County’s […]
Grossberg not welcome at local party events as embarrassments mount for Louisville Democrats
The Louisville Democratic Party is asking Rep. Daniel Grossberg to “temporarily refrain from participating” in the party’s events amid a Legislative Ethics Commission investigation. Meanwhile, the executive director of the state Democratic Party said situations involving a few state representatives from Louisville have “certainly been concerning” but pushed back on suggestions that they could hurt […]
Louisville residents warn legislative task force against splitting up their school district
LOUISVILLE — Several speakers, including Jefferson County Public Schools students, warned a legislative task force against breaking up Kentucky’s largest school district in a Tuesday evening meeting.? However, the co-chairs of the Efficient and Effective School Governance Task Force said deciding to split the district, which serves almost 97,000 students, was not under its purview. […]
What’s IUI? What’s IVF? A look at the fertility treatments the Walz family is talking about
The broader scope of fertility treatments entered the spotlight this week after Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and his wife Gwen shared that they had children through a less commonly known procedure. Since Vice President Kamala Harris selected Gov. Walz as her running mate, he has discussed his family’s fertility journey during speeches in Pennsylvania, Nebraska […]
Her political future cloudy, Grimes must contend with effort to reinstate alleged ethics violations
Kentucky’s Executive Branch Ethics Commission is seeking to reverse a judge’s ruling that cleared former Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes of ethics violation charges. The commission’s request to the Kentucky Court of Appeals is expected to complicate for the time being any decisions that Grimes may have about returning to politics.? Speculation about that […]
Embattled Democrat Nima Kulkarni gains path to Kentucky House ballot in November
Republican Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams has opened a path for Democratic state Rep. Nima Kulkarni to appear on the November ballot, although further legal challenges could arise. Adams declared a vacancy in the nomination process for Louisville’s 40th House District on the heels of legal challenges against Kulkarni’s candidacy. However, attorneys on both […]
Beshear’s PAC raised $200,000-plus in July
FRANKFORT — Gov. Andy Beshear’s political action committee had a solid, though hardly spectacular, month of fundraising in July — a month that ended with Beshear still under consideration as a possible running mate by Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris. Beshear’s PAC, called In This Together, reported to the Federal Election Commission this week that […]
Country ham nets $10.5M for charity as Kelly, Joe Craft break own record at Farm Bureau breakfast
LOUISVILLE —?Two Republican megadonors once again were the highest bidders at Kentucky Farm Bureau’s Country Ham Breakfast charity auction.? Kelly Craft, a former United Nations ambassador and 2023 Republican gubernatorial candidate, and her husband, coal executive Joe Craft, bid a record $10.5 million Thursday morning for the country ham that was crowned champion of the […]