Kentucky Archives - The Minnesota Sun

New Kentucky Law Expands Definitions Related to the Use of School Resource Officers

March 29, 2023 The Center Square

Kentucky lawmakers hope they have already have taken steps that can help avoid a tragedy such as took place in Nashville, Tennessee, on Monday.

On Friday of last week, legislation was signed into law allowing parochial and other private schools to develop pacts with local law enforcement agencies or the Kentucky State Police to have school resource officers on their campuses. House Bill 540, sponsored by state Rep. Killian Timoney, R-Nicholasville, was signed by Gov. Andy Beshear.

In Tennessee on Monday, a shooting at Christian elementary school left three children, three adults and the shooter dead.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell Suffers Concussion in Fall, to Remain Hospitalized for ‘Few Days’

March 9, 2023March 9, 2023 Just the News

by Madeleine Hubbard Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is expected to remain hospitalized “for a few days” after he fell in Washington, D.C., during a private hotel dinner, a spokesperson for the Kentucky Republican said Thursday. “This evening, Leader McConnell tripped at a local hotel during a private dinner,” spokesman…

Minnesota Set to Receive Part of a Nearly $400 Million Settlement from Google over Location-Tracking Probe

November 15, 2022November 14, 2022 Just the News

Google agreed to a $391.5 million settlement with 40 states after an investigation found that the tech giant participated in questionable location-tracking practices, state attorneys general announced Monday.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong called it a “historic win for consumers.”

Early Returns Show Voters in Five States Defending Abortion-Related Measures

November 10, 2022November 9, 2022 Susan Berry, PhD

In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision that returned the question of abortion limits back to the states, unofficial election results in five states show voters opted to codify abortion as a constitutional right, defend expanded access to abortion, and deny lifesaving care to infants born alive despite an abortion attempt.

More than 133,000 Vermont voters – about 72 percent – appear to have supported a ballot measure that made the state the first to enshrine abortion in its constitution. Nearly 42,000 voters, or about 22 percent, voted against the measure, while 9,000, or about 5 percent, left the ballot question blank, The Hill reported.

Seven Midwest States Enter Hydrogen Coalition

September 21, 2022September 20, 2022 The Center Square

Seven Midwest states entered a coalition to pursue clean hydrogen development as an alternative to gas and diesel fuel.

The governors of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin signed onto the Midwest Hydrogen Coalition. The coalition will accelerate clean hydrogen development, from production and supply chain to distribution in agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, and other industries.

Former Trump U.N. Ambassador Announces Run in Kentucky Gubernatorial Race

September 8, 2022September 7, 2022 Minnesota Sun Staff

Kelly Knight Craft, a former senior diplomat in the Trump administration, has announced on Twitter a campaign for Governor of Kentucky in the state’s 2023 gubernatorial race.

“I’m running for governor because I know our best days are ahead of us,” Craft said in her tweeted video announcement. “This movement is for all of us who still believe that we can lead in education, that the government doesn’t get a seat at our kitchen table and that our kids should grow up in safe neighborhoods.”

Kentucky Life Expectancy Falls Sharply

September 5, 2022September 4, 2022 The Center Square

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on the overall health of Kentucky and the rest of the nation. Now, researchers can point out how the coronavirus has affected the population.

According to the University of Louisville’s Kentucky State Data Center, the life expectancy at birth for a Kentuckian has dropped by 3.4 years from 2019 to 2021.

Kentucky School District Includes Critical Race Theory, LGBTQ+ Training for Teachers

August 31, 2022August 30, 2022 Minnesota Sun Staff

A public school district in Louisville, Kentucky is forcing all teachers to undergo training sessions that feature far-left curriculum, including Critical Race Theory and pro-LGBTQ+ attitudes, in preparation for the new school year.

As reported by Fox News, Jefferson County Public Schools hosted a “Racial Equity Training” session earlier this summer, which featured such concepts as anti-racist math, implicit bias training, and “Whiteness theory,” among others. The session included forced reading for the teachers such as the books “How to be an Antiracist” and “White Fragility,” both written by black nationalist Ibram Kendi.

Rescues and Recovery Continue in Kentucky after Deadly Flooding in Appalachia Claims at Least 25 Lives

August 1, 2022July 31, 2022 Admin

At least 25 have people died in Kentucky– including four children – in the flooding caused by the torrential rains and flash floods earlier this week, Gov. Andy Beshear said Saturday.

“We continue to pray for the families that have suffered an unfathomable loss,” the Democrat governor said. “Some having lost almost everyone in their household.”

Judge Blocks Two Kentucky Pro-Life Laws with Claim That the Idea Life Begins at Conception Is ‘Distinctly Christian’

July 27, 2022July 26, 2022 Susan Berry, PhD

A judge has temporarily blocked two Kentucky laws that would effectively ban abortion in nearly all circumstances, claiming the idea that life begins at conception is a “distinctly Christian” view and that the notion that a disproportionate number of abortions occurs among black women is suggestive of eugenics is “baseless.”

Jefferson Circuit Court Judge Mitch Perry sided with the abortion providers Friday, granting them a temporary injunction against the state enforcing its Human Life Protection Act and Heartbeat Law, referring to the measures as the Trigger Ban and Six Week Ban, respectively.

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron Asks State Court of Appeals to Reinstate Pro-Life Laws

July 2, 2022July 1, 2022 Susan Berry, PhD

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron quickly asked the state’s Court of Appeals to stay a circuit court’s ruling that temporarily blocked the enforcement of two state pro-life laws. Cameron filed a Writ of Mandamus and Prohibition Thursday, requesting the Kentucky Court of Appeals lift a temporary restraining order against both…

Drug-Plagued State Sees Record Overdoses Thanks to Fentanyl Epidemic

June 15, 2022June 14, 2022 Minnesota Sun Staff

Kentucky has seen a record year of overdose deaths as it continues to deal with fentanyl being trafficked into the state, multiple outlets reported based on state data released Monday.

Kentucky saw 2,250 overdose deaths in 2021, a 14.5% increase from 2020, according to the Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy’s report. The state ranked third in the country for the number of overdose deaths due to the high number that occurred in Kentucky during the pandemic, according to WLKY.

Federal Judge Blocks Kentucky Law That Made the State Abortion-Free

April 22, 2022April 21, 2022 Susan Berry, PhD

A federal judge has temporarily halted a new Kentucky law that blocked the state’s last two remaining abortion clinics from performing the procedure.

Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings, a Donald Trump appointee, of U.S. District Court of the Western District of Kentucky, Louisville Division, ruled Thursday in favor of Planned Parenthood and other abortion rights groups by issuing a temporary restraining order that blocks Kentucky officials from enforcing its new law that would block the state’s only two abortion clinics from performing the procedure.

Kentucky Lawmakers Override Dem Governor on Women’s Sports and Abortion

April 16, 2022April 15, 2022 Minnesota Sun Staff

Kentucky legislators banned males from women’s sports and restricted abortions Wednesday, overriding the Democratic governor’s veto.

Lawmakers overrode Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear’s veto of Senate Bill 83, which bars males from participating in girls’ sports from elementary through secondary education. Beshear preferred a policy allowing males to compete in girls’ sports if they underwent certain medical sex change treatments rather than an outright ban, he explained in his April 7 veto letter.

21 States Join Lawsuit to End Federal Mask Mandate on Airplanes, Public Transportation

March 30, 2022March 29, 2022 The Center Square

Twenty-one states have filed a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s continued mask mandate on public transportation, including on airplanes.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Attorney General Ashley Moody are leading the effort. Moody filed the suit in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida along with 20 other attorneys general. DeSantis said the mask mandate was misguided and heavy-handed.

Three More States Consider Bills Banning Men from Women’s Sports

March 28, 2022March 27, 2022 Admin

Arizona, Kentucky and Oklahoma are the latest states considering bans on biological males participating in girls’ and women’s sports, with all three states passing legislation Thursday addressing the issue.

The Arizona legislature passed two bills addressing transgender issues that currently await Republican Gov. Doug Ducey’s signature. If enacted, one bill will ban biological males from girls’ sports teams while the other will ban gender reassignment surgeries for minors.

Sixteen States File New Lawsuit Against Federal COVID Vaccination Mandate

February 6, 2022February 5, 2022 The Center Square

Sixteen states again are challenging a federal COVID-19 vaccination mandate for health care workers who work at facilities that receive Medicare and Medicaid funding.

Friday’s filing in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana comes after the issuance of final guidance on the mandate from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS), arguing the guidance is an action that is reviewable.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled by 5-4 vote Jan. 13 against the original Louisiana challenge to the mandate and a similar Missouri filing.

Biden, Influential Climate Scientist/Activist Use Deadly Tornado to Push Climate Change Narrative

December 20, 2021 Admin

President Joe Biden surveyed the damage from a deadly weekend tornado in Mayfield, Ky., on Wednesday and said, “We’ve got $99 billion worth of damage just this year — just the year — because of foul weather and climate change.”

In Dawson Springs, Ky., he reiterated the cost of damages and then, in a possible reference to his Build Back Better Act, he said: “I promise you: You’re going to heal. We’re going to recover. You’re going to rebuild. You’re going to be stronger than you were before. We’re going to build back better than it was.”

Dr. Christopher Weiss, Professor of Atmospheric Science at Texas Tech, Talks Tornados in Out of Season December

December 14, 2021 Julie Carr

Monday morning on the Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed Professor of Atmospheric Sciences at Texas Tech, Christopher Weiss to the newsmakers line to talk about last Friday’s out of season tornados that ravaged Kentucky and parts of Middle Tennessee.

At Least 70 Dead from Tornadoes in Kentucky as Multiple States Reel from Severe Weather Outbreak

December 11, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said Saturday that at least 70 residents are dead after tornadoes and severe weather roared through the South overnight, crushing a candle factory and an Amazon warehouse and leaving a swath of destruction in their wake.

State Attorney Generals Launch Investigation into Instagram’s Effects on Kids

November 21, 2021 Admin

A bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general launched a probe into Instagram on Thursday to examine whether the company violated state-level consumer protection laws.

The states are investigating whether Meta (formerly known as Facebook), which owns Instagram, promoted the image-sharing platform “to children and young adults” despite being aware of its negative effects, according to statements from the attorneys general. The probe cites internal Facebook communications and research leaked by former Facebook employee Frances Haugen and published by The Wall Street Journal showing Meta was aware that use of Instagram could contribute to body image and mental health issues among teens.

“When social media platforms treat our children as mere commodities to manipulate for longer screen time engagement and data extraction, it becomes imperative for state attorneys general to engage our investigative authority under our consumer protection laws,” Republican Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson said in a statement.

Flooding Could Wipe Out 25 Percent of Critical Infrastructure: Report

October 13, 2021 Admin

About 25% of critical infrastructure in the U.S., or 36,000 facilities, is at serious risk of being rendered inoperable as a result of flooding over the next three decades, according to an industry report released Monday.

American infrastructure such as police stations, airports, hospitals, wastewater treatment facilities, churches and schools were all considered in the analysis, according to First Street Foundation, the group that published the first-of-its-kind report. The U.S. is “ill-prepared” for a scenario where major flooding events become more commonplace, the report concluded.

State Lawmakers Strip Four Democrat and Two Republican Governors’ Power After Overreach During COVID-19 Pandemic

August 10, 2021August 9, 2021 Admin

State legislatures in six states limited their governors’ emergency powers wielded during the COVID-19 pandemic, arguing executives have overextended their authority.

As of June 2021, lawmakers in 46 states have introduced legislation stripping governors of certain emergency powers, according to USA Today. Legislatures justified their actions as necessary to restore a balance between the branches of state government, pointing to examples of executive overreach and the centralization of power in the hands of governors.

Commentary: Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is the Poster Child for School Choice Hypocrisy

March 30, 2021March 29, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

Last week, Kentucky was the first state legislature to pass a new program to fund students instead of systems this year. The proposal, House Bill 563, would allow eligible students to access scholarships to use at approved private education providers of their families’ choosing. But the Bluegrass State’s Democratic governor, Andy Beshear, blocked educational opportunities for thousands of children by vetoing the bill on Wednesday.

Kentucky requires a constitutional majority in both the House and Senate to override Beshear’s veto, and that vote is expected to happen Monday.

During his press conference announcing the decision, Beshear said that the bill “would greatly harm public education in Kentucky by taking money away from public schools and sending it to unaccountable private organizations with little oversight.”

21 States Sue Biden Admin for Revoking Keystone XL Permit

March 22, 2021March 21, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

A group of red states sued President Biden and members of his administration on Wednesday over his decision to revoke a key permit for the Keystone XL oil pipeline, The Hill reported.

The lawsuit is led by Montana and Texas, and backed by 19 other states, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

Kentucky AG Files Restraining Order to Block Religious School Closures

November 25, 2020November 24, 2020 Minnesota Sun Staff

“Kentucky’s attorney general is suing his own governor in an attempt to keep private religious schools open, despite the state ordering virtual classes during the coronavirus pandemic, “according to Fox News.

Attorney General Daniel Cameron and the First Liberty Institute on Friday asked a federal court to issue a temporary restraining order that would block Beshear’s order from being implemented. An emergency hearing took place on Monday. In the petition, Cameron argued that Beshear’s latest executive order infringed on Danville Christian Academy’s and other religious schools’ constitutional freedoms.

Kentucky Democrats Still Looking for the Winner in Last Week’s Primary

June 30, 2020 The Associated Press

One of Kentucky’s most unpredictable political races in years is headed toward the wire Tuesday, but it’s taking a full week after the June 23 primary to sort out a possible photo finish in the Democratic U.S. Senate contest.

Absentee ballots that stacked up amid the coronavirus pandemic have delayed the vote count in the neck-and-neck race between progressive candidate Charles Booker and establishment-backed Amy McGrath. Both are vying for the chance to take on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who coasted to victory in the GOP primary in his bid for a seventh term.

Black Candidates Tap Protest Energy to Challenge Incumbent Democrats

June 23, 2020 Minnesota Sun Staff

Amy McGrath and Eliot Engel live hundreds of miles apart in states with dramatically different politics.

Yet they’re the preferred candidates of the Democratic Party’s Washington establishment as voters in Kentucky and New York decide their congressional primary elections on Tuesday. And both may be in trouble.

Kentucky Governor Beshear Participates in Jefferson Davis Statue Removal from State Capitol

June 15, 2020June 14, 2020 The Associated Press

FRANKFORT, Kentucky (AP) — Having led the push to take down a statue of Jefferson Davis from the Kentucky Capitol, the state’s governor had a ceremonial role Saturday in its removal from the place it stood for generations. Gov. Andy Beshear pushed the button to a rig that lifted…

Louisville Police Chief Fired in Aftermath of Fatal Shooting

June 2, 2020June 2, 2020 The Associated Press

Louisville’s police chief was fired Monday after the mayor learned that officers involved in a shooting that killed the popular owner of a barbecue spot failed to activate body cameras during the chaotic scene.

David McAtee, known for offering meals to police officers, died early Monday while police officers and National Guard soldiers were enforcing a curfew amid waves of protests over a previous police shooting in Kentucky’s largest city. Police said they were responding to gunfire from a crowd.

Lawmaker Says Walz Leaving Fate of Minnesota’s Economy in Hands of Multi-State Pact

April 19, 2020April 18, 2020 Anthony Gockowski

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced Thursday that he has joined a seven-state compact that will work in “close coordination” on plans to “reopen the economy in the Midwest region.”

Democrat Governor of Kentucky Orders Police to Take Down Tag Numbers of Church-Goers, Other Easter Gatherings So Government Can Impose Two Week Quarantines on Citizens

April 12, 2020April 11, 2020 Jason M. Reynolds

Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear told police to take down tag numbers of people attending churches and other gatherings on Easter so the government could go to their homes and impose a 14-day quarantine over COVID-19 concerns.

Senator Rand Paul Tests Positive for Coronavirus

March 22, 2020March 22, 2020 Chris Butler

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a statement his staff released on his social media accounts Sunday afternoon.

“He is feeling fine and is in quarantine. He is asymptomatic and was tested out of an abundance of caution due to his extensive travel and events. He was not aware of any direct contact with any infected person,” according to the statement.

“He expects to be back in the Senate after his quarantine period ends and will continue to work for the people of Kentucky at this difficult time. Ten days ago, our D.C. office began operating remotely, hence virtually no staff has had contact with Senator Rand Paul.”

New Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear Gives Nonviolent Felons the Right to Vote, Run for Public Office

December 14, 2019December 13, 2019 Jason M. Reynolds

New Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear isn’t wasting time enacting liberal agendas, having signed an executive order Thursday restoring the right to vote and the right to run for public office to hundreds of thousands of felons convicted of nonviolent crimes, according to a story by Jurist.

Kentucky Race Too Close to Call: Beshear Claims Victory, Bevin Has Not Conceded

November 7, 2019November 6, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

Democratic state Attorney General Andy Beshear declared victory in Kentucky’s gubernatorial election against Republican Gov. Matt Bevin, but the race had not been called as of late Tuesday.

American Inventor Series: Garrett A. Morgan, a Son of Slaves Who Invented the Traffic Signal

September 29, 2019 Anthony Gockowski

Garrett A. Morgan was born on March 4, 1877 in Claysville on the outskirts of Paris, Kentucky to two former slaves. He was one of eleven children and his family was forced to live in a segregated portion of the city, so Morgan left for Cincinnati, Ohio at the age of 14 in search of better opportunities.

Dems Continue Tying McConnell to Moscow During World’s Largest Hacker’s Conference

August 13, 2019August 12, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

Democrats continued to link Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to the Kremlin during a hacker’s conference over the weekend.

Sen. Rand Paul Has Lung Surgery to Repair Damage Caused in 2017 Assault by Neighbor

August 7, 2019August 6, 2019 Jason M. Reynolds

U.S Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) had surgery over the weekend to repair his lung that was damaged in a 2017 attack by his neighbor and will spend the rest of August recovering.

Senator Mitch McConnell Falls Outside His Home, Fractures Shoulder

August 5, 2019August 4, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell fell outside his home and fractured his shoulder in Louisville, Kentucky, Sunday.

Rand Paul Offers to Buy Omar Ticket to Somalia So She Would ‘Appreciate America More’

July 28, 2019January 2, 2020 Anthony Gockowski

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) said he’s willing to contribute to travel expenses for Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) to visit Somalia so she would “appreciate America more.” “I’m in a town where we have a lot of people who are refugees. Some come from Somalia, some from Bosnia. I’ve never…

Ohio River Commission Opts to Introduce New Standards, Drawing Ire of National Wildlife Federation

June 10, 2019June 9, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

by Steve Bittenbender A multistate organization in charge of improving the quality of one of the country’s most important rivers voted on Thursday to adopt a new plan on how to ensure states meet water pollution standards. By a 19-2 vote, with one abstention, the Ohio River Valley Water…

Senator Rand Paul Will Vote Against Trump’s National Emergency Declaration

March 4, 2019March 3, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

by Henry Rogers Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul said he will vote against a resolution in an attempt to terminate President Donald Trump’s national emergency for border wall funding. Paul will join a group of three Republicans who have expressed their concerns with Trump’s declaration for a national emergency, saying…

Tennessee Man Allegedly Pulled Gun On Sam’s Club Customer For Wearing MAGA Hat

February 19, 2019February 18, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

by Andrew Kerr A Tennessee man faces a charge of first-degree wanton endangerment after allegedly pulling a gun on a Sam’s Club customer in Kentucky for wearing a Make America Great Again hat. James Phillips, 57 (pictured above), told police he made an obscene gesture with his finger towards…

Democratic Rep Wants to Ban Teens from Wearing MAGA Hats after False Reports of Harassment

January 21, 2019January 20, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

by Neetu Chandak House Budget Committee Chairman John Yarmuth called for banning teens from wearing Make America Great Again (MAGA) hats after a video circulated on social media of an encounter between some Kentucky high school boys and an American Indian group after the March for Life rally Friday.…

Trump Creates a National Monument in Kentucky

October 29, 2018October 29, 2018 Admin

by Tim Pearce Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke announced the creation of the new Camp Nelson National Monument in Kentucky Saturday, the first national monument designated under President Donald Trump. Camp Nelson was a Civil War recruitment and training camp that trained more than 10,000 African American soldiers for the…