Ethics Commission OKs Crowdfunding For Legislative Campaigns

by Ryland Barton – The Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission has ruled that political candidates are allowed to use crowdfunding sites like GoFundMe and Kickstarter to raise money for their own political campaigns. Crowdfunding websites help people raise money for projects or causes in exchange for a cut of the proceeds. In its formal opinion, the commission warned against promoting crowdfunding webpages…

Abramson: White House to push local gun laws

by Joseph Gerth, @Joe_Gerth – One question asked by Open Range owner Barry Laws was why not allow licensed gun dealers access the government’s stolen gun database. Matt Stone, The Courier-Journal Stymied by Congress on the issue of gun control, the Obama administration plans to push states and local governments to enact expanded background checks and other…

Grant County needle exchange program aims to prevent spread of disease related to drug use

by Don Weber, @DonWeber_cn2 – WILLIAMSTOWN – It’s been three months since the inception of a needle exchange program operated by the Northern Kentucky Independent Health District in Williamstown was launched, and department officials are already proclaiming the operation a success. Under the program, addicts bring in their dirty needles to the Grant County office on Wednesday’s between the…

Governor Unveils Medicaid Proposal (Updated)

by ASSOCIATED PRESS – The 400,000 Kentuckians who have health insurance through the state’s expanded Medicaid program would have fewer benefits and would have to pay small premiums to keep their coverage under a proposal released Wednesday by Republican Gov. Matt Bevin. Premiums would range from $1 to $15 per month. Beneficiaries would lose vision and…

U of L faculty seeks to block Bevin order

by Andrew Wolfson, @adwolfson –   On Friday morning Governor Matt Bevin announces sweeping changes at the university including the resignation of U of L President James Ramsey and almost complete overhaul of the Board of Trustees. Citing the “immediate diminishment of the academic legitimacy and reputation of the University of Louisville,” a group of 47 faculty…

Lexington Mayor Jim Gray resigns from Bluegrass ADD board

  by BETH MUSGRAVE, [email protected] – Lexington Mayor Jim Gray has resigned from the executive committee of the Bluegrass Area Development District. Gray gave no reason for his resignation in a one-sentence letter obtained Monday by the Lexington Herald-Leader. Gray’s resignation was submitted Friday and is effective immediately. Susan Straub, a spokeswoman for Gray, said Gray opted to…

Bevin creates criminal justice reform panel

by Tom Loftus, @TomLoftus_CJ – Gov. Matt Bevin announced the creation of a Criminal Justice Policy Assessment Council at a noon press conference Tuesday. From @TomLoftus_CJ on Twitter: 12:11pm – 21 Jun 2016 Bevin announces creation of a Criminal Justice Policy Assessment Council. 12:15pm – 21 Jun 2016 Gov’s new commission is a large and bipartisan panel…