Louisville’s overflow jail closed for now after state takes 300+ inmates

by Phillip M. Bailey , The Courier-Journal – Metro Corrections Director Mark Bolton is closing the overflow jail above Louisville police headquarters after moving more than 300 state inmates out of the city’s facilities. The 1950s era space has remained open almost continuously since May 2016 to deal with inmate overcrowding, which has drowned Bolton’s leadership in scrutiny including…

Kentucky Has A History With High-Risk Health Insurance Pools. It Isn’t Good

by Lisa Gillespie – Federal lawmakers are moving ahead with a new approach to health care that includes changing the way insurers cover pre-existing health conditions. But the American Health Care Act that House Republicans voted to advance last week could bring back a program with which some Kentuckians may be familiar: high-risk pool health insurance. Until 2013, these…

Kentucky sued over weakened coal ash regulations

by James Bruggers , The Courier-Journal – Lawsuit uses a top Energy and Environment Cabinet official’s own words against the state’s current coal ash position. STORY HIGHLIGHTS The lawsuit claims the new regulations will conflict with other state regulations. At issue is how Kentucky chose to adopt new EPA regulations. State officials have said their new rules will…

Kentucky Libraries Expect Record $2M E-Rate Funding For Internet, Phone Discounts

by EBONY CLARK –  The Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives say the state’s public libraries recently set a record in expected funding from the federal Education Rate, or E-Rate, program. E-Rate provides eligible schools and libraries discounts on internet, phone bills and networking equipment. Kentucky has a commitment of $2,083,104 for the July 2016 to the…

Kentucky ranks poorly in new water quality study

by James Bruggers , The Courier-Journal – The states were ranked by the total number of customers potentially impacted by drinking water violations. STORY HIGHLIGHTS Indiana’s showing was much better than Kentucky’s in this report. Kentucky officials were going over the study Tuesday afternoon. Kentucky fares poorly in a new report by a big national environmental group…