BY JACK BRAMMER AND DANIEL DESROCHERS, jbrammer@herald-leader.com – FRANKFORT — The Kentucky House of Representatives elected its first Republican leader since 1921 Tuesday, completing the GOP’s dominance of state legislative chambers in the South. Jeff Hoover was elected speaker of the House by the 100-member chamber shortly after it convened at noon. “There is much work to be…
by STU JOHNSON (KPR) – The Commonwealth’s state climatologist says predictions for the early part of 2017 indicate higher-than-normal precipitation and temperatures. Stuart Foster says that doesn’t necessarily mean snowfall. “You could have one major storm track where the temperature comes together and the precipitation ends up being frozen and you get a six, eight, ten inch…
By Angela Reighard | HAZARD, Ky. (WYMT/AP) – The Obama administration has finalized rules designed to reduce the environmental impact of coal mining on the nation’s streams. The Interior Department announced last week the rule will protect 6,000 miles of streams and 52,000 acres of forests, preventing debris from coal mining from being dumped into nearby waters. With coal production…
FRANKFORT, Ky. – A former Beshear administration official said on Wednesday that Gov. Matt Bevin’s administration lacks legal authority to force him to cooperate with Bevin’s investigation into what Bevin has said was significant corruption during his predecessor’s years in office. Frank Lassiter said the investigation overseen by Bevin’s Finance and Administration Cabinet secretary does not have the authority…
EDDYVILLE, Ky. (AP) – A company in western Kentucky has paid off about $7,300 in past due lunch accounts at the Lyon County School District. Thomas Enterprises in Eddyville wrote the check that cleared the outstanding balance accrued by unpaid student lunches at the school. Thompson president Daniel Thompson told The Paducah Sun (bit.ly/2hrbBYW) his company’s donation was…
by RHONDA MILLER – An offer by the city of Radcliff to donate 50 acres of land for a new Veterans Affairs medical center has apparently been rejected. Radcliff Mayor and retired Army Colonel Mike Weaver made a pitch to the VA last week in hopes of snagging the $1 billion veterans medical center that’s expected to…
By Ryland Barton – Gov. Matt Bevin has reorganized the state’s agency for public defenders — attorneys who represent those charged with crimes who can’t afford legal representation. The realignment of the Department for Public Advocacy creates three new trial offices by shifting employees and resources from existing offices in order to reduce travel time for public…
by Scott Wartman , swartman@nky.com – What we reported: The Enquirer reported on the video of an eight-year-old student at Latonia Elementary handcuffed by a school resource officer in 2014. The families of the student, identified as only S.R., along with another handcuffed student, identified only as L.G., sued Kenton County, the sheriff and the school resource officer,…
by Tom Loftus , @TomLoftus_CJ – FRANKFORT, Ky. – Supply-side economist Arthur Laffer, who with five close associates gave at least $228,500 toward the successful effort to elect Republicans to the Kentucky House this fall, is scheduled to meet with Gov. Matt Bevin on Friday. State Budget Director John Chilton said in a telephone interview early Friday that Laffer…
by Don Weber, @DonWeber_cn2 – U.S. Congressman Thomas Massie believes that the time to act for the GOP in Congress to take action is now that Republicans have control of the White House, House and Senate. Massie looks at the partisan control as “once in a lifetime opportunity” for Republicans to push a conservative agenda without the Democratic lawmakers being…