LEXINGTON — Since she was four years old, Kaylee Ferrell guarded a secret. A dangerous virus lived in her small body, a germ relatives described as “a cold in her blood.” She’d been born with hepatitis C, an insidious liver disease her mother got shooting up drugs. To keep other kids safe, Kaylee stashed a…
FRANKFORT, KY. Frustrated with repeated delays costing taxpayers millions of dollars, the Kentucky Senate has voted to effectively end a project that would bring high-speed internet capability to one of the poorest states in the country. But officials in Republican Gov. Matt Bevin’s administration warn it would likely cost more to kill the project than…
Legislation to bring reforms to female prisons appears to be headed for final passage. The Senate measure got the approval Wednesday of the House Judiciary Committee. Louisville Senator Julie Raque Adams wanted to keep the bill narrowly focused on incarcerated women and not be expanded to include broader criminal justice reforms. “That was really my…
A former public safety officer for the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Ky., was arrested in Florida after officials discovered he had military-grade explosives and weapons in his home, according to media reports. Officials were called to the home of Joel Ryals, 41, after a package labeled “C-4 explosive” was found at his home by his…
Play Video Because local first responders called to the scene of a drug overdose are only armed with rubber gloves and tongs, the students of Ashland Middle School developed a solution to safely pick up and dispose of hazardous material. The students created a device that could be used by first responders and local authorities…
A sweeping bill that would overhaul Kentucky’s foster care and adoption system is nearing final passage in the state legislature. A key part of House Bill 1 would give the state more options to terminate the parental rights of negligent parents and try to reduce barriers for people who want to adopt. The legislation would consider babies…
Kentucky educators, both past and present, have been busy making a visible presence at Frankfort’s State Capitol over the past couple of weeks. That’s likely to continue during this last full week of the 2018 session. A common sight over the last two weeks in Frankfort has been committee rooms virtually filled with teachers –…
The political stakes are high in the upcoming midterm elections and Republicans in west Kentucky are preparing for a challenge as Democrats are looking to regain control as federal and state levels. The GOP also sees an opportunity in sharing recent accomplishments paired with conservative values to flip the last two Democratic state House seats…
Members of the Kentucky Senate are expected to vote this week on a two year budget. A vote before the Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee could come as early as Tuesday. Senate consideration of pension reforms have stalled. WEKU’S Stu Johnson asked Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer if the biennial budget document could include…
A Paris farmer with operations in several Central Kentucky counties grossed $2.6 million through fraudulent crop-insurance claims and other illegal acts, a federal grand jury has charged. Ronnie Jolly, 46, was indicted March 1 but the charges were sealed until Tuesday. Jolly owned or rented farm land in Bourbon, Scott, Bath, Fleming and Montgomery counties…