by Deborah Yetter , @d_yetter – Dr. Salvatore Bertolone, pediatric oncologist, talks about a smoking ban, e-cigarettes and a cigarette tax. Jessica Ebelhar, The C-J Encouraged by a poll that shows a growing number of Kentuckians support a statewide smoke-free law, a major state health policy group said it is ready to join the battle for such a law in a…
by RHONDA MILLER – Purple flowers that look like they could be a cover crop in many fields in Kentucky and Indiana are more than flowering weeds. An agriculture extension agent says those purple blooms are a sign of climate change the increasingly unpredictable weather that farmers have to deal with. Jon Neufelder is an educator…
By Antoinette Konz – LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – Buffy Sexton has taught science to middle school students in Jefferson County Public Schools for nearly 15 years. She might be the sort of experienced teacher that a charter school would want to hire. But Sexton, who teaches at Myzeek Middle School, said she’d “never even consider”…
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) – Gov. Matt Bevin has appointed a veteran prosecutor to serve as commonwealth’s attorney for a judicial circuit covering Adair and Casey counties in central Kentucky. Ronald “Brian” Wright of Liberty will be the top local prosecutor for the 29th Judicial Circuit. The governor’s office says Wright’s appointment fills the vacancy created by the resignation…
By Taylor Frost | MARTIN COUNTY, Ky. (WYMT) – Martin County’s new 911 service went live on Wednesday at 10 a.m. When disaster strikes, Martin County’s 911 service wants to respond quickly. “I think it’s a good thing, I’m really tickled myself,” Gina Patrick, Martin County resident, said. According to Martin County 911 coordinator Eric Jude, before this new advancement…
FRANKFORT, KY (AP) – Attorney General Andy Beshear and the Kentucky Council of Churches say they are partnering in an effort to protect children from child abuse and seniors from scams.A statement from Beshear on Tuesday says as part of the partnership, the council will distribute educational materials to its 1,100 member churches across the state.…
by Morgan Watkins , @morganwatkins26 – On the second-to-last day of the legislative session, Kentucky lawmakers sent the state Senate’s No. 1 priority, a high-profile proposal for education reform, to Gov. Matt Bevin’s desk. Senate Bill 1 – which has been referred to by some people as the “Common Core killer” or the “teachers can teach” bill – is…
BY BILL ESTEP, bestep@herald-leader.com – The premature death rate improved in 12 Kentucky counties between 1997 and 2014 but got worse in 44 counties, in part because of increasing drug overdoses, according to a report released Wednesday. Abuse of prescription drugs such as OxyContin helped drive up the rate of overdose deaths in the state by 296…
(WYMT) – WYMT’s Steve Hensley interviewed Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY) Tuesday to get his reaction to the RECLAIM Act being reintroduced in Congress. The legislation aims to accelerate $1 billion in available funding in the Abandoned Mine Reclamation (AML) Fund over the next five years to revitalize coal communities hit hardest by the downturn of the coal…
by Kevin Wheatley – WARSAW — For Charles and Denny Warnick, Gallatin County provided a prime spot at the right price to get their start in the publishing world. The Gallatin County News has been in the Warnick family since the couple bought the weekly newspaper for $48,000 in 1978. “It’s written in blood on my heart,” Denny…