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Why Kentucky should help restore the Martin Himler House
Hidden in the hills of Martin County, Himlerville (now Beauty) stands alone in Kentucky as the only location with a direct and authentic connection to Holocaust history and Jewish immigrant heritage on Kentucky soil. It deserves a prominent place in Kentucky’s cultural memory—and as efforts continue to restore the Himler House, the Commonwealth of Kentucky
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The most important reading skill we never teach children: Public notices
We teach children to read poems and plays, recipes and road signs. We guide them to decode Shakespeare and summarize “Charlotte’s Web.” But there is a crucial kind of reading that we rarely teach and it shows: public notices. You have seen them. Maybe you have skimmed past them. That block of dense text at
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AmeriCorps and national service: Common ground for the Commonwealth
BY JOE BRINGARDNER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SERVE KENTUCKY In a time when division dominates the headlines, national service offers rare common ground. Across Kentucky, AmeriCorps members are showing up – not for headlines, but for neighbors. They tutor students, support families, and help communities rebuild after disasters. They reflect the values that define the Commonwealth: compassion,
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Legislative Update: Protecting what is rightfully yours
BY BOBBY MCCOOL In Kentucky, property ownership has long been a cornerstone of personal freedom and economic stability. However, many property owners face the ongoing challenge of protecting their investments from the act of squatting—when a person occupies an abandoned or unoccupied space without legal permission. This practice has become a significant and often contentious
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Cutting LIHEAP is a deadly blow to Eastern Kentucky
BY CHRIS WOOLERY By any measure, the economy of Eastern Kentucky and the wider Appalachian region is struggling. The collapse of the coal industry, the opioid crisis, and the recurring natural disasters have left scars that are slow to heal. Families and individual households trying to make ends meet rely on an array of federal
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The right thing should be the bare minimum
The residents of Martin County have endured enough—especially when it comes to their water infrastructure. In a county where water infrastructure failures are a painful routine, the latest crisis—the budget deficit caused by the stalled raw water intake project—feels like a betrayal. Nearly four years after the project’s groundbreaking, the water district is staring down
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Honor labor and love of mothers
On this Mother’s Day, we turn our attention to the women whose quiet strength sustains families and communities. Motherhood is not a role confined to biology or tradition. The calling takes countless forms, all grounded in a devotion to others. It is the grandmother stepping in when needed, the foster mother embracing children as her
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Song of hope for Martin County
Sometimes a song is more than just music—it’s hope. That is what Oliver Anthony’s upcoming Rural Revival concert in Inez promises to be. On May 17, our town will welcome an artist who understands the soul of rural America. Anthony is bringing visibility to our community that too often feels invisible. This event is not
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Vital library services must not be disrupted
BY DENISE LYONS Team Kentucky is committed to serving the educational and informational needs of Kentuckians, which includes providing access to high-quality public library resources and services. In 2024, there were more than 11 million total visits to Kentucky’s public libraries, including nearly 2 million visits by those under age 18, who attended almost 75,000
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Call to Action: USED will harm schools and districts
BY DR. ROBBIE FLETCHER COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION On Friday evening, March 28, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon sent an email to all state education agencies notifying us that the U.S. Department of Education (USED) is changing the deadline it previously provided to liquidate COVID relief funds to end at 5 p.m., this past Friday,
