-
Opinion: All lawmakers and the governor agreed: SB 181 is necessary. We will make sure it’s clear and effective
BY SEN. LINDSEY TICHENOR Now that Senate Bill 181 is in effect, having passed 137-0 and been signed into law by the Governor in April, lawmakers have received questions about its implementation and overall necessity. The law requires school staff and volunteers to use traceable, district-approved platforms for direct communication with students—tools that parents can
-
Public asked to report wild turkey sightings this summer
FRANKFORT — Kentucky’s wild turkeys are on the move this summer, foraging, traveling and raising their newly hatched poults. The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources urges the public to watch for turkeys and report sightings to help biologists better understand and manage populations. “Monitoring our turkey flock for its long-term conservation depends on
-
Bill Taylor and the Appalachian Heathens advance on ‘America’s Got Talent’
BY PHILL BARNETT MOUNTAIN CITIZEN HOLLYWOOD — Bill Taylor and the Appalachian Heathens, a genre-bending folk rock band out of Middlesboro, Kentucky, have officially passed the audition stage of “America’s Got Talent,” earning a spot in the next round after a moving performance of Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door.” The band, which played last August
-
Medicaid renewals for children begin July 1 after a five-year pause
BY MELISSA PATRICK KENTUCKY HEALTH NEWS Starting July 1, Kentucky families must once again complete annual Medicaid renewals for their children, following a five-year pause on the requirement that began during the COVID-19 pandemic. This change will impact more than 600,000 Kentucky children who are covered by Medicaid and the Kentucky Children’s Health Insurance Program,
-
Four new measles cases reported in Kentucky
CITIZEN STAFF REPORT FRANKFORT— Kentucky health officials reported four new cases of measles this week, bringing the state’s total to six confirmed infections so far this year, as national outbreaks continue to climb. Three of the new cases occurred in a single household in Woodford County. The fourth case, in Todd County, involved an individual
-
State police arrest 16 alleged child predators during national crackdown
FRANKFORT — A month-long national operation targeting online child exploitation led to the arrest of 16 individuals in Kentucky, officials announced Thursday. The effort, part of Operation Safe Online Summer, was conducted throughout April by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and involved law enforcement agencies in all 50 states. In Kentucky, the State
-
Tips on skin cancer prevention, water safety and heat protection
BY MELISSA PATRICK KENTUCKY HEALTH NEWS With the first official day of summer behind us, it’s time to think about how to stay safe from some of the health risks that come from spending time in the great outdoors. “Summer is a time for fun and relaxation, but it’s also a season when health risks
-
Coalition: ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ will result in ‘deep’ safety net cuts; proposed cuts to provider taxes are harmful
BY MELISSA PATRICK KENTUCKY HEALTH NEWS A coalition that works to meet the basic needs of Kentuckians provided an update June 17 on state and federal policies that impact the state’s safety net programs, with much of the discussion focusing on how the U.S. House-passed budget reconciliation bill would harm such programs. Emily Beauregard, executive
-
How SB 181 impacts teacher-student communications
During the 2025 Regular Session, the General Assembly passed several pieces of legislation focused on protecting and supporting Kentucky’s most vulnerable. Without a doubt, at the top of that list are our children. One of the most significant measures passed to protect our youth was Senate Bill 181. This legislation addresses electronic communications like texts
-
Opinion: Secrecy, eminent domain and the erosion of public trust in Kentucky
BY JONATHAN SCHAAFSMA What do a runway, a data center and pickleball courts have in common? In Kentucky, the answer is secrecy and a troubling disregard for taxpayer voices. In Bourbon County, we recently witnessed the unraveling of the controversial Bluegrass Station Airport proposal—a $300 million-plus project that would have used eminent domain to seize
