Kentucky

Ky's Senators Blocked In Effort To Legalize Hemp

Associated Press — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 10:46:58 +0000

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Kentucky's U.S. senators suffered a setback Thursday in their efforts to re-establish industrial hemp as a legal crop, but they vowed to continue their campaign after getting blocked as they tried to attach hemp language to the Senate farm bill.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. Rand Paul said they would oppose the Senate farm legislation.

2 More Kentucky Churches To Drop Boy Scouts

Associated Press — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 22:05:36 +0000

ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. -- Two more churches in central Kentucky say they are cutting ties with the Boy Scouts of America over the organization's decision to allow gay youth.

Pastors at Severns Valley Baptist Church in Elizabethtown and Rineyville Baptist Church told The News-Enterprise that they will not renew their charters with the Boy Scouts when the agreements expire later this year.

State Gas Tax Increasing to 32.3 Cents A Gallon

Associated Press — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 23:04:23 +0000

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- The cost of gasoline will go up again in Kentucky, this time the result of an automatic tax increase written into law more than three decades ago.

Lawmakers were told in a meeting of the Interim Joint Transportation Committee on Tuesday that the gasoline tax will rise 2.4 cents next month to 32.3 cents a gallon, which would generate some $900 million over the next fiscal year.

Conservative Kentucky Group Joins Lawsuit Against IRS

Kenny Colston, Kentucky Public Radio — Thu, 30 May 2013 12:11:40 +0000

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A conservative Kentucky group that was targeted by the IRS last year is now suing the agency and the federal government.

The Kentucky 9/12 Project, with help from the American Center for Law and Justice, is joining conservative groups from other states in filing suit.

Kentucky Lawmakers Prefer Judges Not Do Redistricting

Associated Press — Wed, 29 May 2013 11:33:42 +0000

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- House Republicans who would take a shellacking under a redistricting plan proposed by Democrats insist they still want to avoid having federal judges redraw legislative boundaries in Kentucky.

Number of Kentucky Babies Born Addicted To Drugs Increases

Associated Press — Sat, 25 May 2013 17:01:54 +0000

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Health officials, health care workers and drug control professionals are talking about the problems surrounding Kentucky babies who are born addicted to drugs.

The Courier-Journal reports that hospitalizations for addicted newborns rose from 29 in 2000 to 730 in 2011, a 2,400 percent increase.

Coal Jobs In Kentucky At Lowest Point Since 1950

Associated Press — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:25:33 +0000

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- A state report shows the number of coal jobs in Kentucky has dwindled to its lowest point since 1950.

The Lexington Herald-Leader cited data from the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet in reporting that the 13,109 people worked in the coal industry during the first quarter of 2013. The newspaper reports that is the least amount of workers since state officials began keeping records in 1950.

Report Says More Woes For Appalachian Coal Mining

Associated Press — Tue, 14 May 2013 18:50:17 +0000

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A new report says hard times are expected to continue for the coal industry in Central Appalachia, which at one time was the hub of the nation's coal production.

Coal business in the mountains of eastern Kentucky and southern West Virginia is facing declining reserves, higher production costs and competition from other coal basins and natural gas.

Abuse Panel To Issue First Report This Year

Associated Press — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:16:32 +0000

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- A panel appointed by Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear to review cases of severe child abuse and neglect says it expects to issue its first report later this year.

The Child Fatality and Near Fatality External Review Panel began meeting last November after Beshear created it through an executive order.

Kentucky Reports Decline In General Fund Revenue

Associated Press — Fri, 10 May 2013 18:33:14 +0000

FRANKFORT, Ky.-- Kentucky faced huge declines in revenue from key tax sources in April despite a rebounding national economy, the state's top budget official said Friday.

State Budget Director Jane Driskell released a monthly revenue report showing that corporate income tax revenue fell by nearly 90 percent in April compared to April 2012 levels.