A few Kentucky politicians — mostly Republicans — have confirmed they will be speaking at this year’s Fancy Farm Picnic next month. The annual barbecue picnic, a fundraiser for the St. Jerome Catholic Church in Graves County held the first Saturday in August, has become a longstanding Kentucky tradition for elected officials and campaigning hopefuls. The 2026 picnic […]
Author Archives: Kentucky Lantern
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Weddle attorney says Beshear fundraiser destroyed evidence in campaign contribution case
The attorney for former London Mayor Randall Weddle says that in the spring of 2023 the chief fundraiser for Gov. Andy Beshear’s reelection campaign “destroyed vital evidence” in a pending criminal case against Weddle for making excess campaign contributions to Beshear. Weddle was indicted by the Laurel County Grand Jury on March 31 in an […]
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McConnell’s hospitalization continues as Kentucky officials, constituents demand transparency
As U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell’s hospitalization nears one month, people in his home state of Kentucky are raising questions about the seven-term senator’s condition and his fitness to serve. McConnell, 84, was hospitalized June 14 for an undisclosed condition. While his office has distributed a few updates, they’ve been vague, offering little information about his prognosis or […]
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Kentucky to get slice of national CashApp settlement
Kentucky’s General Fund is getting a nearly $400,000 deposit thanks to a national $45 million CashApp/Block settlement. Kentucky’s slice of the settlement is $556,445.47, according to a Wednesday judgement. After attorney fees of $183,626 for the attorney general, $372,819 heads to the state general fund. Attorney General Russell Coleman was part of a multi-state coalition to sue […]
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KY bill regulating kids’ social media had bipartisan support, AG backing. What killed it?
Bella Cornett sees a direct line between a social media influencer who posted videos of tricks with vaping smoke and the bullying she endured in her Kentucky high school. Cornett, 19, said her friend group at the time watched those social media videos as first year high school students and “thought that was so cool.” They started […]
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Judicial watchdog is wary of Beshear’s involvement in Kentucky Court of Appeals election
A Kentucky judicial watchdog group says it is concerned about Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear’s involvement in the upcoming Court of Appeals election. The Kentucky Judicial Campaign Conduct Committee said in a Saturday statement that Beshear has been fundraising for Court of Appeals Judge Will Moynahan, who is currently facing Fayette Circuit Court Judge Lucy VanMeter. Beshear appointed Moynahan to […]
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Most Kentucky opioid settlement money is not being spent, new report shows
Kentuckians living with addiction can call Kentucky’s help line at 833-859-4357. Narcan, which can help reverse overdoses, is available at pharmacies for sale and through some health departments and outreach programs for free. Local governments in receipt of opioid settlement dollars are sitting on most of the money, according to a Tuesday analysis from The Kentucky Center for Economic Policy. The […]
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Groups urge Kentucky’s utility regulator to investigate affordability
A coalition of consumer advocacy, environmental and renewable energy groups is calling on Kentucky’s utility regulator to study various aspects of utility affordability for ratepayers, including the potential costs of data centers and fossil fuels. In a letter dated Sunday, the groups are asking the Kentucky Public Service Commission to investigate “the drivers of rising energy […]
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Kentucky crime report shows homicide decreases, more animal cruelty
There were more than 300 hate crimes in Kentucky in 2025, and most of them happened at home or on roadways. That’s according to the 2025 Crime in Kentucky report, which was released Thursday and shows a majority of those hate crimes were motivated by race. Most of the race-based hate crimes in Kentucky last year […]
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Republican Coleman to seek another term as Kentucky attorney general
Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman hopes to do something no other Republican has done as attorney general — get a second term in office. Coleman, 50, formally announced his reelection bid for the 2027 election in Oldham County Thursday afternoon surrounded by his family, friends and a crowd of supporters, including fellow Republicans Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan […]
