The Kentucky Community and Technical College System Board of Regents, which includes Gateway Community and Technical College, approved 11 recommendations for changes to the system on Thursday in response to a directive earlier this year from the state legislature. The recommendations include changes to KCTCS’s governance, making the system the sole provider of dual credit courses […]
Author Archives: Kentucky Lantern
Posted inNews
Whistleblower suit alleges waste, mismanagement, illegality in KY’s community college system
The Kentucky Community and Technical College System, which includes Gateway Community and Technical College, is facing a whistleblower lawsuit filed by its former chief of staff. Hannah Rivera, who worked in many capacities at KCTCS over a decade, alleges she faced retaliation for making “numerous good faith reports of waste, mismanagement, and violations of the […]
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Kentuckians will need vision screening to renew driver’s license. Advocates, critics weigh in.
Starting Jan. 1, Kentucky motorists will need an eye exam — either from an eye specialist or a free one from the state — to renew their driver’s license. The change in driver’s licensing stems from a state law that was enacted in 2021 but does not take effect until 2025. At the time of […]
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Juul settlement funds to boost Kentucky tobacco cessation
Advocates who work to end smoking and vaping among youth in Kentucky are asking lawmakers to move future Juul settlement dollars from the state’s general fund into the Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program during the 2025 legislative session. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network used the Great American Smokeout last week to renew their call on Kentucky lawmakers to “do more […]
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Lawmaker calls for adding ‘teeth’ to Kentucky’s new curbs on underage vaping
A Kentucky Republican will file legislation in 2025 that would license all sellers of vape or tobacco products, giving the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) enforcement authority over those vendors and empowering its officers to enter the businesses without warrants. Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, said state laws limiting the sale of vaping products to […]
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Dip in share of KY kids ready for kindergarten among findings in latest Kids Count data
The percent of Kentucky kindergarten students who begin school ready to learn dropped by about 3 points from pre-pandemic years to the 2023-2024 school year, according to a report on child welfare released Wednesday. The KIDS COUNT County Data Book was compiled and released by Kentucky Youth Advocates. Kids Count is part of a national […]
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KY will cut income tax again, but local tax reform would be more daunting, legislative leaders say
Republicans will quickly move to keep lowering Kentucky’s income tax when the legislature convenes in January, while changes in the local tax system would be far more challenging to achieve, legislative leaders said Monday. Republicans House Speaker David Osborne of Prospect and Senate President Robert Stivers of Manchester — the top-ranking lawmakers — spoke at […]
Posted inElections
Campbell County among 12 drawn for post-election inquiry
Republican Attorney General Russell Coleman on Wednesday randomly drew 12 Kentucky counties, including Campbell, for a post-election inquiry. The Attorney General’s Election Fraud Hotline received more than 700 calls during the 2024 election for possible election law violations. Nearly 350 of those calls were made on Election Day. Coleman said about 150 of the Election […]
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Cities, states say they’ll need more help to replace millions of lead pipes
A new federal rule will require water utilities across the country to pull millions of lead drinking water pipes out of the ground and replace them, at a cost of billions of dollars. States, cities and water utilities agree that the lead pipes need to go to ensure safe water for residents. But they say […]
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After son’s overdose death, mother seeks investigation of Vivitrol’s use in Kentucky
She hoped he would get help through a court diversion program that in 2022 referred him to Crown Recovery Center in Springfield. Instead — just days after he became violently ill from an injection of Vivitrol, a powerful anti-abuse drug his mother says her son was pressured to accept — he left Crown Center, operated […]
