Over the past three decades, a state-managed fund has been a financial force behind the creation and expansion of parks, nature preserves and hunting grounds across Kentucky.  The Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Fund, established in 1990 to provide a consistent source of funding for local governments, state agencies, nonprofits and universities to protect land for […] The post Kentucky land conservation fund gets ‘new lease on life’ from lawmakers appeared first on Kentucky Lantern.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Thursday over former President Donald Trump’s pursuit of absolute immunity from criminal charges alleging that he schemed and knowingly fed lies to subvert the 2020 presidential election, eventually leading to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. In the final argument of this term, the justices […] The post Trump’s claims of presidential immunity to be probed at U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday appeared first on Kentucky Lantern.

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden signed a bipartisan emergency spending law Wednesday to provide an additional $95 billion in aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, ending months of behind-the-scenes maneuvering and public pleas for Congress to approve the funding. The package also included a measure requiring the popular app TikTok be sold by its Chinese […] The post Biden signs $95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan into law  appeared first on Kentucky Lantern.

This story has been updated U.S. Supreme Court justices spent two hours Wednesday morning debating whether a federal law about emergency treatment encompasses abortion care even in states with strict abortion bans, with no clear indication of how they may ultimately rule. A decision could come as soon as the end of June whether Idaho’s […] The post Supreme Court justices appear split over whether to protect abortion care during emergencies appeared first on Kentucky Lantern.

The care at Landmark of Louisville Rehabilitation and Nursing was abysmal when state inspectors filed their survey report of the Kentucky facility on July 3, 2021. Residents wandered the halls in a facility that can house up to 250 people, yelling at each other and stealing blankets. One resident beat a roommate with a stick, […] The post For-profit nursing homes are cutting corners on safety and draining resources appeared first on Kentucky Lantern.

The Biden administration has introduced a controversial set of new regulations intended to increase staffing levels and improve patient care in nursing homes. The new staffing rule from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has faced fierce opposition from the industry and Republicans in Congress. It establishes for the first time national minimum staffing […] The post Biden administration unveils new rule on nursing home staffing levels appeared first on Kentucky Lantern.

Donald J. Trump, meet Charles S. Morehead, the guy who was elected governor of Kentucky in 1855 on the anti-immigrant “Know-Nothing” ticket. “Americans should rule America” was the Know-Nothings’ credo. Translation: white, native-born Protestants like them.  Officially, the American Party, it was dubbed the “Know-Nothing” party because members were supposed to reply — like Sgt. […] The post Anti-immigrant politics could spark violence in Kentucky. It has happened before. appeared first on Kentucky Lantern.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor Tuesday announced a final rule that means millions of salaried workers who are employed in the executive, administrative or professional industries will become eligible for overtime pay. The rule will affect roughly 4 million workers in the first year of implementation and will be broken into two checkpoints. […] The post Millions of salaried workers to become eligible for overtime under new Biden rule appeared first on Kentucky Lantern.

This story has been updated to include the final U.S. Senate vote. WASHINGTON — An additional $95 billion in military and humanitarian assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan cleared the U.S. Senate after a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers voted Tuesday to send it to President Joe Biden. The 79-18 vote wrapped up months of debate […] The post U.S. Senate sends foreign aid bill to Biden as McConnell chides GOP ‘isolationist movement’ appeared first on Kentucky Lantern.

LOUISVILLE — Kentucky researchers are developing and expanding a virtual reality treatment for eating disorders using a $125,000 grant from the National Eating Disorders Association, the University of Louisville announced Tuesday.  Eating disorders are widespread and can be deadly. The COVID-19 pandemic increased their prevalence in Kentucky.  About 9% of Americans live with eating disorders, […] The post Virtual reality could help treat eating disorders, Louisville researchers say appeared first on Kentucky Lantern.

FRANKFORT —  Rep. Kevin Bratcher, a Louisville Republican, says he wants to be on the right side of history when it comes to the man-made “forever chemicals” that are in Kentucky’s waterways, fish and some Kentuckians’ drinking water. He likens the widespread presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS for short, to lead poisoning. […] The post ‘Forever chemicals:’ Now that feds have acted, some say Kentucky should do more appeared first on Kentucky Lantern.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court decided in January to consider a case about whether a federal law regarding emergency medical treatment supersedes an abortion ban in Idaho, air transports out of state for pregnancy complications at one of the state’s largest hospitals have increased from one in all of 2023 to six in the past […] The post Loss of federal protection in Idaho spurs pregnant patients to plan for emergency air transport appeared first on Kentucky Lantern.

WASHINGTON — A majority of U.S Supreme Court justices Monday seemed inclined to side with an Oregon town’s law that bans homeless people from sleeping outdoors, in a case that could have broad implications for local ordinances related to homelessness across the country. During oral arguments in City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson, conservative […] The post U.S. Supreme Court appears to lean toward Oregon city in complex homelessness case  appeared first on Kentucky Lantern.

The Environmental Protection Agency is awarding a more than $62 million grant to Kentucky’s state government to help expand residential solar energy to low-income households, one of dozens of awards given across the country as a part of a federal grant competition.  The “Solar for All” competition, funded through the Inflation Reduction Act, is allocating […] The post Kentucky to receive $62 million to expand solar energy access to low-income households appeared first on Kentucky Lantern.

WASHINGTON — Oral arguments in former President Donald Trump’s historic case in New York began Monday in a Manhattan courtroom where jurors will be tasked with deciding whether deceptive hush money payments to hide an affair amount to a criminal conviction. The first-ever criminal trial of an ex-U.S. president centers on Trump’s alleged falsified business […] The post NY prosecutor ties Trump hush money payments to campaign as criminal trial kicks off  appeared first on Kentucky Lantern.

It was a celebratory moment years in the making when acting Labor Secretary Julie Su, flanked by miners and advocates, announced the rollout of a new rule limiting silica dust exposure for miners in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, last week. For years, advocates for mine safety had urged the federal government to adopt strict rules around the […] The post Mine safety advocates agree new silica dust rule is progress, but some worry it’s not enough appeared first on Kentucky Lantern.

After the United Auto Workers (UAW) won big contracts last year resulting from its stand-up strike against the Detroit Three — Ford, General Motors and Stellantis — President Shawn Fain vowed that the union would take that momentum into organizing foreign auto companies in the U.S. On Friday night, the UAW scored its first victory […] The post Volkswagen workers in Tennessee vote to join union appeared first on Kentucky Lantern.

Fundraising prowess has emerged as a key factor in choosing the next Senate GOP party leader to succeed current Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). McConnell’s announcement that he will be stepping down from the Republican Party’s Senate leadership in November has started a succession bid that will require contenders to showcase their fundraising skills. […] The post Strong fundraisers vie to succeed McConnell as U.S. Senate Republican leader appeared first on Kentucky Lantern.

George L. Atkins Jr., who died April 14 at age 82, was a politician for barely a decade. But he was a touchstone for modern Kentucky politics and historical currents that go back more than a century: the corrupting force of big business, voters’ desire for reform, the influence of the news media and the […] The post The political life and lessons of George Atkins appeared first on Kentucky Lantern.