ONE Lexington to give 2023 update: How they’re addressing violence with innovative strategies
Lexington, KY— In an upcoming Urban County Council work session on Tuesday, ONE Lexington will present its 2023 update, showcasing a range of initiatives aimed at tackling urban challenges, particularly those related to gun violence and its impacts on the community.
Read full storyVersailles man pleads guilty to possessing explosive devices, guns at UK Hospital in 2021
LEXINGTON, Ky. — In a significant legal development, Bryan T. Carroll, 46, of Versailles, entered a guilty plea on Monday to federal charges of possessing explosive devices and guns at the University of Kentucky Hospital in 2021. The plea agreement, filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Central Division, Lexington, detailed Carroll’s admission to multiple federal offenses.
Read full storyLexington Opioid Abatement Commission to hear public comment Friday
LEXINGTON, Ky.–A body tasked with making recommendations for the city’s use of National Opioid Litigation settlement funds will hear testimony from the general public for the first time on Friday. According to an agenda released by the city’s Opioid Abatement Commission Wednesday, open public comment will occur at the tail end of the meeting.
Read full storyWell-connected landlord secured $11M in Lexington Affordable Housing funds despite past scrutiny
A report scheduled to be presented to the Urban County Council’s Social Services and Public Safety Committee on Tuesday, and made available online Friday, has revealed over $11 million in recent allocations to a firm whose owner’s past financial dealings with the City of Lexington have come under scrutiny.
Read full storyKentucky Legislative committee discusses housing issues
FRANKFORT — Kentuckians have long commutes and struggle to find an affordable place to live, according to data shared with lawmakers Thursday. Patrick Bowen, president of Bowen National Research, told the Interim Joint Committee on Economic Development and Workforce Investment that housing issues across the commonwealth are a concern for employers as well.
Read full story"Goat Project" provides ecological restoration and cleanup in Lexington's Oxford Circle
LEXINGTON, KY - In a remarkable display of community engagement and ecological restoration, Lexington's Oxford Circle neighborhood is undergoing a transformation, thanks to the combined efforts of local residents, council members, and an innovative goat project. This initiative, highlighted in a recent YouTube video, showcases how local action can lead to significant environmental and social improvements.
Read full storyLexington man enters plea agreement in major drug and firearms case
LEXINGTON, Ky.--A Lexington man has entered a plea agreement with federal prosecutors after being indicted on charges including drug trafficking and firearms charges, according to documents filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
Read full storyNew gated subdivision planned at horse farm near intersection of Tates Creek and Brannon Roads
LEXINGTON, Ky.–A horse farm on Tates Creek Road near Brannon Road could soon be redeveloped into a new subdivision. According to plans filed with the Lexington-Fayette Planning Commission on Friday, Turner Management LLC wants to turn the almost 14 acre George Knight Stables farm property into a 29-unit housing development.
Read full storyBaby death rate fell 6% in Kentucky in 2022 while it increased nationally, CDC reports
For the first time in 20 years, the rate of infant mortality in the U.S. showed a statistically significant increase in 2022, according to preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The national baby-death rate rose 3 percent from 2021, but in Kentucky it dropped 6 percent.
Read full storyKentucky Public Retirees advocate for payments to reflect cost of living
Many retired Kentuckians are facing great personal stress over their finances, according to Kentucky Public Retirees. Larry Totten, president of the group, explained the last cost-of-living or COLA adjustment to pension payments was twelve years ago. Instead of a percentage COLA increase, advocates are calling for a “13th check” option, a single lump-sum payment of a retiree’s current monthly benefit. It is estimated to cost the state around $188 million.
Read full storyCandidates for governor fuss over credit for opioid settlements
Opioid settlement cash is not inherently political. It’s not the result of a law passed by Congress nor an edit to the state budget. It’s not taxpayer money. Rather, it’s coming from health-care companies that were sued for fueling the opioid crisis with prescription painkillers.
Read full storyPoll shows Beshear, Cameron in dead heat; most voters say they oppose current abortion law
From the start, the X factor in the Kentucky governor’s race has been former president Donald Trump: Would his endorsement propel Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron past Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, who has had high approval ratings and led in every public poll? Now a poll taken in the last four days indicates strongly that it could.
Read full storyFederal Jury Convicts Lexington Man of Armed Drug Trafficking
LEXINGTON, Ky.- A Lexington man was convicted on Thursday, by a federal jury in Lexington, of drug trafficking and firearms offenses. After 3 hours of deliberations, following a 3-day trial, the jury convicted 36-year-old Chase Russell Downey of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine, possession of firearms by a convicted felon, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Read full storyIn Lexington, pricey park plans and tourism subsidies eclipse plight of 500 homeless kids (OPINION)
In Lexington, Kentucky, a juxtaposition of priorities has left many to question the direction of community and government funds amidst an increasingly noticeable issue: homelessness. Recently, the Blue Grass Community Foundation (BCF) announced a $175,000 investment into Kelley’s Landing for a new Kentucky River park project. While the prospect of new green space is traditionally celebrated, this news lands heavily against the backdrop of 500 homeless children in Fayette County, a stark emblem of overlooked necessities.
Read full storyProposed KY law criminalizing homeless camping ‘will make our work harder,’ advocates say
A lengthy proposal aimed at reducing crime recently unveiled by Kentucky lawmakers has housing advocacy groups concerned about the impact on the homeless. The Safer Kentucky Act, currently in draft stages, is expected to be introduced when the legislature convenes next year. The proposal includes a statewide camping ban, with penalties of up to $5,000 and one month in jail, and funding penalties to any jurisdiction refusing to enforce the ban.
Read full storyReport: Black Kentuckians continue to be incarcerated at high rates
A new study of incarceration trends shows Black people in the Commonwealth are jailed at a rate nearly three times higher than their white peers, despite making up around 8% of the state's population.
Read full storyLexington man pleads guilty to federal charges after fentanyl sale resulted in death
Lexington, KY — A Lexington man, Gregory Scott Sizemore, 35, has agreed to enter a guilty plea to federal drug charges, including distribution of fentanyl that resulted in death. The plea agreement was filed on Tuesday in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
Read full storyLexington's new $211,588.03 welcome sign nears completion
LEXINGTON, KY--Construction on Lexington's new $211,588.03 welcome sign is almost complete. The sign is located on Athens Boonesboro Road near the site of Lexington Sporting Club's planned soccer stadium.
Read full storyLexington’s soccer stadium deal: A question of priorities amid housing crisis and low-wage jobs
LEXINGTON, Ky. — As the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG) prepares to finalize an Economic Incentive Agreement with LSC Stadium Company, LLC, the focus on a new professional soccer stadium raises questions about the city’s priorities. The deal, set for discussion at Tuesday’s Council Work Session, comes at a time when Fayette County is grappling with an affordable housing crisis and the recent allocation of $211,588.03 for a new welcome sign near the proposed complex.
Read full storyLexington councilmembers to hold town hall meetings on code enforcement
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Lexington is gearing up for a series of town hall meetings to discuss the recommendations from the Commission for Racial Justice and Equality’s Housing and Gentrification Subcommittee’s 2021 report. Councilmember Shayla Lynch, who co-chaired the subcommittee, will co-host the events with Councilmember Denise Gray.
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