Dam! Congrats to @liamniemeyer.bsky.social.

An outbreak of a prion disease similar to mad cow on a Kentucky deer farm is renewing questions about whether stronger rules are needed for the more than 100 “captive cervid facilities” the state has permitted. @liamniemeyer.bsky.social kentuckylantern.com/2025/09/08/d...

Over 100 deer were killed in July on a KY farm that raised deer as livestock to stem the spread of a "zombie" deer disease. It's renewing questions over how to curb the spread of chronic wasting disease in KY and the role of these deer farms: kentuckylantern.com/2025/09/08/d... @kentuckylantern.com

Kentucky advocates for people with Alzheimer’s are excited by new research showing that lifestyle interventions like exercising and keeping the brain active can slow cognitive decline and improve brain health. @sarahelizabethladd.bsky.social kentuckylantern.com/2025/08/20/f...

Kentucky could be on the brink of a data center boom. But in Mason County details are sketchy. Local officials sign non-disclosure agreements with the developer. Residents have concerns about the potential impacts and the secrecy. @liamniemeyer.bsky.social kentuckylantern.com/2025/08/21/k...

In Mason County, locals are organizing to demand more answers about a potential $1 billion data center “campus” that could land in a rural part of the county. Local officials have signed NDAs and won’t say who the data center developer is. kentuckylantern.com/2025/08/21/k... @kentuckylantern.com

Kentuckians tell state utility regulator to oppose new gas-fired power for prospective data centers kentuckylantern.com/2025/08/05/k... @kentuckylantern.com

GOP Rep. John Blanton says he feels the drinking water utility serving his area is "driving into a brick wall." The Salyersville utility has grappled with water leaks, staffing shortages and a recent lawsuit over sewage backing up into homes. kentuckylantern.com/2025/07/30/s... @kentuckylantern.com

“I think Eastern Kentucky has spent a lot of time waiting for other people to show up with resources. And that’s — quite honestly — that’s the dynamic I’m actually interested to change." kentuckylantern.com/2025/07/28/e... @kentuckylantern.com

As homelessness rises in Kentucky, especially outside the two largest cities, the Trump administration wants to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in federal support for state housing programs. @liamniemeyer.bsky.social kentuckylantern.com/2025/07/11/n...

Pesky PFAS present in Louisville water, data show www.lpm.org/investigate/... @morganwatkins.lpm.org @lpm.org

Dr. Steven Stack says Kentucky, which already struggles with poor health, is “on the cusp of having a significant backslide” if the federal government cuts programs like Medicaid and SNAP. MORE: kentuckylantern.com/2025/06/23/a...

Bill is a fantastic reporter, but he's an even better human. He knows everything about everything, he's got a phone number for whoever you need, and he's a nonstop good idea machine. I'm happy he gets to step back and relax — though I'm not sure he actually knows how.

It’s the Illuminator’s 5th anniversary! Please consider sending us some birthday cash to help support our work, which is always free of ads and paywalls and free for any news outlet to run

@agomezfcc.bsky.social, the lone Dem at the FCC, is on a national tour speaking out against what she sees as efforts by Trump to undermine the 1st Amendment. Her first two stops included LA and Washington D.C. Her latest stop? Letcher County. kentuckylantern.com/2025/06/18/p... @kentuckylantern.com

From LA to Letcher County, Anna Gomez takes her anti-censorship crusade on the road. Lone Democrat on Federal Communications Commission talks in Fleming-Neon about the First Amendment. @liamniemeyer.bsky.social kentuckylantern.com/2025/06/18/p...

Portraits of protest: A Kentucky photo gallery @austinanthony.com @photoprofdavid.bsky.social @liamniemeyer.bsky.social kentuckylantern.com/2025/06/14/p...

Thousands of Kentuckians turn out in cities large and small to warn that democracy is under threat from what they say is an autocratic president. Protesters assail Trump's purge of law-abiding immigrants. @liamniemeyer.bsky.social @jamielucke.bsky.social kentuckylantern.com/2025/06/14/n...

The planned “No Kings” protest is well underway in Louisville, KY, where hundreds have gathered at city hall. Democratic Congressman Morgan McGarvey mentions the news of a Democratic Minnesota state lawmaker being shot and killed. “When you normalize political violence, this is what happens.”

"...the efforts to drive change and build resilience can’t happen overnight. It takes consistent investment to help build that resilience so that we can eventually save people and help people survive some of these extreme heat events.” www.eenews.net/articles/ins... @eenews.bsky.social

The @kentuckylantern.com's @mckennahorsley.bsky.social is featured in Your First Byline! yourfirstbyline.substack.com/p/my-first-b...

The Union County seat of Morganfield in Western KY is home to one of the largest Job Corps centers in the country. Locals are dismayed at the thought of the vocational training center closing, especially for at-risk youth the center served: kentuckylantern.com/2025/06/05/t... @kentuckylantern.com

A tribute to Bruce Mitchell of the Athens NEWS, who founded the weekly paper in my college town that had a big impact on my view of what journalism can be. “A newspaper’s duty is to print the news and raise hell.” ohiocapitaljournal.com/2025/05/30/a... @daviddewitt.bsky.social

"Though there are currently no plans to build nuclear power plants in the state, Carroll said the Kentucky Nuclear Energy Development Authority has 'identified some sites' for potential development." www.wkms.org/energy/2025-... @wkmsfm.bsky.social @doperle.bsky.social

A relatively new clinic in Lexington is a model for treating child abuse, featuring therapy rooms and a therapy dog named Darcy: “There’s kids that won’t talk to anybody, but will tell a dog something.” kentuckylantern.com/2025/05/28/k... @sarahelizabethladd.bsky.social @kentuckylantern.com

'No Kentucky Home' “I’m probably one of the only people you’ll see that can just sit there and lay on a piece of concrete with a pillow or nothing and go to bed. That hardens you up.” - John Paul Shanks @liamniemeyer.bsky.social @austinanthony.com kentuckylantern.com/2025/05/23/a...

The third part in the @kentuckylantern.com's series this week on rural homelessness: a Western KY church had a vision for housing by turning a local motel into apartments. But the mayor in the town had concerns: "We’re not willing to destroy our community.” kentuckylantern.com/2025/05/22/a...

No Kentucky Home: Episode 3 Pastor Jennifer Banks and others in Abundant Life Church were not sure what to expect when the mayor called a meeting to talk about their plans for helping people who are experiencing homelessness. @liamniemeyer.bsky.social kentuckylantern.com/2025/05/22/a...

The second part of the @kentuckylantern.com series on rural homelessness: a young woman slept outside for weeks in Muhlenberg County, curled up next to her dog. She then got shelter in a church and a shower, that stability soon leading her to a job within days. kentuckylantern.com/2025/05/21/a...

No Kentucky Home: Part 2 "They try to sweep us under the rug like we don’t exist." - Courtney Phillips @liamniemeyer.bsky.social @austinanthony.com kentuckylantern.com/2025/05/21/a...

No Kentucky Home: Part 1 Mallie Luken, wheelchair bound & without her dog Blaze, was "dumped" by police in a church parking lot one night. "I didn’t have anywhere for her to go,' says pastor Jennifer Banks. @liamniemeyer.bsky.social @austinanthony.com kentuckylantern.com/2025/05/20/h...

This week, @kentuckylantern.com is running a series about rural homelessness and how a coalition of people in one KY county has grappled with the issue. Mallie Luken spent a night outside a Western KY church, sleeping under a stainless steel table in a storm. kentuckylantern.com/2025/05/20/h...

Climate change intensified April flooding in Kentucky, according to scientific modeling. As temperatures rise so will likelihood of extreme rainfall, report predicts. @liamniemeyer.bsky.social kentuckylantern.com/2025/05/08/c...

Climate change made widespread April flooding across KY more intense, according to @wwattribution.bsky.social. One meteorologist noted a small increase in flooding can be the difference between whether a river crests a bank or barrier. kentuckylantern.com/2025/05/08/c... @kentuckylantern.com

Louisville’s air pollution regulator will contest the Trump admin’s termination of a grant for an air toxics monitoring study near Rubbertown. An EPA spox didn’t say what specific issues it had w/ grant, instead blaming Biden admin for “wasteful DEI programs.” kentuckylantern.com/2025/05/01/l...

"When it comes to a data center," said David Spenard, a KY attorney w/ @southernrenewable.bsky.social, "it is about making sure that they are paying their fair share associated with what requirements they are placing on the system." www.courier-journal.com/story/news/l... @connorgiffin.bsky.social

Incredible open records find from @storiesbyjess.bsky.social In direct contradiction to claims UofL board members made last week, internal comms show they gave the former president an ultimatum -- either she quit or the board would vote to terminate without cause www.lpm.org/investigate/...

“I would not be surprised if a cooperative or a utility in a deep red state takes this on and announces a project,” said coal analyst Andy Blumenfeld. “[W]ould it actually get to actual construction and operation? I think the odds of that are very slim.” www.eenews.net/articles/tru...

One of Trump's orders resembles a 2023 KY law making it harder to retire coal-fired power plants. In the East Room for the signing ceremony were Kentuckians Joe Craft, coal exec & GOP megadonor, and Senate President Robert Stivers. @liamniemeyer.bsky.social kentuckylantern.com/2025/04/10/h...

KY used to have the cheapest electricity in the U.S. thanks to coal. Not anymore. As Trump doubles down on coal, KY’s reliance on coal and aging coal-fired power plants is raising utility bills — and potentially costing economic growth. kentuckylantern.com/2025/04/10/h... @kentuckylantern.com

LEXINGTON — Kentucky Lantern founding editor Jamie Lucke was inducted into the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame Tuesday. Lucke joins Lantern freelancers Deborah Yetter, Tom Loftus and Jack Brammer in the high distinction. From @sarahelizabethladd.bsky.social kentuckylantern.com/2025/04/08/l...

A great night for the @kentuckylantern.com. @jamielucke.bsky.social: one of the newest members of the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame. kentuckylantern.com/2025/04/08/l...

“I know that he understands climate science...” said former GOP Florida Rep. Carlos Curbelo. “But if this is some kind of radical change that’s going to essentially put us in a position where we’re ignoring this reality, then that would be concerning.” www.politico.com/news/2025/04... @politico.com

An analysis from @appcitizenslaw.bsky.social found mine safety inspectors done thousands of inspections from field offices designated for closure by DOGE. A short trip to inspect an EKY coal mine could turn into hours if inspectors have fewer/farther offices. kentuckylantern.com/2025/04/07/c...

State offices in Frankfort will be closed Monday because flooding has forced the local utility to stop pumping water from the Kentucky River, which is predicted to crest at a record high in the capital. @liamniemeyer.bsky.social kentuckylantern.com/2025/04/06/f...

ICYMI: The Trump administration fired the chair of the Tennessee Valley Authority board, stripping the governing body of the nation's largest public power provider — which serves parts of Western KY — of its ability to conduct business with only four members left. www.knoxnews.com/story/news/p...

Democrat Andy Beshear sues to block new state law pushed by conservative Americans for Prosperity. Dubbed the REINS Act, the measure is a nationwide priority for the Koch-founded group. @liamniemeyer.bsky.social kentuckylantern.com/2025/04/02/b...

The National Weather Service will stop issuing forecasts + storm warnings in Spanish after a translation software contract lapsed at midnight Tuesday. Unclear when/if service will return. Scoop with @weathersullivan.bsky.social (free link): www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Kentucky Public Service Commission loses one of its three members after state Senate takes no action on confirming Beshear appointee John Will Stacy. @liamniemeyer.bsky.social kentuckylantern.com/2025/04/01/b...

“We now expect a 3°C world,” Morgan Stanley analysts wrote earlier this month, citing “recent setbacks to global decarbonization efforts.” www.eenews.net/articles/big... @eenews.bsky.social