Lexington, KY — As construction is set to begin this week on the contentious $211,588.03 Athens Boonesboro Welcome Sign, new information has come to light that further questions the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government’s (LFUCG) priorities. Minutes from the LFUCG’s Corridor Commission‘s August 17 meeting and a recent city email acquired by The Lexington Times reveal additional details about the project, including the project timeline and a controversial choice of ‘blighted’ landscaping.

LEXINGTON, Ky. — In a move that could significantly impact the future of public spaces in Lexington, the Greenspace Trust is considering new avenues for revenue and a centralized approach to managing invasive plant species in the county. The Trust met on Wednesday to discuss these and other matters, including a greenways management master plan for the city.

FRANKFORT — Diapers are in high demand across Kentucky, and some families struggle to pay the cost. Sen. Cassie Chambers Armstrong, D-Louisville, shared her plan with the Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations and Revenue to file a bill next year that would make infant and adult diapers in Kentucky tax-exempt.

FRANKFORT — The Interim Joint Committee on Education on Tuesday heard from computer science advocates about ways this multi-faceted discipline could be expanded in Kentucky’s schools.

FRANKFORT — Removing the certificate of need (CON) requirement for freestanding birthing centers in Kentucky is still being studied following the 2023 Regular Session. Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer, R-Alexandria, and other stakeholders spoke to the Certificate of Need Task Force about the issue on Monday. The new task force is a special committee charged with reviewing Kentucky’s CON program, including the state health plan and related statutes.

This article has been updated to clarify the nature of the Superintendent’s acknowledgement of AFT120. LEXINGTON, Ky. — A tumultuous saga involving Fayette County Public Schools (FCPS) and labor union KY 120 United-American Federation of Teachers (AFT120) continues to play out. In a recent development, Superintendent Demetrus Liggins finally acknowledged–in an email–that the group is a legitimate union, after months of contention. However, challenges persist as Nema Brewer, an organizer with AFT120, says the district’s actions expose a desire for top-down decision-making that stifles rank-and-file educators.

Lexington, KY — Amidst an ongoing opioid crisis, the newly established Opioid Abatement Commission convened its first special meeting on Friday. Mayor Linda Gorton, who spearheaded the creation of the commission, shared her vision for a thoughtful and sustainable strategy to use the upcoming opioid abatement funds, which will be allocated over a period of about 18 years.

LEXINGTON, Ky. — As New York City takes a hard line on short-term rentals, tightening regulations to combat a housing shortage, Lexington's more lenient approach is raising concerns among local residents. The contrasting policies underscore the complexities cities face in regulating this modern form of accommodation.

Lexington, KY — In a move that has raised eyebrows and sparked controversy, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council suspended its rules to fast-track the approval of a $211,588.03 welcome sign on Athens Boonesboro Road. The decision came during the council meeting on August 31, bypassing the expected discussion in Thursday’s agenda. Council Members James Brown and Kathy Plomin led the motion to suspend the rules, effectively pushing the resolution through.

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Town Branch Park, an 11-acre land reuse project in downtown Lexington, has received a $1 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service. The grant is part of a larger initiative announced by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Thursday, which aims to invest more than $1 billion in nearly 400 projects across the United States.

The Kentucky Housing Corporation has received applications for housing funding from the state's Rural Housing Trust Fund requesting more than $18 million for rebuilding single family homes in regions of the state still recovering from catastrophic flooding and tornadoes.

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Malabu Manor Apartments in Lexington is among the recipients of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP), receiving a $750,000 grant for energy efficiency and climate resilience improvements. The announcement was made on Wednesday, as part of an initial $18 million in grant funding and loan commitments under the GRRP.

FRANKFORT, Ky. — As the clock ticks down to the Kentucky gubernatorial election on November 7, 2023, the financial landscape of the race is becoming clearer. Incumbent Democratic Governor Andy Beshear has significantly outraised his Republican opponent, Attorney General Daniel Cameron, according to recent campaign finance reports.

Lexington, KY — The Fayette County Board of Education held a planning work session on Monday, focusing on several key initiatives and approvals that could shape the future of education in Lexington. The meeting was part of the district’s ongoing commitment to open and transparent communication.

Washington, D.C. — The Congressional Animal Protection Caucus (CAPC) expressed approval today after the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) released two new reports. These reports detail an investigation into the racehorse fatalities at Churchill Downs Racetrack and introduce new protocols aimed at ensuring the safety of horses and their riders.

For today’s public input session regarding Lexington’s growth, we present two contrasting perspectives on the expansion of the Urban Services Boundary (USB). On one side, Brittany Roethemeier, Executive Director of Fayette Alliance, argues for a cautious approach, advocating for data-driven growth and demanding a minimum expansion of 2,700 acres. Roethemeier raises important questions about the costs, housing demands, and available land. On the other hand, Ray Daniels, Chair of Lexington for Everyone, calls for a more substantial expansion of up to 5,000 acres, emphasizing the need to address rising home prices, job growth, and population decline. These op-eds represent two distinct viewpoints shaping the future of Lexington, and today’s public hearing invites community members to weigh in on this critical decision for our city’s growth and development. The order of the op-eds was selected by coin flip–Daniels is up first:

A young person in rural America who drinks heavily is 43% more likely to carrying a handgun in the following year, according to a study conducted in seven states over 15 years and published in The Journal of Rural Health.

From January to July of this year, the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services received reports of 13 abortions in the state, compared to 2,591 in the same time frame in 2021, showing the impact of state laws that were invoked when the U.S. Supreme Court nullified the right to abortion in late June 2022, Alex Acquisto reports in an in-depth article for the Lexington Herald-Leader.

By Paul Oliva, The Lexington Times LEXINGTON, Ky. — Emma Curtis, a transgender activist who was once a contender for the Democratic nomination for Kentucky’s House District 93, has officially rescinded her endorsement of Adrielle Camuel, the current Democratic nominee. The announcement came through a statement issued on Saturday, adding another layer of complexity to an already fraught election season for the Kentucky Democratic Party (KDP). In her statement, Curtis cited Camuel’s “unapologetically transphobic behavior” as the reason for withdrawing her endorsement. She specifically mentioned Camuel’s comments on Senate Bill 150, an omnibus bill that bans lifesaving medical care for transgender youth and severely restricts their civil rights in public schools. Curtis says Camuel had described the debate around the bill as having “extremes on both sides,” a statement that Curtis and many in the trans community found deeply troubling. “When many in the trans community raised concerns about that statement online, Camuel supporters engaged in a seemingly coordinated harassment campaign which spread lies not just about those who raised concerns, but about the trans community as a whole,” Curtis said in her statement. Curtis also revealed that she had offered to help Camuel better understand trans issues and build bridges with the trans community, offers that Camuel has not accepted. This refusal, coupled with Camuel’s continued transphobic rhetoric and refusal to apologize, led Curtis to withdraw her endorsement. “I was taken aback. I later attempted to address those comments privately, but was repeatedly assured that Camuel would be a staunch supporter of the trans community,” Curtis said, recalling a conversation she had with Camuel before the nominating committee convened. Curtis clarified that she will not be running against Camuel in the May 2024 primary for House District 93 but will continue to support her candidacy in her capacity as President of the Fayette County Young Democrats and as a member of the Fayette County Democratic Party Executive Committee. The statement ends with a poignant tribute to the late Rep. Lamin Swann, a former ally of the trans community, whose seat Camuel aims to fill. “Adrielle Camuel has tarnished his memory with her unapologetically transphobic behavior,” Curtis said. The withdrawal of Curtis’s endorsement comes at a critical time for the KDP, which is already facing internal divisions and allegations of sidelining minority candidates. With the gubernatorial election looming and the general election for House District 93 set for this November, the party is under pressure to consolidate its base and present a united front. Camuel is set to face Republican candidate Kyle Whalen in the general election. As of this writing, the KDP has not issued an official statement in response to Curtis’s announcement, leaving questions about the party’s commitment to inclusivity and its strategy for the upcoming elections. The unfolding controversy puts the spotlight on the KDP’s values and its ability to engage and energize a diverse constituency. With Curtis’s endorsement retracted, the party faces an uphill battle in proving that it truly has the back of transgender Kentuckians, especially the youth who are most affected by legislation like Senate Bill 150. Curtis’s full statement: On the evening of June 29th, a nominating committee comprising 11 Democratic Party Precinct Committeepeople chose Adrielle Camuel to be the Democratic Nominee for the 93rd District State House seat left vacant by the passing of my friend and mentor, Rep. Lamin Swann. I had also been in the running for that nomination. Moments before the Committee adjourned to cast their votes, I pledged before them that I would endorse the eventual nominee—whomever it may be. After Camuel was announced as the nominee, I walked outside and addressed the crowd of several dozen people who had gathered to support my candidacy. I endorsed Camuel and encouraged all of them to support her in this November’s election. Today, I am officially rescinding that endorsement. I am not doing so for any political gain—I will not, as some have speculated, be running against Camuel in the May 2024 primary for House District 93. I will continue to fulfill my obligation to support her candidacy in my capacity as President of the Fayette County Young Democrats and as a member of the Fayette County Democratic Party Executive Committee. However, I will not risk allowing the Camuel campaign to use my endorsement in an attempt to excuse Camuel’s repeated transphobic behavior, as they have with the endorsements of some cisgender gay men. I watched with great hurt and frustration as Camuel said that there were ‘extremes on both sides’ of the debate around Senate Bill 150—an omnibus bill banning lifesaving medical care for transgender youth and severely restricting their civil rights in public schools. When many in the trans community raised concerns about that statement online, Camuel supporters engaged in a seemingly coordinated harassment campaign which spread lies not just about those who raised concerns, but about the trans community as a whole. I hoped that Camuel had simply misspoken and would apologize, condemn her supporters’ behavior, and clarify where she stands on the issue of transgender rights. Instead, she lied that she had never spoken about SB150, called those who raised concerns about her comments ‘bullies,’ and vowed to never give in to them. In the time since, she has continued to spread transphobic rhetoric and refused to apologize for any of her statements or behavior. This would be hurtful enough on its own, but it has been particularly hurtful because I have repeatedly offered to help Camuel better understand trans issues and build bridges with the trans community. She has still not taken me up on those offers. Watching this all unfold, I couldn’t help but remember a conversation that I had with Camuel before the Nominating Committee convened. During that conversation, she told me that ‘we need a nominee [in the 93rd] who can represent everyone, not just transgenders (sic).’ She repeatedly referred to a trans cousin of hers by the wrong name and pronouns. She said that SB150 was ‘really about teachers,’ not trans people. I was taken aback. I later attempted to address those comments privately, but was repeatedly assured that Camuel would be a staunch supporter of the trans community. Had I known then, as I know now, that her comments were not made out of ignorance but out of genuine hostility towards people like me, I would not have endorsed her in the first place. South Lexington deserves honesty, transparency, and accountability from its leaders. Thus far, Camuel has shown none of these qualities. Transgender Kentuckians—especially our trans youth—deserve to know that the Kentucky Democratic Party has their back. Camuel’s behavior has cast significant doubt on whether it really does. Lamin Swann was the most consistent, heartfelt, and empathetic ally of the trans community that I have ever known, despite not being trans or having any trans relatives. Adrielle Camuel has tarnished his memory with her unapologetically transphobic behavior. For these reasons, I cannot allow my endorsement to stand.

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Adrielle Camuel, the Democratic nominee for Kentucky’s House District 93, is facing backlash for her alleged transphobic remarks and actions, according to a press release issued by twelve transgender advocates Thursday. The statement, signed by leaders including Rebecca Blankenship and Emma Curtis, accuses Camuel of “stoking hatred with lies” and “deliberately working to divide the LGBTQ+ community from trans people.”