News

The US Coast Guard is seeking public comments on a proposal that would allow barges to transport shale gas wastewater. The wastewater is a byproduct of the drilling process, and it can include both man-made chemicals and naturally occurring heavy metals and radiation. The wastewater is currently stored at drilling sites or transported by truck or train to treatment plants and deep underground wells.

An independent Kentucky panel in charge of reviewing child abuse cases is requesting $420,000 from the state’s budget to perform its duties.  The Child Fatality and Near Fatality Review Panel was created following criticism of accountability and transparency in the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, which deals with child abuse cases.  Read more...

The Army is ending 13 officer training programs nationwide, including the ROTC program at the University of Tennessee at Martin. The Army approved the closures after a comprehensive review of resources last month. The 13 programs are mostly in rural areas that are producing too few officers to justify their operation. Along with UT at Martin, Tennessee closures include Tennessee Tech University, East Tennessee State University. The only Kentucky program shuttered was at Morehead State University.  Morehead Military Science Chairman Lt. Col. Robert Mason said the cuts may be aimed at changing the program's demographics.

After some years of decline, enrollment this fall at Eastern Kentucky University this year is holding steady.  Over 16-thousand students now attend classes at EKU.  Vice President Elizabeth Wachtel says declines are not necessarily bad.  Wachtel says the school might now be at its optimal size.

The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to propose rules regulating greenhouse gas emissions—like carbon dioxide –from existing power plants next June. But Kentucky regulators are preemptively trying to influence the agency’s decision-making.  Read more...

Listener Connie emailed us over the weekend, “I used to listen to WEKU on my Kindle, but haven't recently.  When I tried yesterday, although I tapped every link titled "Listen live,"  I never was successful.  My husband is doing just fine with his iPhone.  I'd appreciate some direction on what I should do.”

Eastern Kentucky University is working to improve its staying power with prospective students, potential donors, and the community at large.  The field is narrowing for a new position of Vice President for University Relations and EKU Branding. The first of three open meetings with finalists is scheduled later Monday on the Richmond campus.

Portions of the Fayette County Circuit Courthouse building will reopen this morning.  The four story structure has been shut down since Monday, October 21 following a water line break.  The break caused extensive damage to sections of the first through the fourth floors.  Most of the first and fourth floors plus courtrooms on the second and third floor will open up today.

Road crews in southeastern Kentucky could have a new weapon in their snow and ice fighting arsenal this winter.  State transportation officials met with workers recently to outline this year’s snow removal strategy.  Les Dixon, from the Manchester district office, says a new salt product called ‘clear lane’ is being considered.

How are military veterans from Kentucky faring?  What Services are available to them and how are we failing them?  How have public perceptions of veterans shifted from one armed conflict to another?  These are some of the questions we'll pursue and that we're inviting you to answer.

Kentucky State Police are using every available sworn unit today for what it calls the largest one day drug round up in agency history.  The aim is to arrest 479 individuals.  Troopers from all KSP posts along with numerous other law enforcement officers began arresting individuals before daybreak.

Dance, music, and theater are all on the arts agenda this weekend in the Bluegrass.  The Bluegrass Youth Ballet offers up its performance of the 'Day of the Dead' event this weekend in downtown Lexington.  Rich Copley has his weekly rundown of arts activities.  He spoke with WEKU'S Stu Johnson.

A task force within the State Fire Marshal’s Office is working on new fire prevention strategies.  Fire fatalities across the Commonwealth have exceeded 60 for a number of years.  Kentucky Fire Marshal Bill Swope says work on the new program began this past summer.  He says the hope is to pilot some aspects of it next spring.

Successful early childhood education efforts in southern Kentucky are bringing the U.S. Secretary of Education to the Commonwealth Friday.  Arne Duncan plans to spend part of the afternoon in Williamsburg.  He is scheduled to visit with a Whitley County family in ‘Save the Children’s Early Steps to School Success program.  Save the Children administrator Mark Shriver says the program is currently found in ten Kentucky Counties, serving more than 12 thousand children.

As the days begin to get colder, Kentucky will see higher natural gas prices.  On average, customers who use about ten thousand cubic feet of natural gas, can expect to pay about 19 percent more than last November.  Still, State Public Service Commission Spokesman Andrew Melnykovych says it’s far less than a few years ago.

A well known fast food restaurant chain is promoting the General Education Document program in almost half of Kentucky’s counties. People dining at McDonald's restaurants in 53 counties will be encouraged on customer tray liners to take the GED test.

Trick or treating in Lexington has been moved to tomorrow night.  It will still run from six until eight p.m.  The weather forecast calls for strong storms to move into the Bluegrass later today.  Lexington Mayor Jim Gray says the decision to make the switch comes with weather predictions which the mayor says have ‘gotten worse.’  For families who can’t change their plans, Gray adds there is still indoor trick or treating at Fayette Mall, the Lyric Theater, and the Kentucky Horse Park.

Halloween can lead to increased safety concerns in children filled neighborhoods.  Those worries may be tied to the traffic found moving about on Halloween night.  As the holiday falls on a Thursday this year, Kentucky Office of Highway Safety Director Bill Bell says Thursday nights are already a time of heightened risk for alcohol related incidents.

It may be a little cool, but a group of Fort Knox soldiers are gearing up for some November baseball.  This is an outdoor activity with several twists.  It’s a brand new game for wounded warriors in the Fort Knox transition program.  It’s called ‘Beep’ baseball.  As suggested, the ball sounds off with repetitive beeps.  It was developed for people with visual impairment, but even players with vision are blindfolded.

 Kentucky's Attorney General says while progress is being made against prescription drug abuse, the state can't afford to let down its guard. Jack Conway told Bowling Green Rotarians Wednesday the state's pill-tracking system--known as KASPER--is giving law enforcement an idea of how widespread the abuse still is.

"Last year in Kentucky we dispensed over 220,000,000 doses of hydrocodone. We're a state of 4.3 million people. That's 51 doses of hydrocodone for every man, woman and child in this state. That's how much of the stuff is out there," said Conway.

In what’s being called a grassroots movement, dozens of Kentucky school boards have passed resolutions requesting  more state  funding for public education.  Brad Hughes has been with the Kentucky School Boards Association for 20 years. He says during that time there hasn’t been a stronger message sent to lawmakers that current funding levels are inadequate.

Thousands of teenagers will be sporting blue corduroy jackets in Louisville this week as the National FFA Organization Convention returns to the city for the first time since 2005.  The Courier-Journal says the four-day gathering is expected to bring close to 60,000 people to the city, generating about $40 million for the local and state economy.

Using the arts to further local economies in eastern Kentucky is the focus of a Somerset conference this week.  The Citizens’ Institute on rural Design meeting brings together local leaders, non-profits, community organizations, and citizens.  Jack Herlihy studies economic development in Appalachia.  He says many  eastern Kentuckians take their talents to other communities, such as musicians heading to Tennessee.

Significant clean up and repair work at the Fayette Circuit Court building continues this week.  It was a week ago Sunday when water was seen spilling out an upstairs window.  Damage occurred on all four floors of the downtown structure.  But, Fayette Circuit Judge Pamela Goodwine says work is proceeding along pretty well.

Educators looking for ways of breaking away from traditional teaching methods gathered in Lexington Tuesday.    The "Innovate to Learn Institute" focused on investigating new learning techniques.  Some teachers working to generate interest among their students are turning to the so called ‘maker movement.’  It’s a method of learning through building.

Kentucky has recorded its first two confirmed cases of flu for this season.  The two cases of influenza are no indication of how prevalent flu will be the next several months. The first two cases of flu were reported in Henderson and Jefferson Counties. State epidemiologist Craig Humbaugh says the flu bug is not an ailment which spreads from county to county necessarily.

The racing fans keep coming to Lexington’s historic Keeneland track.  The just completed fall meeting was another record breaker. Keeneland set attendance records for the fourth consecutive race meet.  On-track fans totaled more than 266 thousand, a two and a half percent increase over a year ago.  Average daily attendance was up by the same amount.

Hundreds of Kentuckian are expected to gather in early December to plan a strategy that will help Appalachian counties move forward.  Governor Steve Beshear, Congressman Hal Rogers and many other local and state officials made the announcement this morning in Hazard.  The December ninth summit is called ‘Shaping Our Appalachian Region.’  Kentucky House Speaker Greg Stumbo believes the event can help generate an agenda.

Last Tuesday night, we received a curious, if not mystifying message on the Listener Comment Line. A listener who didn’t want to be identified,  let alone heard on the air, commented that she was enjoying the classical music around 10 o'clock but that she could do without the sound of snoring in the middle of the music.

This time of year means additional job opportunities in Kentucky tied to the upcoming holiday season.  It’s certainly the case in the bluegrass where three major employers are looking to hire.  Winchester Clark County Chamber of Commerce President Cindy Banks says Amazon, General Dynamics, and Pearl Interactive are looking for workers.