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A yurt Airbnb rental in Berea, Ky. owned by HomeGrown HideAways. (Facebook/HomeGrown HideAways)<br />

As KY short-term rentals thrive, housing affordability concerns persist

Eastern Kentucky communities are grappling with a ballooning short-term rental market. This year, the town of Stanton in the Red River Gorge was …

Casi el 60% de los beneficiarios de Medicaid de Kentucky informan que la falta de transporte confiable y asequible es una barrera para recibir servicios de atenci�n m�dica, seg�n datos de la Universidad de Kentucky. (Adobe Stock)

Nuevos cambios en Medicaid KY amplían acceso al transporte médico

Kentucky ha realizado algunos cambios que amplían el acceso al transporte gratuito para las personas que necesitan ayuda para llegar a citas m…

In the last decade, floods wreaked havoc across multiple states, resulting in billions of dollars spent by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and hundreds of lives lost. (Adobe Stock)

New recommendations could enhance flood resilience in Appalachia

Flooding disasters in the Appalachian region have raised the urgency for better flood risk management. The nonprofit ReImagine Appalachia and …

The National Association of Broadcasters said more than 82 million individuals tune in to AM radio. (Pixel-Shot/Adobe Stock)

Kentucky debates AM radios in cars amid electric vehicle shift

The "AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act" now in Congress would mandate all new cars in the U.S. be equipped with AM radios, and it is stirring a debate …

Regular brisk walking can help prevent or manage various conditions, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer and type 2 diabetes, according to the Mayo Clinic. (Adobe Stock)<br />

KY Small Towns Find Ways to Increase Walkability

Whitesburg residents have put the finishing touches on a walking trail aimed at increasing outdoor exercise among residents and linking local business…

Public transit ridership across the country has plummeted amid the COVID-19 pandemic. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Budget Woes from COVID Expected, But Road Maintenance Resumes

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Recent CARES Act funding gives sixteen public transit agencies needed cash to keep services running. The more than $6 million will …

More municipalities are turning parking lots and sidewalks into outdoor seating areas as the COVID-19 crisis continues into late summer and fall. (Adobe Stock)

Statewide Push to Transform Spaces for Social Distancing

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- One neighborhood in Louisville's south end is working to reimagine a public corridor in the wake of the pandemic to balance public …

Around 60% of Kentucky schools provide students with free breakfast and lunch. (Adobe Stock)

School Meal Pick-Up Sites a Challenge for KY Families Without Transportation

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- School districts across the state are navigating how to ensure kids are being fed as school reopening is delayed or learning is …

Louisville is the first Kentucky city to commit to reaching 100% renewable energy for its city operations by 2040. (Adobe Stock)

Louisville 160th City to Pass 100% Renewable-Energy Resolution

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The Louisville Metro Council has voted to commit to reaching 100% renewable energy use for city operations within the next two …

A Social Security card is one of the documents required for obtaining a REAL ID. (Adobe Stock)

No Passport? You'll Need a 'REAL ID' to Fly Starting Oct. 1

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- By this fall, Americans who don't have either one of the new "REAL IDs" or a valid passport won't be able to fly within the US or …

Chemicals called PFAs, known as emerging contaminants, were detected in 81 municipal water treatment plants in Kentucky. (Adobe Stock)

Toxic Chemicals Known as PFAS Detected in KY Drinking Water

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Chemicals called PFAS (short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) have been found in Kentucky's drinking water. Known as …

Ford employs about 13,000 people in Kentucky. (Ford Motor Co.)

Kentucky Jobs Rely on Trade with Canada, Mexico

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Congressional leaders still are trying to hammer out a new trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, and there's a lot on the …

The Eastern Kentucky city of Pikeville will begin construction to improve its downtown arts district this fall. (Ronnie Hylton/PikeTV)

Pikeville Gets Grant to Help Develop Arts District

PIKEVILLE, Ky. – The City of Pikeville has received a $30,000 grant from AARP to improve its plaza and outdoor arts venue. The funding will …

Kentucky ranks 19th nationally for more than 1,000 deficient bridges in need of repair, according to the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. (Adobe Stock)

KY’s Roads, Bridges Need Repair, But Focus Remains on Airports

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Kentucky's roads and bridges are in dire need of repair, but some lawmakers are focused on airports. U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie…

Louisville used grant money from AARP to improve safety along the Ninth Street Corridor. <br />(Ken Lund/Flickr)

Age-Friendly Projects Coming to Fruition in Kentucky

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Three Kentucky cities are seeing their ideas to improve livability come to fruition. Danville, Louisville and Lexington were …

With all the traffic, what about the folks on foot? A new report says street designers need to keep pedestrians in mind. (Greg Stotelmyer)

Report: Bad Street Design Means Greater Risk for Pedestrians

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — On average, 13 people are killed every day from being hit by a vehicle, and older adults and people of color are most often …

Leaders from across the state gather in Lexington to explore solutions for making neighborhoods more age-friendly so older Kentuckians can remain in their homes. (Greg Stotelmyer)

As America Ages, Communities Begin to Adapt

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- People are living longer, and by 2030 it's projected that one in five Americans will be 65 or older. One expert on aging…

A new report is calling for cities to invest in trees as a way to cut pollution and help keep temperatures cooler. (Greg Stotelmyer)

Trees Make for a Healthier World

FRANKFORT, Ky. – A new report says planting more trees would be good for our health. The Planting Healthy Air study from The Nature …

A new report says a clean-energy economy could create tens of thousands of jobs in Kentucky, but only if the proper policies are in place. Credit: Secure Futures

Going Green in the Bluegrass State

FRANKFORT, Ky. - A clean-energy economy will benefit the environment and the wallets of Kentuckians, according to a new report from NextGen Climate …

A public health expert told Kentucky community leaders that making their towns healthier is about much more than just doctors and medicine. Credit: Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky.

Conference Centers on Building Healthy Places

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – A nationally-known public health expert on Monday told community leaders from across Kentucky that education provides the …

The loss of coal-industry jobs is a big part of widening prosperity gap between eastern Kentucky and rest of state. Credit: Greg Stotelmyer

Census Shows Prosperity Gap Widening in KY

BEREA, Ky. - While the U.S. Census Bureau's new numbers show Kentucky's poverty rate remains basically unchanged, one economic policy analyst says …

Driving means independence for older Kentuckians, but they are more willing to give up their keys if there are transportation alternatives. Credit: Greg Stotelmyer

Helping KY Seniors Get Around Town Safely

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Research confirms what many folks already know – the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says per mile …

PHOTO: From Ashland to Paducah, and including all other Kentucky towns, you can now put a community's livability to the test. AARP has created an online livability index. Photo by Greg Stotelmyer.

Living in the Bluegrass State

FRANKFORT, Ky. – What makes a community livable might change depending on the age of the person giving the opinion. AARP has launched an …

PHOTO: The idea of complete streets, where all forms of transportation, including biking and walking, are taken into consideration when building a road, is getting the backing of health advocates. Photo by Greg Stotelmyer.

'Complete Streets' Gaining Traction in KY

WILLIAMSTOWN, Ky. – Health advocates are pointing to what's happening in Grant County as an example of how an inclusive transportation network …

Photo: If you are traveling this holiday season, MADD's president urges you to make a sober decision about how to get home safely. Photo by Greg Stotelmyer.

Holiday Celebrations: What's Your Plan to Get Home?

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Nationwide, as many as 800 people die in car crashes involving a drunk driver every December. It's why this month is one of …

PHOTO: About two-thirds of the crude oil shipped by rail in the United States is transported in DOT-111 tank cars. A lawsuit alleges they aren't sturdy or safe enough for that purpose, and asks the U.S. Department of Transportation to ban their use for oil shipment. Photo by Greg Stotelmyer.

Groups Want Unsafe Rail Tank Car Banned

FRANKFORT, Ky. - Oil is being shipped across the country in train cars that even the government says are unsafe, and two environmental groups are …

PHOTO: Landowners on the routes of proposed pipelines have a good legal basis for denying pipeline companies permission to survey on their land, according to legal experts. Photo courtesy of Appalachian Mountain Advocates.

Kentucky Not Alone in Battles Over Pipelines

FRANKFORT, Ky. - It was less than a year ago a liquid natural gas (LNG) pipeline project in Kentucky called the Bluegrass Pipeline was stopped by …

PHOTO: The grassroots citizens group, Kentuckians For The Commonwealth, has sent an open letter to Governor Steve Beshear saying building a bright future in the mountains of eastern Kentucky can hapen, but it won't be easy. Photo courtesy KFTC.<br /><br />.

Open Letter to the Governor: "It won't be easy."

PIKEVILLE, Ky. - A letter from a grassroots citizens group has reached the office of Governor Steve Beshear, with a simple message: The mountain …

PHOTO: SOAR, the summit on the future of eastern and southern Kentucky, is raising hopes for finding strategies for economic development beyond the region's traditional staple, coal. Photo credit: Greg Stotelmyer.

Strategies for Economic Success in Eastern Kentucky

PIKEVILLE, Ky. – The search for a collaborative vision into eastern Kentucky's future is being fueled by SOAR, short for Shaping Our …

Kentucky Tops Coal-Driven Toxic Air Pollution List

FRANKFORT, Ky. – More air pollution is coming from the smokestacks of coal-fired plants in Kentucky than from any other state in the nation…

"Put a Lid on It" to Prevent Cycling Injuries

FRANKFORT, Ky. - Kentucky law doesn't require bicycle riders to wear helmets, yet eight out of ten bicycle accidents involve head bumps. The message …

KY Kids and Toddlers Should Keep "Backseat View"

FRANKFORT, Ky. - The view of the road will be a bit different for some of Kentucky's children if their parents follow new guidelines for car seat use…

New Year Brings New Fines for Texting While Driving in KY

FRANKFORT, Ky. - A warning from Kentucky highway officials: Drivers who send and receive text messages on their cell phones while driving could get a …

KY Kids Hit the Road in "Walk to School" Effort

JEFFERSONTOWN, Ky. - Health and youth advocates want kids to stride or spin their way to a healthier, active lifestyle as the month-long "walk to …

KY: Push for Complete Streets to Yield Better Health, Environment

FRANKFORT, Ky. - A child advocacy group in Kentucky is hoping to pave the way to wellness by encouraging communities to adopt "complete street" …

Report: Poverty in Rural Counties in KY and Nation On the Rise

WHITESBORO, Ky. - Millions of people whose incomes were above the poverty line in the United States less than ten years ago are now living below the …

Making Kentucky a Cool Place to Live

LEXINGTON, Ky. - An effort to make Kentucky cities a little "cooler" -- by making them a lot more energy-efficient -- is gaining ground. Lexington…

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PNS Daily Newscast: Afternoon Update - September 18, 2024

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KY: Urban Planning and Transportation