Lexington Herald-Leader (Sunday)
Millions looking for plan B as ACA subsidies end
It’s feeding time for the animals on this property outside Nashville, Tennessee. An albino raccoon named Cricket reaches through the wires of its cage to grab an animal cracker, an appetizer treat right before the evening meal. “Cricket is blind,”...
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Fetal homicide charge dismissed for KY woman charged after abortion
Officials have dismissed a charge of fetal homicide against a Kentucky woman who was indicted earlier this week after she used medication to have an abortion. Melinda Spencer, 35, was initially indicted Tuesday afternoon by Wolfe County grand jury for...
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ACA subsidies expire, premiums expected to skyrocket
Insurance premiums are set to rise exponentially for Americans who have bought their health care policies through an Affordable Care Act exchange because Congress failed to extend subsidies for them. Without the extension of the subsidies, people who...
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GOP defense hawks broke with Trump repeatedly in 2025
Republican lawmakers rarely publicly break with the Trump administration. But the GOP leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services committees have done so on a number of key occasions during the first year of President Donald Trump’s second...
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Between heaven and Earth’
St. Andrew Orthodox Church Pastor Tom Gallaway in the high altar behind the royal doors of the church’s iconostase, which is a required feature of Orthodox churches, Dec. 1 in Lexington. This wall, made of solid mahogany, separates the nave of the...
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What’s next for Martin County’s water and sewer district?
Improvements to an Eastern Kentucky water and sewer district notorious for high costs, filthy tap water and aging infrastructure top a legislative list for possible funding in 2026, and some local leaders believe it is their last best chance to turn...
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Poll: GOP will face more blame if Obamacare subsidies end
Some voters may punish congressional Republicans in next year’s midterm elections if expanded Obamacare insurance subsidies are allowed to expire at the end of this month, a new poll released Thursday suggests. Without the extension of larger...
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KY Parole Board orders Ronald Exantus remain in prison following Florida arrest
An Indiana man released less than 10 years into a prison sentence despite killing a Kentucky child in 2015 has been ordered back to prison. The Kentucky Parole Board on Thursday revoked the mandatory supervised release of Ronald Exantus, 42, after...
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‘HELL’S FURY’
Kentucky continues to mourn this weekend as investigators comb through the wreckage of Flight 2976. The cargo jet operated by UPS crashed just seconds after takeoff Tuesday when one of its three engines detached from the left wing. The plane crashed...
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KY juvenile justice worker alleges retaliation
A lieutenant at the Fayette Regional Juvenile Detention Center is being punished by her bosses for exposing sexual harassment at the state-run facility in Lexington, according to a recent lawsuit. The Herald-Leader reported in February that...
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MONEY BALL
Kentucky basketball is positioned to succeed in the new era of NIL. We Photo illustration by Brian Simms took a deep dive to answer your most-asked questions about the outlook for UK and how paying players works under the latest rules.
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SUBSTANCE ABUSE?
disorders. A Kentucky legislator plans to introduce a bill to allow research of the psychedelic drug as possible treatment for drug addiction in the commonwealth.
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How FCPS staff spent $2.6 million in 6 months
Cash-strapped Fayette County Public Schools, mired in financial duress throughout 2025, racked up significant credit card debt in the six-month period from August 2024 to January 2025 according to financial records reviewed by the Herald-Leader. Tens...
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Third new, high-rise student apartment complex approved near UK’s campus
A third high-rise apartment building geared toward University of Kentucky students could be coming to East Maxwell Street despite opposition from neighbors and preservationists who say the area is being overrun by student housing. The Urban County...
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What really happened at Rubicon?
Republican business executive and US Senate candidate Nate Morris proudly tells people, “I’m not a career politician. I built a business; took it public.” He was a founder of a high-tech “digital waste” company called Rubicon. As the campaign to...
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Blame Canada? What’s driving the KY bourbon slump?
The past year has been a deluge of bad news for the Kentucky bourbon industry. Distilleries across the state face lawsuits over unpaid bills, sales are down for industry giants, and one of the U.S.’ primary trade partners still isn’t stocking shelves...
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Powell sends strongest signal yet for interest rate cuts
Jerome Powell, the chair of the Federal Reserve, on Friday used a closely watched speech to send his strongest signal yet that the central bank is preparing to soon restart interest rate cuts, highlighting the labor market’s vulnerabilities even as...
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The Price of Partying
From biscuit breakfasts and fancy dinners to bourbon and cigars, lobbying events help define the rhythm of Frankfort. A Herald-Leader investigation looks closely and asks: What are legislators and lobbyists getting out of it — and does it affect...
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What’s the holdup?
More than two years after Kentucky legalized medical cannabis in limited cases, marijuana products still can’t be purchased in the Bluegrass State. Now, eight months after the program launched, 11,500 Kentuckians with medical cannabis cards are stuck...
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Trump says not ‘necessary’ to fire Powell after Fed tour
President Donald Trump downplayed his clash with Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell over cost overruns during a tour of the central bank’s renovation project on Thursday, making it clear that he saw the issue of lower interest rates as a more...
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A murder case, 15 years delayed
For 15 years, a murder case involving a 2-year-old boy has been pending in Rowan County. The former boyfriend of the boy's mother was charged with murder in 2010, but since then his trial has delayed 10 times, multiple court officials have recused...
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Red, white and hmmm...
During this Fourth of July holiday — in between the hotdogs, backyard gatherings, and, of course, the fireworks — you can expect lots of conversations about where our country stands. Supporters of President Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill will be...
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Supreme Court: Birthright citizenship can end in parts of US
The Supreme Court agreed on Friday to allow President Donald Trump to end birthright citizenship in some parts of the country, even as legal challenges to the constitutionality of the move proceed in other regions. The 6-3 decision, which was written...
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Israel’s supply of missile interceptors may shape the war
Aside from a potentially game-changing U.S. intervention that shapes the fate of Iran’s nuclear program, two factors will help decide the length of the Israel-Iran war: Israel’s reserve of missile interceptors and Iran’s stock of long-range...
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Is Trump keeping his promises?
As he campaigned hard for another term in the White House, Donald Trump repeatedly promised voters (and consumers): Elect me over Joe Biden, and you'll see the price of groceries and gasoline drop. So, has that happened in Central Kentucky in the first...
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Businesses and the Fed wonder what’s next for the economy
At the worst point of the labor shortage that emerged in the wake of the COVID-19 lockdowns, Thunderdome Restaurant Group had 100 people sign up for a job interview and only 15 show up. Of the two workers it hired, one never came in. The job market...
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Fraud, intimidation, drugs and an ‘unhinged’ owner
The sudden late April closure of Lexington Blue roofing company triggered an immediate one-word question: Why? Immediately, the Herald-Leader heard from angry customers and bullied ex-employees. The former said they were ripped off by owner Brad Pagel,...
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#KentuckyStrong once again
For the third time this year, horrific weather has ravaged the commonwealth. Here’s a look at the recovery that’s begun.
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Russia, Ukraine hold first direct peace talks in 3 years
Russia and Ukraine began their first direct talks in more than three years in Turkey, amid U.S. and European skepticism about prospects for a peace deal to end the war. Negotiating teams from the two sides met in Istanbul’s Dolmabahce Palace on...
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Bringing you more in the pages ahead
At the Herald-Leader, we’ve always believed a great newspaper should reflect the community it serves. It’s done best through the stories that speak to your life, your neighborhood and your interests. For that reason, beginning this month, we’re...
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States’ Medicaid-directed payments targeted for potential cuts
House Republicans are considering upending the way some states fund their Medicaid programs as they scour for ways to find billions of dollars in savings from the health program. They are looking at states’ practice of taxing health care providers,...
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George Santos is sentenced to 87 months in prison
George Santos, the former Republican member of Congress from New York whose outlandish fabrications and criminal schemes fueled an unforeseen rise and spectacular fall, was sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison Friday. His 87-month...
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KY gambling hotline calls EXPLODE
But industry experts are concerned about a massive increase, especially among young people, in calls to the state's problem gambling hotline.
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Wynonna, Ashley Judd open up in Lifetime doc
Lifetime released the trailer for “The Judd Family: Truth Be Told” on Thursday. The fourpart documentary airs May 10 and 11 at 8 p.m. EDT for Mother’s Day weekend. In the trailer, Wynonna recounts performing with her mother, Naomi ,as country duo The...
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Trump sounds defiant note as tariffs roil markets again
As financial markets recoiled for a second day and China said it would hit the United States with its own punishing tariffs, President Donald Trump on Friday sounded a defiant note about his approach, promising that “MY POLICIES WILL NEVER...
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Trump’s auto tariffs, threats on allies intensify trade war
President Donald Trump signed a proclamation to implement a 25% tariff on auto imports and pledged harsher punishment on the E.U. and Canada if they join forces against the U.S., expanding a trade war and triggering threats of retaliation. “What we’re...
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CELEBRATING SELECTION SUNDAY
Get blank men’s, women’s printable brackets before Selection Sunday. bit.ly/424QySb
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Trump whipsaws on tariffs, giving Mexico and Canada reprieve
billion from the $98.4 billion originally reported for the previous month. The notably wider trade deficit came as the value of imports soared by 10% to $401.2 billion, while the value of exports increased by 1.2% to $269.8 billion. Speaking from the...
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‘Alarmingly slow’
An unreclaimed mine is photographed in Pike County, Ky., on Feb. 7.
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Senate passes GOP budget plan after a long night of votes
The Senate passed Republicans’ budget plan before dawn Friday on a largely party-line vote, teeing up some key elements of President Donald Trump’s domestic agenda. But before senators approved their first major blueprint for accomplishing the...
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New program to recycle plastic grocery, retail bags launches in Lexington. How to use it
Lexington’s recycling center can not recycle plastic bags. But a new project will help Fayette County residents rid their homes of grocery, dry cleaning and other retail bags. Those bags will be recycled by a company called NexTrex and turned into a...
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‘Every person is vulnerable.’ Bill targeting online ‘sextortion’ moves to Kentucky Senate
A bill that would establish the felony of online sexual extortion and create new protections for victims is advancing through the Kentucky legislature. The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday unanimously approved Senate Bill 73 and sent it to the...
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Kentucky issues its first medical marijuana cards. Here’s how many were given out
After months of anticipation, Kentucky has issued its first medical marijuana cards to qualifying patients in the state, with Gov. Andy Beshear announcing the approval of more than 2,000 cards during a news conference Thursday. During the news...
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Egg prices are high. They will likely go higher.
On a trip to a Walmart in Ozark, Missouri, in early January, Laura Modrell was surprised to see shoppers “standing around and gasping” in the grocery’s dairy section. As she got closer, she saw that the shelves, where there would normally be stacks of...
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KY school district responds to lawsuit from Texas education activist: ‘Bless his heart’
A prominent school choice advocate has filed a lawsuit in federal court against a Kentucky public school district that blocked him on Facebook. Corey DeAngelis, a social media figure and author from Texas who calls himself a “school choice...
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Efforts to cut emissions stalled as US power demand surged
America’s efforts to cut its climate change pollution stalled in 2024, with greenhouse gas emissions dropping just a fraction, 0.2%, compared with the year before, according to estimates published Thursday by the Rhodium Group, a research...
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From classroom to cafeteria: Ag program at Lexington school grows lettuce for community
Agriculture students at the Carter G. Woodson Academy in Lexington have an uncommon opportunity: to grow food that’s served in the school cafeteria and eaten by classmates. The food — lettuce, mainly — comes from the school’s hydroponic container,...
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384-acre solar farm approved in eastern Fayette County despite some opposition
A 380-plus-acre solar farm in Eastern Fayette County is coming to fruition after all. Despite opposition from local figures like Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton, the Kentucky Public Service Commission granted approval to East Kentucky Power Cooperative’s...
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BLESSING IN A BOX
Jennifer Paxtle was 10 years old the first time she ever heard about the state of Kentucky. It also was the first time she had ever received a Christmas gift. She was a young schoolgirl living in Villa de la Paz, Mexico. A town so small that until...
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Russia launches massive attack on Ukraine, targeting energy
Russian forces launched a powerful aerial strike on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure on Friday, firing 93 missiles and nearly 200 drones, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced. Zelenskyy described the attack as one of the heaviest to date....
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Ky. man sought public records from police. Instead, the chief arrested him, lawsuit says
An Eastern Kentucky police chief at the center of a lawsuit filed recently by his former deputy chief for retaliation is now the defendant in a second lawsuit accusing him of arresting a man for seeking public records, according to court...
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Today in Living
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85-year-old Lafayette High School needs a new building
The future of Lexington’s Lafayette High School could include a renovation or a new building, officials on the district local planning committee said at a meeting Monday night. “We know Lafayette needs a new building,” said Fayette district chief...
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Trump’s appointments are a show of force
A Fox News ally for defense secretary. A former Democrat-turnedTrump-World-celebrity to oversee 18 spy agencies. A right-wing provocateur for the nation’s top law enforcement job. President-elect Donald Trump’s appointments for top government jobs...
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Devastated Democrats lay blame, and stare at a dark future
A depressed and demoralized Democratic Party is beginning the painful slog into a largely powerless future, as its leaders grapple with how deeply they underestimated Donald Trump’s resurgent hold on the nation. The nationwide repudiation of the party...
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Activists want white women to vote for a woman this time
Armed with a clipboard and campaign literature, Liz Minnella strolled through a neighborhood in New Hope, Pennsylvania, optimistic that by the end of her day of door-knocking, the small town would live up to its name for Vice President Kamala Harris’...
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‘Enough is enough’: Planning commission rejects 7-story apartment near UK
Lexington planning body on Thursday rejected an application for a sevenstory student apartment complex near the University of Kentucky amid concerns from residents in the historic Black neighborhood. The Urban County Planning Commission voted 5 to 4...
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FLIPPING THE SWITCH
Change is in the air as the 2024-25 Kentucky basketball season approaches. Today we examine five big questions facing the UK men, the UK women and their new head coaches.
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Demolition begins on downtown Lexington building after 6-year legal battle ends
After a six-year legal battle, demolition started this week on a two-story former state office building on High Street. Whether the site at 120 W. Upper Street will become apartments, as originally planned, is still to be determined, said Dudley Webb,...
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KY’s Hadley Duvall named one of Glamour’s ‘Women of the Year’ for abortion rights activism
Hadley Duvall, whose perseverance after being raped and impregnated at age 12 by her stepfather transformed her into a national advocate for restoring abortion access, was named this week as one of Glamour’s Women of the Year. Duvall miscarried, but...
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