WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate on Wednesday dismissed two articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The Democrat-controlled chamber voted, 51-49 along party lines, to adjourn the impeachment trial after finding that the impeachment articles accusing Mayorkas of not complying with federal immigration law and breaching the public trust did not rise to the level of high crimes and misdemeanors and were therefore unconstitutional. “The charges brought against Secretary Mayorkas fail to meet the high standard of high crimes and misdemeanors,” Senate Majority Lea ..read more

Several businesses that sell vapes, as well as the Kentucky Hemp Association and Kentucky Vaping Retailers Association, are suing the state government over House Bill 11, which will restrict vape sales starting in 2025. Among other policy changes, HB 11 will bar businesses from selling vapes that either aren’t authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or aren’t in the midst of the approval process. Thousands of nicotine vaping products featuring a dizzying array of flavors are sold across the country, but only 23 have the FDA’s signoff. HB 11’s lead sponsor, GOP Rep. Rebecca Raymer o ..read more

The biggest lobbying spenders in Frankfort last month were electric utility companies on opposing sides of a bill that would make it harder to transition away from coal-fired power plants in Kentucky. Monday was the deadline for the hundreds of businesses and organizations lobbying the Kentucky General Assembly to file reports documenting their spending to influence legislation. The 3-month total of the session reached nearly $9 million, just shy of last year’s record. The largest spender in March was the Kentucky Association of Electric Cooperatives, a collection of two dozen nonprofit consum ..read more

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans unveiled three bills Wednesday that would provide $95 billion overall in assistance to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, instead of voting on a similar bipartisan Senate-approved package that’s been waiting around for months. The Ukraine bill would provide $60.84 billion, the Israel bill would appropriate $26.38 billion and the Indo-Pacific bill would approve $8.12 billion in assistance, according to a House GOP summary of the legislation. President Joe Biden quickly threw his support behind the legislation, which could be voted on as early as Saturday, writing i ..read more

Lexington’s Veterans Affairs Health Care is taking a “whole health” approach for the veterans they serve. Cassie Graham is a psychologist and the VA’s Whole Health program manager. She said when vets have appointments, they’re greeted by questions beyond “What’s wrong with you today?” “Our goal is to change the language to, ‘What matters to you?’ So it really goes deeper into, ‘Why are you even present for your health care today,’ like, ‘What even motivates you to come in to receive care today?’ Graham said some veterans are referred to a coach who helps them fill out a personal health invento ..read more

The National Labor Relations Board has postponed a hearing with Berea College students hoping to form a labor union for the second time. The hearing, which would have collected testimony before a potential union vote, was originally scheduled for March 27. The first postponement would have delayed the hearing to this Wednesday. It’s now scheduled for May 14. A release from Berea College says the main reason for the delay is to allow time for the school to comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Student information could be shared as part of the hearing’s proceedings. The Uni ..read more

Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton’s proposed budget for fiscal year ’25 includes $24 million for a new senior center that would be built near the fire station at Shillito Park. Kristy Stambaugh is the city’s director of Aging and Disability Services. She said the new satellite center – Lexington’s fourth, along with the main center on Life Lane – is needed for several reasons. “Before COVID, we were averaging almost 400 people a day. And we’re close to that again. Oftentimes, we’ve reached capacity in our group fitness classes, and our art classes, we always have a waiting list.” Stambaugh said las ..read more

George L. Atkins Jr. George L. Atkins Jr., 82, a Hopkinsville native and former mayor, died Sunday, April 14. Atkins was born July 10, 1941, the son of George L. Atkins Sr. and Frances Shaver Atkins. His family owned and ran Atkins Dairy next door to their Walnut Street residence and across the street from the old Hopkinsville High School. A 1959 graduate of HHS and a 1963 graduate of the University of Kentucky, he played college basketball for Coach Adolph Rupp. In 1972, Hopkinsville City Council appointed Atkins, a Democrat, as mayor to fill a vacancy in the office — a decision that helped ..read more

This springtime might just be the best time for many Kentuckians to consider getting another COVID booster shot. Kentucky Public Health Commissioner Dr. Stephen Stack said a newly developed booster is anticipated this fall. But, Stack said for people 65 and older and those with medical conditions, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests a twice-a-year regimen. “If you had one last fall but you are 65 or older then this spring or summer you’re eligible to get another one. They say you should probably just have four months space between the two doses,” said Stack. Dr. Stack noted ..read more

Two former University of Kentucky swim team members have sued the school, former coach Lars Jorgensen and athletic director Mitch Barnhart.  The lawsuit alleges sexual assaults including rape by the former coach and claiming the school “purposefully” disregarded multiple credible reports of inappropriate sexual relationships. The lawsuit was filed Friday in U.S. District Court by a former swimmer who later served as an assistant coach and a woman identified only as Jane Doe who say the university empowered Jorgensen to “foster a toxic, sexually hostile environment within the swim program ..read more