Medical marijuana advocates see potential partner in Gov.-elect Bevin
11/28/2015 12:00 PM
Advocacy group members with Kentuckians for Medicinal Marijuana are gearing up for another year pushing for legislation legalizing medical access to cannabis in the General Assembly, but this year they’re hoping they have momentum in the form of the new governor. For Jaime Montalvo of Kentuckians for Medicinal Marijuana, Gov.-elect Matt Bevin could be a major ally in the push for medical access. “He was the only one willing to come forward and talk about it (during the campaign). I... Read more 
Supporters of expungement legislation see glimmers of hope ahead of next year's session
11/27/2015 07:32 PM
Gov. Steve Beshear’s decision to sign an executive order restoring the rights to vote and hold office for felons convicted of nonviolent crimes earlier this week earned him praise. But advocates for low-level felony expungement say such legislation would be pivotal in removing societal barriers for those who hope to move ahead with their lives. State Reps. Darryl Owens and David Floyd have spearheaded efforts at felony expungement in recent years, with House Bill 40 passing the Democrat-led House of Representatives by... Read more
Gov.-elect Bevin names Chad Meredith deputy general counsel
11/27/2015 01:28 PM
Gov.-elect Matt Bevin has added another name to his roster with 10 days until he is sworn into office. Lexington attorney Chad Meredith has been named as Bevin’s deputy general counsel in the Governor’s Office. Meredith is an attorney with Ransdell and Roach in Lexington, where he practiced commercial litigation, constitutional law, banking litigation, civil rights litigation, appellate advocacy, labor and employment litigation, and tort litigation, according to the firm’s website. “Chad is an impressive lawyer with the rare distinction... Read more
Refugees get taste of American tradition with Catholic Charities of Louisville's Thanksgiving dinner
11/25/2015 07:40 PM
For many, Wednesday’s Thanksgiving meal served at the Catholic Charities of Louisville’s campus was their first taste of traditional American holiday fare. The few hundred who gathered at the downtown Louisville church have fled terrorism and oppression en route to the U.S., some with just a single piece of luggage shared among a family of eight. As the country’s attention focuses on refugees from war-torn Syria after a passport from the country was found in the aftermath of an Islamic State attack... Read more
Gov.-elect Bevin names senior advisor and deputy chief of staff for policy
11/25/2015 03:34 PM
Gov.-elect Matt Bevin has named two more members of his inner circle. In a press release Wednesday, Bevin named Andrew V. McNeill as his senior advisor and Adam M. Meier as his deputy chief of staff for policy. “We continue to add depth to the bench as we carefully fill key roles in the administration,” Bevin said. “Andrew McNeill has decades of experience in the public and private sector. He will be a key advisor as we make the important decisions... Read more
Schools become the frontline for identifying homeless youth
11/25/2015 02:00 PM
NEWPORT – While many families will get together on Thursday to celebrate Thanksgiving, there is a growing number of families who have no full time residence and are classified as homeless. In Northern Kentucky, it’s estimated that 2,100 students are classified as homeless in Boone, Kenton, and Campbell counties — meaning that they have no permanent residence. Tiffany Smith, staff attorney at the Children’s Law Center, says research shows that children who are homeless are likely to have undesirable characteristics. “Any youth... Read more
Gov. Beshear signs executive order restoring right to vote to certain non-violent felons
11/24/2015 02:34 PM
FRANKFORT – Gov. Steve Beshear signed an executive order on Tuesday setting up the automatic restoration for the right to vote and hold public office to certain offenders once all terms of their sentences have been satisfied. The order excludes individuals convicted of violent or sex crimes, bribery or treason. The issue of restoring felon voting rights has been discussed in the legislature for years with little movement on the issue. Beshear said that he felt the state was denying individuals, who... Read more
The future of Louisville’s bicycling infrastructure will be the topic of discussion at a pair of public meetings set for this week. Louisville Metro planning officials and the group Bicycling For Louisville are hosting the events, each of which will have the same focus: to gauge what residents are looking for in the city’s bicycle infrastructure, said Rolf Eisinger, Metro’s bicycle and pedestrian coordinator. Despite a recent surge in new bicycle infrastructure — such as bike lanes — across the city, Eisinger said gaps still exist in the network that can discourage people from taking to the roads on a bicycle. The meetings and a correlated survey are [...]
Sun, Nov 29, 2015 2:55:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
It’s unlikely that Gov. Steve Beshear’s administration will pay the legal fees of the attorneys who sued the state over its same-sex marriage ban by Dec. 8, when Governor-elect Matt Bevin takes office. Attorneys who defeated the ban — in a case that was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court — say they should get about $2.1 million in compensation. Beshear’s administration says that amount is unreasonable, and the two parties have gone back and forth without reaching an agreement. Dan Canon, one of the plaintiffs’ attorneys in the same-sex marriage lawsuit, said Beshear’s administration intends to “dump a problem they created on the incoming administration.” “The Beshear [...]
Sun, Nov 29, 2015 12:55:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
This week, outgoing Gov. Steve Beshear announced he would restore voting rights for Kentuckians convicted of most non-violent felonies. “The right to vote is one of the most intrinsically American privileges,” Beshear said, “and thousands of Kentuckians are living, working and paying taxes in the state but are denied this basic right.” Laura Ellis | wfpl.org Sean Hardy & Jaison Gardner Kentuckians for the Commonwealth’s Sean Hardy joins us this week to talk about the importance of re-enfranchising voters. He says keeping felons from voting doesn’t fit with a rehabilitation model of punishment. “You go in, you serve your time, you pay your debt to [...]
Sat, Nov 28, 2015 12:55:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
