By Linda Blackford | Editor
Happy Wednesday! We’re halfway through the week, and today, we have a story out of Shelbyville about a newly formed tenant union that is determined to get better living conditions at apartment complexes in that town. Reporter Liam Niemeyer has the story.
President Trump has signed an executive order to allow more use of red-dyed diesel, something that Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell has been advocating for with Gov. Beshear.
A new study has found that states with near total abortion bans – like Kentucky – lead to higher health insurance costs for women.
And I return to one of my favorite topics for the annual Banned Books Week.
Thanks for reading, and maybe tell a friend about us. A lot of people still don’t know about the Lantern’s free, fair and fearless coverage, so please spread the word.
Organizers with the Kentucky Tenant Union kneel on the ground, from left to right: Amber Goldsborough and Heather Myatt. Members of the Shelbyville tenant union stand behind the organizers, from left to right: Lisa Sowder, Ashlee Nessel, Akira Jordan-Carson, Janatta Evans, Catherine Stone, Jim Toole. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Liam Niemeyer)
By Liam Niemeyer
SHELBYVILLE, Ky. — On a rainy October afternoon, Janatta Evans sat in a chair next to other tenants and described the tumultuous several months she’s had with her Shelbyville apartment.
When she first tried to move into her subsidized rental in March, there was a strong smell of urine inside. She said management at Centrebrook Apartments told her they put an ozone machine inside to address the issue, only for Evans to still find the smell inside.
Gas prices have risen during the U.S. war with Iran and are averaging around $4.06 per gallon across Kentucky, up from $2.9 a year ago. In October, diesel prices are closer to 6.19. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Sarah Ladd)
By McKenna Horsley
Kentucky’s top agriculture official applauded Republican President Donald Trump for signing an executive order to defer federal taxes on red-dyed diesel through the end of the year, but says the state can still offer extra help to offset costs.
Women practice yoga during a community yoga class in Tulsa, Okla., in 2021. New research produced by the University of Michigan finds an association between higher out-of-pocket health insurance expenses and states with abortion bans, with data showing differences were even higher for Black and Hispanic women. (Photo by Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images)
By Kelcie Moseley Morris
New preliminary research from the University of Michigan shows women living in states with post-Dobbs abortion bans may be more likely to shoulder costs for employer-sponsored health insurance premiums, with federal data reflecting a 5.4% increase in annual premium expenditures for those women after 2022, when most abortion bans went into effect.
A stack of books that have been banned or challenged. (Photo illustration by Sarah Ladd)
COMMENTARY
By Linda Blackford
Three years ago, we talked a lot about banning books in Kentucky.
Back then, the wacky war on woke was gaining ground in our legislature and in our libraries. I remember talking to librarians like Erin Waller of the Daviess County Public Library, who was going through a list of 248 books that had been challenged by the “Daviess County Citizens for Decency,” a local group that got mad about a drag show and decided to move their anger to the stacks.
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