By Linda Blackford | Editor
What a week! It started with bobcat hunting and ended with a data center fight that got very personal. With plenty more in between.
And while bobcats and data centers don’t have much in common themselves, both of these stories show what happens when government operates with too little regard for the people it serves. That’s why we are committed to get inside these stories, to bring you the facts and the faces (even the cute, furry ones). If you appreciate the coverage, tell a friend to subscribe, or donate, or let us know what you’re thinking. I can always be reached at [email protected]. And as always, thanks for reading. We know you have a lot of places you could spend your news-gathering time, and we so appreciate you spending it with us.
A bobcat is seen at the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources’ Salato Wildlife Center in Frankfort. (Provided by Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources)
By Liam Niemeyer
Chet Hayes thinks Kentucky has a decent bobcat population.
Hayes, a district director for the United Trappers of Kentucky, an organization representing fur trappers throughout the state, said it’s difficult to get solid information on the elusive animal.
“It’s still growing,” Hayes told the Lantern in July. “It’s not in a position where it needs to be overharvested or eradicated. It’s still a population under growth and development.”
Marchers at the Louisville No Kings protest on March 28, 2026. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Sarah Ladd)
COMMENTARY
By Caleb O. Brown and Dan Canon
Kentucky’s new license plate camera law is now in effect, and it already looks out of step with the Constitution. Just before it took effect, the U.S. Supreme Court handed the commonwealth a warning its lawmakers cannot afford to ignore.
NEWS OF THE WEEK
Thanks for reading Weekend Lantern. Did you know our daily morning digest is also free? Sign up here. And if you enjoyed today’s edition, please forward to a friend. Increasing our readership helps us cover more news.