Mar 12 Coronavirus Prisoners And The Pandemic: A Year Into COVID, Crowded Jails Fuel Infections In Ohio Valley When the first coronavirus cases were reported last year, Warren County, Kentucky, Jailer Stephen Harmon knew there was going to be a COVID-19 outbreak in his jail. It was just a matter of when. “We tried our best to keep it from happening,” he said. “However with this many people in a fairly small spot, […] By Alana Watson Mar 12 Coronavirus Prisoners And The Pandemic: A Year Into COVID, Crowded Jails Fuel Infections In Ohio Valley Alana Watson
Feb 3 Coronavirus Kentucky COVID-19 Cases Continue Gradual Decline While Total Deaths Near 4,000 New COVID-19 cases in Kentucky have continued to decrease compared to recent weeks. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announced 2,592 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday. The state’s positivity rate is 8.5%, continuing a recent downward trend. Despite the decrease in new cases, Beshear reported 51 new deaths. Since the onset of the pandemic, 3,863 people have […] By Corinne Boyer Feb 3 Coronavirus Kentucky COVID-19 Cases Continue Gradual Decline While Total Deaths Near 4,000 Corinne Boyer
Oct 27 Health Kentucky Breaks Another COVID-19 Record With 1,786 New Cases Kentucky broke yet another COVID-19 record on Tuesday. Gov. Andy Beshear reported 1,786 new cases of COVID-19 — the single highest Tuesday since the pandemic began. Beshear said he expects this week’s cases to surpass last week’s numbers when the commonwealth set a record for cases reported in a single week. Beshear announced 18 new […] By Corinne Boyer Oct 27 Health Kentucky Breaks Another COVID-19 Record With 1,786 New Cases Corinne Boyer
Aug 14 Uncategorized Student Journalists Document The Pandemic in Appalachia “Hello,” the call began. “This is a prepaid debit call from an inmate at the Virginia Department of Corrections.” Madison Buchanan, a 19-year-old college student, pressed 0 to accept the call and was connected to Jacob Alan Shouse, Offender Number 1101441. “I want to thank you so much for helping me out with this,” Buchanan […] By Sydney Boles Aug 14 Uncategorized Student Journalists Document The Pandemic in Appalachia Sydney Boles
Jun 12 Health These Three Factors Are Driving Many COVID-19 Outbreaks In Rural Communities As the economies of the Ohio Valley gradually reopen from the pandemic closures, state officials are still reporting hundreds of coronavirus cases each day in the region. In Kentucky, coronavirus cases are again on the rise, with a week-long average of daily cases approaching the highest level yet. Public health officials are concerned about a […] By Liam Niemeyer Jun 12 Health These Three Factors Are Driving Many COVID-19 Outbreaks In Rural Communities Liam Niemeyer
Oct 18 Economy Kentucky Adding Prison Space To Relieve Inmate Overcrowding Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin announced Friday that an empty, privately-owned prison in Wheelwright, Kentucky, will soon hold 650-medium security inmates. Bevin said re-opening the prison will save millions of dollars in construction costs and help alleviate jail overcrowding largely driven by the state’s opioid crisis. The state currently has 24,000 offenders. According to a press […] By Mary Meehan Oct 18 Economy Kentucky Adding Prison Space To Relieve Inmate Overcrowding Mary Meehan
Jun 13 Economy Feds Cite Environmental Challenges, Stall East Kentucky Prison Project A federal agency confirmed Wednesday plans to withdraw its commitment to build a new prison in eastern Kentucky. “Given new information received, additional analysis should be undertaken to determine if there are significant new circumstances or information relevant to environmental concerns on the proposed action,” the BOP said in the email to the Ohio Valley […] By Sydney Boles Jun 13 Economy Feds Cite Environmental Challenges, Stall East Kentucky Prison Project Sydney Boles
Mar 18 Economy Trump Budget Proposal Cuts Funds for Hal Rogers’ Prison Project The Trump Administration released on Monday details of a 2020 federal budget proposal that includes cutting funds allotted for a new federal prison in eastern Kentucky. The funds would be redirected to other law-enforcement or natural security priorities, potentially including a wall at the southern U.S. border. The proposed cut rebukes arguments made by Congressman […] By Sydney Boles Mar 18 Economy Trump Budget Proposal Cuts Funds for Hal Rogers’ Prison Project Sydney Boles
Mar 5 Economy Profiting Off Prisoners: State Inmates Mean Big Bucks for Local Jails Rural jails in Kentucky are increasingly relying on income derived from payments for holding state prisoners in county facilities, according to a new report by a think tank that advocates for criminal justice reform. To address overcrowding, states make payments to counties to hold convicted prisoners and pretrial detainees. States save money, and counties get […] By Sydney Boles Mar 5 Economy Profiting Off Prisoners: State Inmates Mean Big Bucks for Local Jails Sydney Boles
Apr 4 Economy Eastern Kentucky Prison Moves Forward As Opponents Consider Challenge The Bureau of Prisons has issued a record of decision signaling that it is moving ahead with plans to build a federal prison on the site of a former strip mine in the hills of Letcher County, Kentucky. But local opponents of the prison say they’re not giving up and are considering a legal challenge […] By Benny Becker Apr 4 Economy Eastern Kentucky Prison Moves Forward As Opponents Consider Challenge Benny Becker