News from the South - Kentucky News Feed
Democrat Grimes, former Kentucky secretary of state, wins appeal in ethics case
by Jack Brammer, Kentucky Lantern
March 23, 2025
The Kentucky Court of Appeals unanimously has upheld a lower court order that cleared former Democratic Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes of ethics violation charges.
In a 17-page order issued Friday upholding an April 29, 2024 decision by Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd, the three-member appellate court said the Executive Branch Ethics Commission missed its statutory deadline to charge Grimes with improperly ordering the downloading and distribution of voter registration data from her public office while she was Kentucky’s secretary of state.
“The Franklin Circuit Court reversed the commission’s decision, finding it was arbitrary, not supported by substantial evidence and time barred. Due to the statute of limitations alone, we affirm,” said the appellate court decision. The three appellate judges were Susanne M. Cetrulo, James H. Lambert and Jeff S. Taylor.
Her political future cloudy, Grimes must contend with effort to reinstate alleged ethics violations
Attorney Jon Salomon, who represents Grimes, said, “We are pleased that a unanimous panel of the Court of Appeals has agreed with the Franklin Circuit Court that the Executive Branch Ethics Commission missed its statutory deadline to bring charges against former Secretary Grimes.
“Those charges should never have been brought — and Secretary Grimes is optimistic that after nearly eight years, she and her family can put this matter behind them.”
Susan Clary, executive director of the ethics commission, said the commission needs more time to review the appellate ruling before commenting. It could ask the appeals court to rehear the case, try an appeal to the Kentucky Supreme Court or let the appellate court ruling stand.
Grimes has been mentioned as a possible candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2026.
The commission had been investigating Grimes for several years. Grimes, a Democrat and Lexington attorney, was secretary of state from 2011 to 2019 and an unsuccessful candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2014 against Republican Mitch McConnell. She is the daughter of the former state Democratic Party Chair Jerry Lundergan of Lexington.
Biden pardons Kentuckian Jerry Lundergan for campaign finance conviction
In November 2021, the commission fined Grimes $10,000 for two ethical violations pertaining to handling of voter data.
As secretary of state, Grimes was the state’s chief elections officer. In her position, she had access to data from the state voter registration system in the State Board of Elections.
The commission had alleged that Grimes violated the ethics code by sharing voter information without requiring a request under the Open Records Act or other “established process of government.”
Grimes responded that all the voter data at issue was information in the public domain and that she had full legal authority and discretion as secretary of state to access and share such information. She claimed no statute or regulation was violated by the sharing of such public information. She claimed the commission’s charges were barred by the five-year statute of limitations and that the record did not support a finding of any violations of the state executive branch’s code of ethics.
The commission argued that it was not bound by any statute of limitations.
The only allegations pursued by the Ethics Commission were that Grimes allegedly acted unethically in accessing public information in the voter registration system by downloading voter information onto a thumb drive when she was a candidate for reelection.
The commission also looked at whether Grimes improperly shared information on new voter registrations for certain Kentucky House of Representative districts in response to a request made informally through the office of the House speaker without requiring a formal open records request or charging a fee.
Read the ruling
Kentucky Lantern is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kentucky Lantern maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jamie Lucke for questions: info@kentuckylantern.com.
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News from the South - Kentucky News Feed
FDA approves updated Covid-19 vaccines with new restrictions and limits for healthy children
SUMMARY: The FDA approved updated Covid-19 vaccines for fall 2025 but limited them to higher-risk groups, including children over 6 months with health conditions, reducing access for healthy kids. Moderna’s vaccine is approved for children 6 months and older, Pfizer’s for 5+, and Novavax for 12+, all targeting new variants. The CDC no longer routinely recommends vaccines for healthy children 6 months to 17 years, diverging from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which supports vaccination for all children whose parents want it. These conflicting guidelines and supply issues may cause confusion and reduce vaccination rates among vulnerable children. Families should consult pediatricians for guidance.
Read the full article
The post FDA approves updated Covid-19 vaccines with new restrictions and limits for healthy children appeared first on lexingtonky.news
News from the South - Kentucky News Feed
Longtime Kentucky Senate Republican to not seek reelection in 2026
by McKenna Horsley, Kentucky Lantern
September 2, 2025
The chair of the Senate Transportation Committee will not seek reelection after his term ends next year.
Sen. Jimmy Higdon, a Lebanon Republican, will retire from the Kentucky General Assembly in December 2026. He was elected to the Senate in 2009. Before that, he was in the House beginning in 2003.
“It has been the honor of my life to serve the people of the 14th District,” Higdon said in a Tuesday morning press release. “The greatest privilege of this job is getting to help people every single day. I’ve always tried to treat it as a calling, not just a position, and I am deeply thankful for the opportunity.”
Higdon’s Senate district includes the counties of LaRue, Marion, Nelson, Spencer and Washington.
The senator said that he is “at the peak of my legislative career” and that “I have seen too many colleagues stay too long.” Spending more time with family was a key factor in his decision to not seek reelection.
“I am 72 now. If I ran again, I’d be almost 78 at the end of another term,” Higdon said. “It’s the right time. My wife Jane, who has been by my side in marriage for 51 years, and my family deserve more of me. We’ve made a lot of sacrifices together to make this work, and I could not have done any of it without them.”
In addition to chairing the Senate Transportation Committee, Higdon is a member of the committees on Education; Licensing and Occupations; Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection. He was Senate majority whip from 2015 to 2018 and Senate president pro tempore from January 2018 to 2019.
The 2026 legislative session will be Higdon’s final session in office. Republicans will continue to hold a supermajority in the Senate. Currently, the GOP has 32 of 38 seats in the chamber.
Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, said in the press release that Higdon “will leave a lasting legislative legacy deeply woven into the fabric of this commonwealth.”
“What stands out most about Jimmy is the way he has always put people first. He approaches every challenge with humility and common sense,” Stivers continued. “His voice will be deeply missed in our chamber by our caucus members and by our staff, who have enjoyed working with him. We are grateful to have one more session with him and to celebrate a career of service that he and Jane can be incredibly proud of.”
Kentucky Lantern is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kentucky Lantern maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jamie Lucke for questions: info@kentuckylantern.com.
The post Longtime Kentucky Senate Republican to not seek reelection in 2026 appeared first on kentuckylantern.com
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Centrist
The content presents a straightforward and factual account of Senator Jimmy Higdon’s decision to retire, without expressing overt political opinions or divisive language. It provides background on his career, his reasons for retiring, and includes positive but neutral remarks from a fellow Republican senator. The focus is on biographical and procedural information, reflecting a balanced and neutral tone that does not lean toward any particular political ideology.
News from the South - Kentucky News Feed
WKU VB: WKU Falls to Drake in Five Sets
SUMMARY: WKU Volleyball lost a close 3-2 match against Drake after pushing them to five sets. Freshman Kaira Knox led offensively with 21 kills and was named WKU Invitational MVP, while junior Gabby Weihe dominated defensively with a career-high eight blocks in the match. The Hilltoppers excelled in sets one and three but fell short in sets two, four, and the decisive fifth. Defensive specialist Tayler Baron added 16 digs and earned all-tournament honors alongside Knox. WKU improves to 2-1 overall and will next compete at Marquette, facing Marquette, #24 Dayton, and Buffalo on the road.
The post WKU VB: WKU Falls to Drake in Five Sets appeared first on www.wnky.com
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