Ryland Barton

Ryland Barton

@rylandky.bsky.social

NPR Editor. State government follower. Previously: Kentucky Public Radio, Ohio Valley ReSource, KWBU, KUT.

916 Followers 172 Following 5 Posts Joined Nov 2024
8 months ago

"Since the coal is gone, it's mainly health care here"

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8 months ago
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Proposed Medicaid cuts could devastate Appalachian Kentucky, health care providers say Republicans’ “Big Beautiful Bill” is estimated to kick millions of people off Medicaid, causing concern for health care providers in the mountains of eastern Kentucky, a region especially dependent on...

The CBO estimates that Republicans’ “Big Beautiful Bill” would kick millions of people off Medicaid. Health care providers in the mountains of eastern Kentucky, a region especially dependent on the federal program, are sounding the alarm on what it could do to patients, clinics and the economy.

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9 months ago
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Kentucky volunteers sort through rubble amid tornado damage in London Volunteers are out en masse helping people recover from tornado damage in Kentucky as another round of strong storms looms.

Volunteers are out en masse helping people recover from tornado damage in Kentucky, as another round of strong storms looms. @justinhicks.lpm.org of KPR reports from London, which was the hardest hit area.

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9 months ago
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Reporter's notebook: Tornado cleanup in London Kentucky At least 19 people have died due to severe weather passing through Kentucky last weekend.

Kentucky Public Radio’s @justinhicks.lpm.org has been reporting on the tornadoes from London, Kentucky this week. Here he discusses what he saw and what we know about the disaster so far.

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10 months ago
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A Texas abortion ban sponsor aims to clarify when doctors can do the procedure Since abortion became almost entirely illegal in Texas in 2021, the state has seen a significant rise in the number of women who die in pregnancy or after giving birth. A new bill aims to change that.

Since abortion became almost entirely illegal in Texas in 2021, the state has seen a significant rise in the number of women who die in pregnancy or after giving birth. A new bill aims to change that.

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10 months ago
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DHS asks for 20,000 National Guard troops to assist in deportations If approved, the move would be the first time Guard troops at the national level have been asked to assist in the removal of migrants in the U.S. without legal status.

If approved, the move would be the first time Guard troops at the national level have been asked to assist in the removal of migrants in the U.S. without legal status.

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10 months ago
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Multiple Trump White House officials have ties to antisemitic extremists NPR has identified three Trump administration officials with close ties to antisemitic extremists, including a prominent Holocaust denier.

NPR has identified three Trump administration officials with close ties to antisemitic extremists, including a prominent Holocaust denier.

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10 months ago
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Kentucky students spar with state over ability to sue for an adequate education The Kentucky attorney general’s office argued Tuesday that a Franklin County judge should throw out a student lawsuit alleging the state has failed to provide an adequate and equitable education.

The Kentucky attorney general’s office argued Tuesday that a Franklin County judge should throw out a student lawsuit alleging the state has failed to provide an adequate and equitable education. From @sylviaruthg.lpm.org

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10 months ago
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Poland prepares for war : State of the World from NPR Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and President Trump's efforts to change the U.S. relationship with Europe and NATO have caused some European countries to rethink their own defense. One example...

Poland is preparing to repel a Russian invasion, including a plan to train every adult male in the country to be ready for war. We go to Poland to see what the preparations look like.

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10 months ago
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Kentucky would lose millions for housing grants under proposed White House budget The Kentucky Housing Corporation says the state stands to lose nearly half its funding for federal housing programs if Congress agrees to the Trump administration's proposed budget.

The Kentucky Housing Corporation says the state stands to lose nearly half its funding for federal housing programs if Congress agrees to the Trump administration's proposed budget, impacting more than 149,000 Kentuckians in about 85,000 households. From @justinhicks.lpm.org

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10 months ago
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Kentucky's 502 area code is running out of numbers. How to weigh in on what happens next. Do you feel strongly about your area code? Well, it’s your time to shine. The Kentucky Public Service Commission is requesting input to replace the soon-to-be exhausted 502.

Kentucky's 502 area code is running out of numbers. @sylviaruthg.lpm.org reports on how to weigh in on what happens next.

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10 months ago
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Tensions escalate as Pakistan calls India's operation 'an act of war' Pakistan says India's strikes on Wednesday is "an act of war." India's military described its operation as targeting "terrorist infrastructure."

Pakistan says India's strikes on Wednesday is "an act of war." India's military described its operation as targeting "terrorist infrastructure."

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10 months ago
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Three Memphis police officers found not guilty in the death of Tyre Nichols A jury found three former Memphis police officers not guilty of all charges in the death of Tyre Nichols, including the most serious charge of second degree murder.

BREAKING NEWS: A jury finds three former Memphis police officers not guilty of all charges in the death of Tyre Nichols, including the most serious charge of second degree murder.

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10 months ago
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TVA considering keeping coal plants beyond 2035, CEO says The Tennessee Valley Authority had previously stated its intentions to retire its four coal plants in Kentucky and Tennessee by 2035. But now, the utility’s CEO said some of the plants could be operat...

The Tennessee Valley Authority had previously stated its intentions to retire its four coal plants in Kentucky and Tennessee by 2035. But now, the utility’s CEO said some of the plants could be operating “for the foreseeable future.” From @hannahsaad.bsky.social of @wkmsfm.bsky.social

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10 months ago
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Kari Lake says OAN's far-right coverage will fuel Voice of America Senior presidential adviser Kari Lake says Voice of America will rely on coverage from the far-right OAN network. OAN has offered unwavering support of President Trump.

Kari Lake says Voice of America to rely on coverage from pro-Trump network OAN

She previously laid off almost the entire workforce and cut contracts with AP, Reuters and Agence France-Presse

My story for NPR:

www.npr.org/2025/05/07/n...

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10 months ago
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Kari Lake says OAN's far-right coverage will fuel Voice of America Senior presidential adviser Kari Lake says Voice of America will rely on coverage from the far-right OAN network. OAN has offered unwavering support of President Trump.

Senior presidential adviser Kari Lake says Voice of America will rely on coverage from the far-right OAN network. OAN has offered unwavering support of President Trump.

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10 months ago
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Trump orders end to federal funding for NPR and PBS In an executive order, President Trump directs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to stop funding NPR and PBS, the nation's primary public broadcasters.

Trump orders end to federal funding for NPR and PBS
www.npr.org/2025/05/02/n...
via @npr.org

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10 months ago
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How a top marijuana company landed Kentucky’s most-coveted medical cannabis license Companies tied to Chicago-based Cresco Labs submitted 128 expensive applications for Kentucky medical cannabis licenses. They landed two, delivering the most coveted cultivator operation back to Cresc...

How a top marijuana company in Chicago landed Kentucky’s most-coveted medical cannabis cultivation license operation.

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10 months ago
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Kentucky libraries, programs face uncertainty with recent federal cuts Recent federal funding cuts have raised some concerns about the future operations of the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives and some public libraries across the Commonwealth.

Kentucky libraries and programs face uncertainty with recent federal cuts. A Marshall County librarian says smaller ones that are not set up as taxing districts and rely heavily on federal grants "may honestly have to close the doors." From @wkmsfm.bsky.social

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10 months ago
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Mining unions and lung doctors blocked from defending new safety rule in court New coal mine safety requirements from the Mine Safety and Health Administration were supposed to take effect this month until a federal court blocked the rollout.

New coal mine safety requirements from the Mine Safety and Health Administration were supposed to take effect this month until a federal court blocked the rollout. Now miner unions and lung doctors have been blocked from defending the safety rule in court. From @justinhicks.lpm.org of KPR:

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10 months ago
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Here’s who owns every Kentucky Derby horse and how they amassed their fortunes You don’t have to be ridiculously wealthy to make a run at the roses, but it certainly doesn’t hurt.

Here’s who owns every Kentucky Derby horse and how they amassed their fortunes
www.kentucky.com/sports/horse...
via @heraldleader.bsky.social

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10 months ago
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Lawsuit argues Trump's wholesale transformation of government is unconstitutional A coalition of unions, nonprofits and local governments has sued President Trump, Elon Musk and the heads of nearly two dozen agencies in an effort to block mass layoffs in the federal government.

A coalition of unions, nonprofits and local governments has sued President Trump, Elon Musk and the heads of nearly two dozen agencies in an effort to block mass layoffs in the federal government.

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10 months ago
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Why two Kentucky utilities sought coal pollution exemption from Trump, but others didn’t President Donald Trump offered to cut coal plants a break on a significant air pollution rule.

President Trump offered to cut coal plants a break on a significant air pollution rule. Two Kentucky utilities sought the pollution exemption, but others didn’t. @morganwatkins.lpm.org of KyCIR explains why:

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10 months ago
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Four freed from prison in Hong Kong after national security convictions The four were part of a group known as the "Hong Kong 47," and were rounded up for taking part in an unofficial primary poll in 2020 that drew more than 600,000 people.

Four freed from prison in Hong Kong after national security convictions
www.npr.org/2025/04/29/n...

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10 months ago
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29 Kentuckians are naturalized U.S. citizens after a ceremony inside Mammoth Cave National Park Hundreds of feet below ground, 29 green card holders from 12 different countries were naturalized as new American citizens on Thursday.

29 Kentuckians are naturalized U.S. citizens after a ceremony inside Mammoth Cave National Park. From WKU:

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10 months ago
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Trump needs unity among Republicans to pass his budget bill. Can he get it? Congress returns from a two-week recess with a massive item on its to-do list: budget reconciliation. Lawmakers barely passed the plan's framework along party lines and now face an uphill battle on re...

Congress returns from a two-week recess with a massive item on its to-do list: budget reconciliation. Lawmakers barely passed the plan's framework along party lines and now face an uphill battle on reaching consensus.

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10 months ago
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Canada's election: All you need to know Canada's snap election has been dominated by one politician — who's not even in the race: President Trump.

Canada's snap election has been dominated by one politician — who's not even in the race — President Trump.

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10 months ago
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Putin declares a 3-day ceasefire for May's WWII anniversary. Ukraine says why wait? Russia declared a three-day ceasefire in Ukraine starting May 8 for the anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany. Ukraine called for an immediate, 30-day truce instead.

Russia declared a three-day ceasefire in Ukraine starting May 8 for the anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany. Ukraine called for an immediate, 30-day truce instead.

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10 months ago
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Spain and Portugal begin recovering from a massive blackout. Here's what to know Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez said a nationwide blackout of this scale had never happened before in Spain. He added that the underlying cause remains unclear.

Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez said a nationwide blackout of this scale had never happened before in Spain. He added that the underlying cause remains unclear.

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10 months ago

Putin wants a 3-day ceasefire for WWII anniversary next month. Ukraine says why wait?
www.npr.org/2025/04/28/n...
via @joannakakissis.bsky.social @charlesmaynes.bsky.social @npr.org

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