Shepherd Snyder

Republished from WEKU. President-elect Donald Trump has proposed higher tariffs on imported goods as part of his second term’s policies. That could affect certain industries in Kentucky. It’s still uncertain what the incoming administration will end up implementing, but he has proposed a blanket of up to 20 percent on imported goods, and a 60 percent tariff on goods from China. Tariffs are taxes a government can impose on both imported or exported goods. Higher tariffs mean higher prices for both businesses and everyday people. But it also encourages more local production from manufacturers. Omar Ayyash is the President of the Kentucky World Trade Center. He says higher tariffs could affect Kentucky’s auto manufacturers. “While we’re manufacturing here, there are auto parts that are being imported, and that might impact the tariffs on these imported auto parts and thus eventually increase the cost,” Ayyash said. “But ultimately, we also have to look at it from a protectionist perspective.” Ayyash says he’s optimistic that higher tariffs could lead to more manufacturing to happen in Kentucky, boosting employment and investment. Higher tariffs could also affect local exports. Mike Clark is the director of the University of Kentucky’s Center for Business and Economic Research. He says other countries could impose their own tariffs towards the U.S. in return, which could affect what goods we send to other countries. “That’s particularly an issue for Kentucky, because we do export a pretty large percent of our GDP,” Clark said. Exports accounted for 14.5% of Kentucky’s Gross Domestic Product last year, which measures the total value of goods and services produced. The U.S. exports around 10% of its GDP in comparison. Clark says it’s too early to tell how industries will be affected until a formal proposal from the Trump administration is made. Both Clark and... Continue Reading

Republished from WEKU. Kentucky’s branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is sending $3.3 million dollars to rural communities for clean energy projects. The money comes from the Rural Energy for America Program, also known as REAP. Tom Carew is the USDA’s Rural Development Director for Kentucky. He says the program gives grants to businesses that help them install energy improvements. “When I say business, it could be a farm operation, it could be a grocery store or a public utility. and the REAP program will pay 50% of the cost of the energy improvements,” Carew said. It’ll mostly go to installing 17 small-scale solar systems across Kentucky. Carew says he’s most excited about a million-dollar grant going toward Frankfort’s Electric and Water Plant Board. “This is essentially a public utility accessing these grant funds to lower their operating costs, which should mean better efficiency, better pricing for their customers. I think it’s a really interesting use,” Carew said. Other projects being funded include more grain dryers in Logan, Daviess and Simpson County, more HVAC units installed in Madison County and heat pumps in Pike and Hopkins County. Carew says he expects more money to be awarded to rural communities in the future through the Inflation Reduction Act. The full list of projects being supported is available here. Carew says anyone interested in future REAP grants can contact the USDA Rural Development state office at 859-224-7300. ** WEKU is working hard to be a leading source for public service, and fact-based journalism. Monthly supporters are the top funding source for this growing nonprofit news organization. Please join others in your community who support WEKU by making your donation. Originally published by WEKU. Republished with permission. https://www.weku.org/the-commonwealth/2024-11-14/usda-awards-more-than-3-million-to-rural-kentucky-communities-in-new-round-of-energy-efficiency-grants

Republished from WEKU. East Kentucky Power Cooperative is looking to add new natural gas plants across Kentucky. The utility plans to build a natural gas unit at Cooper Station in Pulaski County and another near Liberty in Casey County. It’s also converting four coal units to also use natural gas, including two at Cooper Station and two more at Spurlock Station in Mason County. Cooperative spokesperson Nick Comer says the decision to convert those units come from stricter EPA rules meant to reduce greenhouse gas. “There are several options for how to mitigate that, including closing the units down by 2032 or investing in carbon capture technology, which is just extremely expensive. So this option provides a lot of flexibility,” Comer said. The co-op says the projects will help them reach their goal of lessening their carbon emissions by 35% through the next decade. Cooperative spokesperson Nick Comer says all projects are waiting on the final go-ahead from state regulators. “The regulatory process for that, and key to that is the approval of the Kentucky Public Service Commission,” Comer said. “But our timeline for all of these projects is to have them in service by the end of 2030.” Comer says they’re looking to add these projects to support new homes and businesses, to support renewable energy like solar and to keep their existing power grid reliable. ** WEKU is working hard to be a leading source for public service, and fact-based journalism. Monthly supporters are the top funding source for this growing nonprofit news organization. Please join others in your community who support WEKU by making your donation. Originally published by WEKU. Republished with permission. https://www.weku.org/the-commonwealth/2024-11-15/east-kentucky-power-cooperative-makes-plans-for-both-new-and-converted-natural-gas-plants

EKU and state officials ceremonially break ground on the school's new flight training center.

A decision to hold a public hearing for a rezoning proposal in Lexington’s historically Black neighborhood of Pralltown was tabled by the urban county council during a Tuesday meeting.

WEKU | By Shepherd Snyder Published November 20, 2024 at 5:49 PM EST Facebook LinkedIn Email

Republished from WEKU. The Department of Labor is encouraging those who think they might have lost or unclaimed wages to file an online claim. Around $1.4 million in unclaimed wages are owed to 1,900 workers in Kentucky. In just Fayette County, that’s $10,193 owed to 68 workers, according to county data from the department. Those wages get sent to the U.S. Treasury after three years. Workers who think they’re eligible can file a claim through the online Workers Owed Wages tool. “These are wages that people have worked for, and this is money that goes into their pockets,” DoL Louisville District Office Director Karen Garnett-Civils said. “And so we would like to see the money go into the workers’ pocket and not end up getting turned over to the Treasury.” Garnett-Civils says the application process is simple. “They can type in the employer’s name, and then they could put in their name, and so if they are owed wages, it will come up showing that there are old wages from this employer,” Garnett-Civils said. “And then from there, they can request a form to be sent to them to start the process of getting the wages that they’re owed.” The Workers Owed Wages tool can be accessed here. ** WEKU is working hard to be a leading source for public service, and fact-based journalism. Monthly supporters are the top funding source for this growing nonprofit news organization. Please join others in your community who support WEKU by making your donation. Originally published by WEKU. Republished with permission. https://www.weku.org/the-commonwealth/2024-11-20/department-of-labor-encourages-kentucky-workers-to-check-for-unclaimed-wages

Republished from WEKU. Attorney General Russell Coleman is proposing a settlement with Kentucky Power that would reduce winter electricity bills for the utility’s customers. The settlement would give those in the utility’s service area a credit of $51.19, which would be spread out among power bills for 2025 and 2026’s winter months. The proposal is in front of the Public Service Commission, which has final say on whether it’s approved. If it is, Kentucky Power would return $16.9 million to its ratepayers for improperly applying a fuel rate adjustment clause. A release from the Attorney General says it could also mean more savings in the future. The settlement would affect around 162,000 people in 20 eastern Kentucky counties. ** WEKU is working hard to be a leading source for public service, and fact-based journalism. Monthly supporters are the top funding source for this growing nonprofit news organization. Please join others in your community who support WEKU by making your donation. Originally published by WEKU. Republished with permission. https://www.weku.org/the-commonwealth/2024-11-20/ag-coleman-proposes-settlement-with-kentucky-power

Lexington mayor Linda Gorton announces the city's NYE festivities at a press conference Thursday.

Kentucky nonprofits say they’re concerned about a federal bill that would give the executive branch sole power to financially punish them on the grounds of supporting terrorism.